Comparison
Signal based vs database prospecting: who replies, who buys and what our data says
Signal based prospecting starts from something a person did. Database prospecting starts from who they are. In Sellinger's own October 2025 data, intent signal lists replied at 54.6% against 21.7% for Sales Navigator searches. But a foundry found more buyers from named company searches than from signals. The best answer depends on whether you can name your accounts.
Published by Sellinger AI. Numbers and settings checked on 19 October 2026 against the fact register. Report an error.
Three studies, same question
| Study | Signal lists | Searches and named lists |
|---|---|---|
| Sellinger own, replies and meetings per person messaged | 54.6% replied, 4.54% meetings | 37.2% and 1.16% untagged; 21.7% and 0.71% Sales Navigator search |
| Foundry, replies and buyer outcomes | 58.2% replied, 6 outcomes from 141 messaged (4.3%), but 57% of replies came from recruiters, vendors and peers | Named target makers: 27.6% replied, 24 outcomes from 449 (5.3%) |
| Solo founder, calls booked | 16 of 19 bookings, 2.0% to 2.7% of conversations | 1 booking from 225 conversations (0.4%) |
Cohorts and bases differ, so do not compare across rows. Sources: the linked case studies, snapshots 9 and 10 October 2026.
What each approach is
| Approach | In Sellinger |
|---|---|
| Signal based | Intent signals on LinkedIn with 26 ready made signal templates in 8 categories, included with every bundle |
| Database | People Search over a database of 700M+ contacts: search people and companies, then import them as leads |
Choose by whether you can name your accounts
Database prospecting fits if
- you can list the companies and titles you want,
- buyers rarely engage with public content,
- your sale is to a role at a known set of makers or institutions,
- you want to size a market before writing.
Signal based prospecting fits if
- buyers announce themselves by engaging, hiring or complaining,
- your market is too wide to list,
- you want an opener that mentions what they just did,
- you will check who replies, not only how many.
Most teams use both: a database for the named list and signals for timing. See the signal based outreach use case.
Common questions
Are intent signals worth it?
Does a database give better buyers?
Are signals included in the price?
Which signal sources work best?
Sources and method
Figures from the linked case studies. Product statements from the fact register, checked 19 October 2026.
Related: intent signals, lead enrichment, signal based outreach, Compare hub.
