--- title: "How to use buying signals to find prospects · Pipecorn" description: "Use buying signals in Pipecorn to find prospects. See what each signal costs in credits and how to stack them into one search that runs every week." canonical: "https://pipecorn.com/pipeschool/using-signals" --- # How to use buying signals to find prospects > Use buying signals in Pipecorn to find prospects. See what each signal costs in credits and how to stack them into one search that runs every week. Source: https://pipecorn.com/pipeschool/using-signals To use buying signals to find prospects in Pipecorn, pick the signals that fit your offer, stack the company ones into a saved list, then in **Leads** pick that list and your persona and turn on **New hire**. Click the bell to turn the search into an alert, and Pipecorn sends you the new matches every week. Searching with signals is free. Credits are spent when you take the results, at 1 credit per competitor follower you extract, with a minimum of 1,000, and 3 credits per company you save from a Hiring or Technology search. This guide takes the signals in the order of the video, each with what it tells you and what it costs. For the full catalogue of the 11 signals and where each sits, see [Every buying signal in Pipecorn](https://pipecorn.com/pipeschool/signals). ## What you need * **The Grow plan or higher.** Hiring, Technology, Competitor Followers, Social Posts, Headcount Growth and Funding are all Grow features. See [Pricing](https://pipecorn.com/pricing). * **Credits** for Competitor Followers, and for saving companies from a Hiring or Technology search. * **A persona** for the people you sell to, like Sales leaders. You pick it when you look for people inside your companies. ## Use buying signals to find prospects, step by step 1. ### List the followers of a competitor In **Leads**, open **Competitor Followers** under **DEEP SEARCH** and pick a competitor. Pipecorn lists the people who follow its LinkedIn page and shows how many there are. They already know your category, and some of them are comparing tools right now. This signal runs on its own, so your other filters are greyed out while a company is selected. ![Pipecorn Leads with ZoomInfo picked under Competitor Followers, the notice that it runs on its own, and the followers listed with their job titles and companies](https://res.cloudinary.com/dqqyl36ed/video/upload/so_10.5,c_fill,ar_16:9,w_1280,f_auto,q_auto/pipecorn/university/using-signals.jpg) The people who follow ZoomInfo's LinkedIn page 2. ### Extract the followers you want Above the results, pick how many profiles to extract (the minimum is 1,000) and click **Create Lead list**. The **Save list to your account** window says how many credits the import will use before you confirm, at 1 credit per follower. The list can take up to 48 hours to arrive. The bar above the results also says credits are refunded only if the results come back below the credits used. ![The Save list to your account window for a competitor followers list, stating how many enrichment credits the import will consume and that the extract might take up to 48 hours](https://res.cloudinary.com/dqqyl36ed/video/upload/so_20.5,c_fill,ar_16:9,w_1280,f_auto,q_auto/pipecorn/university/using-signals.jpg) 1 credit per follower, minimum 1,000, up to 48 hours 3. ### Find who engaged with a LinkedIn post Open **Social Posts** and paste the link of a post about the problem you solve, yours or a competitor's. Pipecorn lists everyone who reacted or commented. For the warmest people, set **Engagement** to **Comments only**. Tick **Exclude coworkers** to leave out your own team, then click **Find leads**. This search shows no credit cost, and the leads you save count toward your plan's monthly leads. ![Leads with Social Posts open, a LinkedIn post URL pasted, Engagement set to Comments only, Exclude coworkers switched on, and the Find leads button above the commenters](https://res.cloudinary.com/dqqyl36ed/video/upload/so_35.3,c_fill,ar_16:9,w_1280,f_auto,q_auto/pipecorn/university/using-signals.jpg) Comments only, without your coworkers 4. ### Find where companies are investing with headcount growth In **Companies**, open **Headcount Growth**. It shows where a company is investing. Compare **Year over year** or **Month over month** with the **Period** switch. Go further with **Department growth**. Pick a department, like Sales, and a minimum growth. A sales team that grew 20% this year has budget to spend on sales. ![Pipecorn Companies with Headcount Growth open, Period Year over year, and Department growth set to Sales with a minimum of 20%](https://res.cloudinary.com/dqqyl36ed/video/upload/so_46.5,c_fill,ar_16:9,w_1280,f_auto,q_auto/pipecorn/university/using-signals.jpg) Department growth on Sales, 20% minimum 5. ### Find companies that just raised money Open **Funding**. Pick how recent the round is under **Raised in the last**, and drag **Raised amount (USD millions)** to the round size you want. Fresh money gets spent in the months after the round, and that is your window to reach out. ![Companies with the Funding signal, Raised in the last set to Quarter and the Raised amount (USD millions) slider at $10M+](https://res.cloudinary.com/dqqyl36ed/video/upload/so_54.5,c_fill,ar_16:9,w_1280,f_auto,q_auto/pipecorn/university/using-signals.jpg) Funding, raised in the last quarter, $10M and more 6. ### Find companies hiring the role you sell to Open **Hiring**, type the role under **Job titles**, like SDR, and pick how recent the post is under **Published in**. A company hiring SDRs is building outbound right now. The **Offer** column shows the exact role of each post. ![Pipecorn Companies results for a Hiring search on SDR, with the Offer column listing each company's open role, such as Senior SDR or Outbound SDR](https://res.cloudinary.com/dqqyl36ed/video/upload/so_66.5,c_fill,ar_16:9,w_1280,f_auto,q_auto/pipecorn/university/using-signals.jpg) The Offer column shows the exact role 7. ### Save the hiring companies, then find the sales leaders inside Searching is free. Click **Add to list** to save the companies. The **Credits required** box says how many credits the list will use, at 3 per company, and what your balance will be after. Then select the companies, click **Find employees**, pick your persona, like **Sales leaders**, and click **Find employees** again. Pipecorn opens the people in **Leads**. ![The Add to list panel on a Hiring search, with the list name Companies hiring SDRs and the Credits required box showing the credits the list will use and the balance left after](https://res.cloudinary.com/dqqyl36ed/video/upload/so_72.5,c_fill,ar_16:9,w_1280,f_auto,q_auto/pipecorn/university/using-signals.jpg) Saving from Hiring costs 3 credits per company 8. ### Find companies that pay for a competitor's tool Open **Technology** and pick a competitor's tool, like ZoomInfo. The **Technologies** column shows the tools each company already pays for, so you can pitch the switch. Saving the companies costs the same as Hiring, 3 credits each. [Technographic data](https://pipecorn.com/blog/technographic-data) explains why the tools a company pays for matter. ![Companies with the Technology signal, ZoomInfo selected, and the Technologies column showing ZoomInfo next to other tools on every row](https://res.cloudinary.com/dqqyl36ed/video/upload/so_83,c_fill,ar_16:9,w_1280,f_auto,q_auto/pipecorn/university/using-signals.jpg) Companies that use ZoomInfo 9. ### Stack funding and headcount growth into one list Now stack them. Funding and Headcount Growth work together. Hiring and Technology run on their own, because they grey out the growth and funding filters. Turn on **Department growth** for Sales and **Funding** in the same search, then click **Add to list**, **Create new list**, name it and **Save**. ![Companies with Headcount Growth (Sales department, 20%) and Funding (last quarter, $10M+) both on, and the Add to list panel creating a list named Funded + growing sales teams](https://res.cloudinary.com/dqqyl36ed/video/upload/so_96.5,c_fill,ar_16:9,w_1280,f_auto,q_auto/pipecorn/university/using-signals.jpg) Funded companies with a growing sales team, saved as a list 10. ### Find the sales leaders who just joined those companies In **Leads**, open **Current company**, pick your list under **Account lists**, pick your persona, and turn on **New hire**. You get the sales leaders who joined a company with budget in the last 90 days. ![Pipecorn Leads with the account list Funded + growing sales teams, the persona Sales leaders and the New hire switch on, listing VP Sales and Heads of Sales](https://res.cloudinary.com/dqqyl36ed/video/upload/so_102,c_fill,ar_16:9,w_1280,f_auto,q_auto/pipecorn/university/using-signals.jpg) Your list, your persona, and New hire 11. ### Turn the search into a weekly alert Click the bell next to **Enrich leads**. In the **Create alert** window, choose **New hires alert**, set **Frequency** to **Weekly** and click **Create alert**. Every week Pipecorn sends you the new matches, and the alert sits under **Alerts** in the sidebar. The whole setup, with what a run delivers, is in [Get alerts for new hires and job changes](https://pipecorn.com/pipeschool/job-change-alert). To follow people you already know, like your customers' champions, see [job change tracking](https://pipecorn.com/track-job-changes). ![The Create alert window over the Leads search, with New hires alert, an alert name and Frequency set to Weekly](https://res.cloudinary.com/dqqyl36ed/video/upload/so_107.5,c_fill,ar_16:9,w_1280,f_auto,q_auto/pipecorn/university/using-signals.jpg) A New hires alert, every week ## What each buying signal costs Running a search costs nothing. These are the moments a signal spends credits: * **Competitor Followers.** 1 credit per follower you extract, minimum 1,000 per extraction. Credits are refunded only if fewer results come back than the credits used. * **Hiring and Technology.** 3 credits per company when you save the companies to a list. An alert on one of these searches costs 3 credits per company it imports. * **Social Posts, Headcount Growth and Funding.** No credit cost shows when you search. Leads you save from Social Posts count toward your plan's monthly leads quota. * **Emails and mobiles.** 3 credits per work email and 30 per mobile, only when Pipecorn finds them. ## Tips for signal-based prospecting * **Check the cost before you confirm.** The Save list window and the Credits required box both show the credits a save will use before anything is spent. * **Save only the companies you will work.** On Hiring and Technology every saved company costs 3 credits, so narrow the search with industry, location and company size first. * **Act soon after a round.** Fresh money gets spent in the months after the raise, so set **Raised in the last** to a recent period. * **Keep the alert running.** A New hires alert on your stacked list brings the people who join those companies after you built it. ## Questions ### What are the best buying signals to find prospects? It depends on what you sell. Competitor followers already know your category. Hiring and department growth show where a company is putting money. Funding means fresh budget. Technology shows a tool you can replace. New hire keeps buyers who just started in their role. ### How much does a competitor followers list cost? 1 credit per follower you extract, with a minimum of 1,000 per extraction. The list can take up to 48 hours to arrive. ### Is searching with signals free? Yes. Credits are spent only when you extract competitor followers, save companies from a Hiring or Technology search (3 credits each), or enrich emails and mobiles. ### Can I combine hiring and funding signals? No. Hiring and Technology grey out Headcount Growth and Funding. Funding and Headcount Growth work together, so stack those two, save the list, and run Hiring or Technology as separate searches. ### How do I get new prospects from my signals every week? Open the Leads search, click the bell, create a New hires alert and set the frequency to Weekly. See [Get alerts for new hires and job changes](https://pipecorn.com/pipeschool/job-change-alert). ### Which plan do I need to use buying signals? Grow or higher. Lookalikes starts on Build. See [Pricing](https://pipecorn.com/pricing) for every plan. ## Video transcript 1. Signals show you who is ready to buy. Here is what each one tells you, what it costs, and how to stack them. 2. Start with competitor followers. Pick a competitor, and Pipecorn lists the people who follow its LinkedIn page. 3. They already know your category, and some of them are comparing tools right now. 4. It costs one credit per follower you extract, with a minimum of one thousand. The list can take up to 48 hours to arrive. 5. Next, LinkedIn posts. Paste the link of a post about the problem you solve, yours or a competitor's. 6. Pipecorn lists everyone who reacted or commented. Keep only the comments for the warmest people, and leave out your own coworkers. 7. Headcount growth shows where a company is investing. Compare year over year, or month over month. 8. Go further with department growth. A sales team that grew twenty percent this year has budget to spend on sales. 9. Funding finds the companies that raised money. Pick how recent the round is, and how much they raised. 10. Fresh money gets spent in the months after the round. That is your window. 11. Hiring finds companies with an open job post. Type the role, like SDR, and pick how recent the post is. 12. A company hiring SDRs is building outbound right now. The offer column shows the exact role. 13. Searching is free. Saving these companies to a list costs three credits per company. Then find the sales leaders inside them. 14. Technology shows the tools a company already pays for. Pick a competitor's tool, like ZoomInfo, and pitch the switch. 15. Same price as hiring. Saving the companies costs three credits each. 16. Now stack them. Funding and headcount growth work together, hiring and technology run on their own. Save the funded, growing companies as a list. 17. In Leads, pick that list and your persona, and turn on New hire. You get the sales leaders who just joined a company with budget. 18. Turn that search into an alert, and every week Pipecorn sends you the new matches. ## Steps 1. Pick a competitor under Competitor followers to list who follows its LinkedIn page. 2. Paste a LinkedIn post link to list who reacted or commented. 3. Headcount growth and department growth show where a company invests. 4. Funding finds companies that raised money recently. 5. Hiring and technology find companies by open roles and the tools they pay for. 6. Stack funding and headcount growth, save the companies, then find new hires inside them in Leads. 7. Turn the search into an alert to get new matches every week. ## What you need * Grow plan and up * Credits: 1 credit per follower, 3 per company saved [Compare the plans ](https://pipecorn.com/pricing) ## Watch next [![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dqqyl36ed/video/upload/so_24,c_fill,ar_16:9,w_800,f_auto,q_auto/pipecorn/university/tech-stack.jpg)Search by tech stack1:04Find companies by the tools they useSearch companies by the tools they pay for, then get the new matches every week with an alert.](https://pipecorn.com/pipeschool/tech-stack)[![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dqqyl36ed/video/upload/so_14,c_fill,ar_16:9,w_800,f_auto,q_auto/pipecorn/university/job-change-alert.jpg)Job change alerts0:45Get alerts for new hires and job changesGet the new hires that match your search every week, and know when your customers' champions change jobs.](https://pipecorn.com/pipeschool/job-change-alert)[![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dqqyl36ed/video/upload/so_36,c_fill,ar_16:9,w_800,f_auto,q_auto/pipecorn/university/lead-list-enrichment.jpg)Enrich your CSV1:06Enrich a lead list you already haveUpload a CSV of leads, check the column mapping, and get the work email and mobile of everyone on it.](https://pipecorn.com/pipeschool/lead-list-enrichment) [All 16 tutorials →](https://pipecorn.com/pipeschool) ## Still stuck? Book a call and we'll walk through it with you on your own account. Or read the docs, every feature and the API are there. [Book a call with us](https://zcal.co/t/pipecorn/discussion)[Read the docs](https://docs.pipecorn.com/)