Top 5 Resources of Signals to Track [Curated Guide]
The Signal
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Over the last year and a half, I’ve had countless people ask me how to automate signal-based selling and, more specifically, some version of this question:
Which Signals should I be tracking?
I reference five resources a lot. So, I figured I’d drop them into a single document so I can easily share them with folks who ask me about going forward.
Once you decide which signals are most impactful for your company, you need a way to:
Capture the signals
Operationalize the signals
Track the results of using the signals
Check out the resources below, with links and short descriptions for each. I hope you find these as valuable as I have!
1. The Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Sales Plays
by Becc Holland, Founder of Flip the Script
This one was created several years ago. She was ahead of her time. Becc calls it “Trigger-based relevance,” which I love. And, as the story goes, maybe others were inspired by her original post.
Link here to download this high-res image.
2. 100+ Signals for Pipeline Generation
curated by Common Room
Full Google Sheet here. No email is required to check it out. View the different Tabs at the bottom to sort signals by category.
3. 100 Pipeline Plays
curated by ZoomInfo
Another spreadsheet of Plays & Signals (Airtable) that you can skim through for inspiration. Lots of interesting context + ways to slice and dice this dataset of signals.
They also put together this beast-of-a 232-slide deck that has a ton of great info to chew on if you’re still hungry.
4. GEX Wrapped 2024
There’s probably no one I think more highly of than Eric when it comes to outbound, done smart. Meaning (often) with signals.
This 119-page Google doc is packed with specific examples of outbound campaigns to run (using the latest tools and AI). Eric is thoughtful, creative, and technical — a rare unicorn.
(PS - Eric’s YouTube channel is also a goldmine of alpha — he’s got an entire Cold Email Course, all 42 videos are free!)
5. The Cold Outbound Handbook
by Matt Redler
I’ve known Matt for a while now, and he’s the real deal. He has built a cold email agency, and now building a SaaS product to take on Instantly and Smartlead. He’s legit. But, you don’t have to take my word for it - the godfather of modern sales, Pete Kazanjy gives you all the proof you need to give this resource a look:
This 55-minute read is dense with content that truly pushes the limits on what is possible with cold outbound email. In the words of Matt:
Learn how to master cold email outreach from $0 to $1M ARR. A comprehensive playbook on infrastructure, copywriting, and AI-powered personalization at scale.
Bonus: Email Wizard Course
by Will Allred, Co-founder of Lavender
If you are doing cold email today, you’ve probably come across Will on LinkedIn. He relentlessly shares best practices on how to break through the noise of the inbox (which is becoming increasingly more difficult in today’s environment). He calls this “getting past the mental spam filter.”
So, I couldn’t publish this piece without including something that points to his wizardry. He often weaves in signals as a way of pointing out relevance in email outreach. And he’s one of the best in the game when it comes to cold email copywriting.
Check out Lavender’s Email Wizard Course (for free) to learn Cold Email 101.
I hope you spend the time reading through these resources. Don’t let them overwhelm you. Instead, pick your way through them and find inspiration from them. You don’t need to use every signal that exists. Start with your gut feeling, then begin testing other signals over time. It’s a never-ending journey — enjoy it. :)
As always, thank you for your attention and trust.
PS - My next post is a collab with the legend, Kyle Poyar, of Growth Unhinged. So if you’re not already, be sure you’re subscribed to The Signal so you don’t miss it.
See you there,
Brendan 🫡
Thanks for putting this together. This is awesome!