"Buying signal" and "buying intent" get used interchangeably in sales content — but they describe different things.

Buying Intent: The Internal State

Buying intent is a buyer's internal readiness to purchase — a feeling that they have a problem, a belief that they need a solution, and a rough timeline for acting. You cannot observe intent directly.

Buying Signal: The Observable Proxy

A buying signal is an observable event that correlates with purchasing intent. A company hiring a VP of Revenue Operations is a signal. You observe the signal; you infer the intent.

Why Intent Data Can Be Misleading

Most "intent data" products sell a company-level intent score based on keyword research patterns. You get a score that says "Company X is researching CRM software" but not why, who, or what triggered it.

Named signal intelligence surfaces specific, dated, verifiable events. A funding announcement is a signal. A Reddit thread asking for ZoomInfo alternatives is a signal. These are facts you can act on.