What are Market Signals?
Learn how Market Signals let you prospect across the entire Firmable database without a target list, surfacing net-new accounts the moment they hit a buying trigger.
Prerequisites
Market Signals are available on the following plans:
- You are on a Teams or Teams Pro plan with Firmable.
Overview
Market Signals are a type of signal agent that scans the entire Firmable database for matching buying triggers, rather than watching a list of accounts you already know.
Where a standard list-based signal agent monitors specific Lists you have saved, a Market Signal has no list requirement, the whole Firmable database is the canvas. This makes Market Signals the go-to tool for pure prospecting: finding net-new accounts before they appear on any target list.
How Market Signals work
When creating a signal agent, there are two scopes to choose from:
- List-based: the agent watches a specific Firmable list and surfaces signals on those accounts.
- Market-level (Market Signals): the agent skips the list step entirely and scans the whole Firmable database for matching signals.
The same signal types are available in both modes, funding rounds, new executive appointments, hiring spikes, M&A, restructures, partnerships, product launches, and more. The difference is scope: known accounts versus the open market.
Credits and plan eligibility are the same as for standard Signals, there is no separate Market Signals entitlement.
When to use a list-based agent instead
Use a list-based agent when the accounts that matter are already known, a named target list, a customer base, or a specific territory. Market Signals are for finding the next account; list-based agents are for watching the accounts already in scope
When to use a Market Signal
Market Signals are best suited to prospecting scenarios where the accounts are not yet known.
- Building a brand-new prospecting pipeline where no target list exists yet.
- Finding companies that have just hit a specific funding milestone across the whole market.
- Identifying companies with newly appointed executives that are not on any current watch list.
- Spotting hiring patterns in a specific function or role type across the broader market.
Using both together
Most teams will run both types at the same time. List-based agents cover known accounts; Market Signals find new ones. The two approaches complement each other and can be run in parallel from the same Signals page.
Available signal types
The following signal types can be used with a Market Signal agent:
- Funding rounds
- New executive (C-suite) appointments
- Hiring spikes and specific job postings
- M&A activity
- Restructures and reorganisations
- Partnerships
- Financial results
- Product launches
Creating a Market Signal
- Click Signals in the navigation, then click + Create.
- Skip the list selection step (or pick a market-scope template from the template gallery).
- Choose the signal type(s) that match the play you want to run.
- Set targeting options such as recency, key topics, and seniority where relevant.
- Name the agent, set a schedule, and configure notifications.
- Click Create, the agent will begin scanning the entire Firmable database and surface matches as they come in.
Frequently asked questions
How is a Market Signal different from a list-based signal agent?
A list-based agent watches accounts on a list that has already been created. A Market Signal scans the whole Firmable database for matching events. The signal types available are the same — the difference is scope.
Can both types be run at the same time?
Yes. Running both together is the recommended approach for most teams. List-based agents cover known accounts; Market Signals surface new ones.
Is there a separate template gallery for Market Signals?
No. The Signal Templates gallery includes both list-based and market-level templates. Filter by Market to see only the market-scope templates.
Do Market Signals cost extra credits?
No. Credits work the same way as for all signal agents. There is no separate entitlement for Market Signals.
We hope this article has helped you understand how Market Signals work. If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to contact us at support@firmable.com.