A signal is a dated event, read against a pattern
A buyer signal can be an observable account-level event or behaviour: a public announcement, an official hiring page, a procurement notice, or research activity. Its value comes from what can be attributed and dated.
Kairos uses buyer signal intelligence to connect that evidence to a defined offer and to the pattern that typically follows the same kind of event, and keeps the source with every step of the reasoning.
Buyer signal intelligence vs. contact data and intent data
| Input or framework | Useful question | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| Contact data | Who might be relevant to an account? | Names the people to reach and how to reach them. |
| Intent data | Is there observed research behaviour around a topic or category? | Shows attention to a topic, which adds context to a dated event. |
| Buyer signal intelligence | What changed at this company, and what typically follows that kind of event? | A dated, sourced event read against the pattern that typically follows it, giving an estimated buying window. |
The categories complement one another. Intent data can show attention to a topic; a dated event explains why now; contact data names the people to reach. A Kairos report brings the event, the pattern and a named contact together for each company.
Useful signal categories and how to read them
| Category | Example evidence | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Public business event | A dated company filing, official announcement, or regulatory decision. | Keep the original source, and read the event against the pattern that typically follows it. |
| Role or hiring context | An official role announcement or job description. | Shows who now owns the area and when the change began. |
| Procurement context | A published notice, market-research record, or solicitation. | A published process sets a scope and a timetable that a seller can plan around. |
| First-party engagement | A company’s own recorded interaction, where it is lawfully collected and interpretable. | Shows attention; read it together with account fit, recency and context. |
Four checks before a signal informs action
- 01
Source and date. Retain the original URL, publisher, date, and the exact observable event.
- 02
Offer relevance. State why the event matters to this specific offer.
- 03
Pattern. Match the event to the pattern that typically follows that kind of event.
- 04
Timing and next step. Note the event date and the estimated window, and choose the next step.
In a Kairos report, the buying window is an estimate shown as the weeks left, marked Closing soon when under two weeks; a card whose estimated window has closed is not delivered.
Several signals pointing the same way make a stronger pattern
Kairos calls several independent, relevant observations that point to the same business change signal convergence. It helps a team decide which account to work first.
Each observation keeps its own source, so the reasoning behind the pattern stays visible.
Use sources according to what they actually establish
For U.S. public companies, the SEC's EDGAR search supports company and filing-date research. The SEC's Form 8-K guidance describes a general disclosure timetable; it is not a purchasing timetable.
In federal procurement, FAR 10.001 requires market research appropriate to the circumstances. That supports a statement about federal procurement process, not a claim that a particular supplier will win work.
This page separates source-backed facts from Kairos practice. Buying-window lengths in a Kairos report are pattern-based estimates for the kind of event.
Related guides
Learn how a buying window is estimated, review how Kairos delivers signal intelligence, or explore the existing guide to intent data and buying signals.
Common buyer-signal questions
What is buyer signal intelligence?
Buyer signal intelligence connects a dated, sourced company event, such as a leadership change, a funding round or a regulatory deadline, to the pattern that typically follows that kind of event. Kairos names the company and the driving signal with linked sources, and estimates the buying window, shown as the weeks left.
How is buyer signal intelligence different from intent data?
Intent data describes observed research behaviour around a topic. Buyer signal intelligence starts from what changed at the company and why it matters to a specific offer, then reads that change against the pattern that typically follows the same kind of event. The two can be used together.
What makes a buying signal actionable?
A useful signal is dated, attributable to a source, relevant to a defined offer, and matched to the pattern that typically follows that kind of event. That combination tells a team which account to work now and what to lead with.
What is signal convergence?
Signal convergence is when several independent, relevant events point to the same business change at one company, for example a new leader, a funding round and new hiring in the same function. Convergence strengthens the pattern and helps a team decide which account to work first.
See the pattern in a sample report
Each opportunity names the company, the driving signal with linked sources, and an estimated buying window.