The Best Trigger Events for Outreach: A Guide for Commercial Services Sales

TL;DR: Key Takeaways

• A trigger event is a change that creates an urgent need – permits, weather damage, ownership transfers, system failures, or regulatory deadlines.

• Timing beats persistence – Research from Crag Elias (linked later in the article) shows trigger-based emails get 600% higher response rates, and buyers experiencing relevant triggers are 8x more likely to purchase.

• The best triggers are specific and verifiable – Use permit data, property records, and weather patterns instead of guessing.

• Different triggers = different needs – A roof permit signals a different buying intent than an HVAC failure or ownership change.

• Track trigger events systematically – Manual research doesn't scale; use tools to monitor your territory automatically.

Introduction

If you’re like many entry-level commercial services sales reps, you’re probably focused on sales activity… hit 100 cold calls, send 50 cold emails, anything to try and generate meetings.

But the cold reality of cold outreach is that it rarely drives real results.

You send 100 cold emails to building owners. Three respond. One says, "not interested." Another ghost after the first call. The third asks you to "check back next quarter."

Meanwhile, your competitor closes a $180K HVAC retrofit deal at a property down the street - and you didn't even know the building was in-market.

The difference? Timing.

Your competitor didn't email that building owner on a random Tuesday in March. They reached out 48 hours after a heat wave knocked out two rooftop units. The building owner was already getting quotes, and your competitor was the first one to reach out.

That's trigger-based selling. And once you understand how to identify and act on trigger events, cold outreach becomes warm conversations—sometimes before the prospect even posts an RFP.

This guide walks you through the eight most powerful trigger events for commercial services sales, how to find them in your territory, and what to say when you reach out. By the end, you'll have a repeatable system for getting in front of prospects exactly when they're “ready to buy.”

What is a Trigger Event?

In commercial services sales, a trigger event is any detectable change—at the property, company, or market level—that signals a building owner or facility manager is entering an active buying cycle for HVAC, roofing, solar, janitorial, landscaping, elevator, fire/life safety (FLS), or building automation services (BAS).

Here's the simplest way to think about it: trigger events answer the question every sales rep asks themselves, "Why should this prospect care about my call today?"

Here’s the difference between outreach based on a trigger vs. cold outreach.

Cold outreach means you're interrupting someone who isn't thinking about a problem. Trigger-based selling means you're reaching out precisely when they're already looking for a solution.

It could be a roof permit filed last week, a hailstorm that damaged 40 buildings in your territory, a new owner who has just acquired a 12-property portfolio and is rebidding the service contracts, or an HVAC system that's 22 years old and statistically overdue for replacement.

The trigger tells you when to reach out. The context tells you what to say.

How Trigger Events Transform Sales Results

To see the true impact of trigger-based outreach vs cold outreach, consider two scenarios.

Scenario A (Cold Outreach): 

Tuesday morning, you email 100 building owners offering HVAC preventive maintenance. 2-3 respond (this would be considered an “industry average response rate” according to Woodpecker's analysis of over 20M outbound emails). 

Most aren't thinking about HVAC at all—their systems are working fine, budgets are locked in, or they're already under contract with someone else.

Scenario B (Trigger-Based Outreach):

It's Tuesday morning. But instead of pulling a random list, you focus on triggers that are relevant to your market.

For example, last week, a heat wave hit Phoenix. Temperatures climbed to 110°F for five straight days. Your property intelligence tool shows 43 buildings in your territory with HVAC systems older than 15 years—meaning those units were running at max capacity for 120+ hours straight.

You filter the list down to 30 buildings managed by owners who aren't already your customers. Then you draft an email like this:

"Hi [Name], after last week's heat wave, we're seeing a spike in HVAC failures across older buildings in [submarket]. 

I wanted to check in—did your rooftop units hold up, or are you dealing with any performance issues? 

If you'd like a quick system health check before the next heat wave hits, I can have our team out this week. Takes about 30 minutes."

By Friday, you've gotten 7-10 responses. Three say that their systems held up fine (you note those for future follow-up). Two individuals report having issues and would like to schedule an assessment. Two replies saying they're already getting quotes from other vendors—but they're willing to add you to the list.

Same amount of outreach effort. Wildly different results.

Why? You matched your outreach to their current reality. You weren't asking them to think about HVAC maintenance in the abstract. You were acknowledging a problem they just experienced and offering to help solve it.

Research from trigger event selling pioneer Craig Elias shows that trigger-based emails get 600% higher response rates compared to standard cold outreach. Buyers who have recently experienced a relevant trigger event are up to 8x more likely to make a purchase.

Timing doesn't just improve your odds. It changes the entire conversation.

The 8 Most Powerful Trigger Events for Commercial Services Sales

1. Purchase Intent Signals

Purchase intent signals are behavioral indicators that a building owner or facility manager is actively researching your service category—even if they haven't contacted you yet.

These signals show up in surprising places. 

• A property manager downloads a whitepaper titled "HVAC Energy Efficiency Best Practices." 

• A building owner visits three different roofing contractor websites in the same week. 

• A facilities director attends a webinar about Building Automation Systems. 

• Someone at a commercial property company searches Google for "emergency HVAC repair [city]" or "commercial solar installation costs."

These are all signals that a decision maker intends to make a purchase.

The challenge? Most of this activity is invisible unless you have tools that track it. You don't know they downloaded an industry guide. And by the time they reach out to vendors directly, they've often already narrowed their list to 2-3 finalists—and you're probably not on it.

Why This Matters:

Building owners don't wake up one day and decide to replace their HVAC system on a whim (unless there’s an emergency). There's a research phase. They're comparing vendors, reading case studies, calculating ROI, and determining which questions to ask. 

If you can identify prospects during this research phase—before they've contacted anyone—you're no longer competing against five other bidders. You're the helpful expert who showed up early.

The Play:

When you detect intent signals, your outreach should acknowledge what they're researching without being creepy about it.

Don't say: "I saw you visited our website." That feels invasive.

Instead, say: "I noticed a lot of building owners in [submarket] have been evaluating solar options lately, especially with electricity rates up 18% this year. If you're exploring solar for [Property], I'd be happy to run a quick ROI analysis—takes about 10 minutes and shows whether your roof is a good candidate."

You're not referencing their specific behavior. You're positioning yourself as someone who understands the market timing and can help them think through what they're already researching.

Example:

Let's say your property intelligence platform alerts you that a building owner has been researching "commercial HVAC preventive maintenance contracts" and "HVAC system replacement costs" over the past two weeks. Their building has a 20-year-old system, and winter is a few short months away.

Your email may sound something like:

"Hi [Name], with the cold season coming up, we're seeing a lot of building owners evaluate whether to repair aging HVAC systems or replace them proactively. 

Not sure where you're at with [Property]'s system, but if you're weighing some options, I can walk you through a quick cost comparison that factors in energy savings and emergency repair risk. 

Most building owners find it clarifying. Want me to pull that together?"

You're offering to help them with a decision they're already trying to make. That's the definition of good timing.

How to Track Purchase Intent Signals:

Most commercial services sales teams lack access to robust intent data—it's expensive and traditionally built for SaaS or enterprise technology sales. But platforms like Convex are changing that. Convex's Signals feature tracks buyer intent and lead scoring specifically for commercial property services, alerting you when building owners in your territory show research behavior that indicates they're entering a buying cycle.

The result: you're reaching out when they're actively looking.

2. Permit Activity

When a building owner files a permit, they're telling you exactly what they're working on. A commercial renovation permit, a roofing permit, electrical or mechanical work, a certificate of occupancy for new tenants—these all signal that renovation, expansion, system replacement, or tenant improvement work is either planned or already underway.

Here's why this matters: commercial building owners spend between $30 and $350 per square foot on renovations, depending on scope—from tenant improvements ($30-$50/sq ft) to full renovations ($200-$350/sq ft). That creates natural opportunities for HVAC upgrades, electrical work, roofing repairs, and BAS installations.

The play is simple. Contact them within two to four weeks of filing the permit.

You could say something like: "I noticed [Property] pulled an HVAC permit last month. Are you also considering upgrading the BAS controls while contractors are on-site? Most building owners save [12-18%] by bundling that work."

You're not cold selling. You're helping them think through what they're already doing.

3. Weather Events

Extreme weather creates urgent needs. And unlike most triggers, weather affects dozens or hundreds of buildings simultaneously—creating a concentrated wave of demand in a 48-72 hour window.

Hailstorms damage roofs. Heat waves over 95°F for three consecutive days stress HVAC systems to the breaking point, especially older units. Freezing temperatures burst pipes and knock out heating systems. Heavy snow overloads flat roofs and creates ice dams. Hurricanes and severe storms cause widespread damage that demands emergency repairs.

Here's the key insight: building owners aren't sitting around after a weather event wondering if they need help. They're actively calling vendors, getting quotes, and trying to schedule inspections before the next storm hits. The window is short and competitive.

The Play:

Reach out within 24-72 hours after the event. Your message should acknowledge the specific weather event and offer immediate, practical help.

• After a hailstorm: "After Thursday's hail, we're offering free roof inspections to identify hidden damage before it leads to leaks. Can I schedule a 20-minute walkthrough this week?"

• After a heat wave: "Your HVAC units just ran at max capacity for five straight days in 110°F heat. We're doing complimentary system health checks for buildings with 15+ year old equipment—takes 30 minutes and helps you avoid a mid-July failure. Want to get on Friday's route?"

• After a freeze: "Last week's freeze is causing pipe failures across [area]. If you haven't had any issues yet, you're lucky—but it's worth a quick inspection. Most leaks show up 2-3 weeks after a freeze event."

Why Speed Matters:

Building owners typically reach out to 3-5 vendors immediately after weather damage. The first helpful, credible responder usually gets the job. If you wait a week, they've already scheduled assessments and are comparing quotes.

Weather-based triggers work because you're not creating urgency—you're responding to it. The building owner already knows they have a problem. You're just the first person to offer a solution.

4. Property Ownership and Management Changes

When a property changes hands, everything resets. The new owner re-evaluates service contracts, upgrades deferred maintenance, and often replaces vendors entirely. The incumbent provider's relationship goes back to zero. You're on equal footing.

Property transactions show up in public records: straightforward sales, portfolio acquisitions where one owner buys multiple buildings, or management company changes where a new firm takes over operations. Each creates a 6-12 month window where vendors get re-bid.

Here's what most sales reps miss: new owners aren't loyal to the previous vendor. They didn't choose them. They inherited them. That means you're not displacing a trusted relationship—you're competing for a fresh contract.

The Play:

Contact them 30-90 days post-transaction. Don't congratulate them on the purchase and immediately pitch. Acknowledge the transition and offer insight.

After a sale:

"Hi [Name], I noticed [Property] changed hands last month. Most new owners tell us they're surprised by how much the previous owner deferred on maintenance—especially HVAC and roofing. 

If you're still evaluating service providers, I'd be happy to walk the property with you and flag anything worth addressing in year one. No obligation, just helpful context."

After a portfolio acquisition:

"Congratulations on acquiring the [Building Portfolio]. We work with several multi-property owners in [market], and one thing they've told us: standardizing service contracts across properties usually saves 15-20% compared to managing vendors building-by-building. 

If you're consolidating vendors, I'd love to show you how we structure performance-based contracts."

After a management company change:

"I saw [New Management Company] took over operations at [Property]. We've worked with your team at [Other Property]—curious if you're planning to bring your preferred vendor list over to this building or if you're keeping the existing providers. Either way, happy to connect."

You're not pushing. You're acknowledging their situation and offering to make their job easier during a transition that's already chaotic.

New ownership is one of the highest-intent triggers because the decision to change vendors has already been made—they just haven't picked the replacement yet.

5. Regulatory & Compliance Deadlines

Regulatory deadlines force action. Building owners must comply by a specific date, often with penalties for missing it. That creates predictable, high-intent buying windows.

Energy benchmarking and disclosure requirements in most major cities. Building performance standards mandating carbon reduction. Fire and life safety inspection cycles. Elevator modernization codes. Refrigerant phase-outs like the R-22 transition. OSHA or local safety compliance audits.

Unlike other triggers, compliance deadlines are public, scheduled, and non-negotiable. You know exactly when building owners need to act.

The Play:

Reach out 60-90 days before the deadline. Position yourself as someone who can simplify compliance, not just meet it.

Before an energy benchmarking deadline:

"With [City]'s energy benchmarking deadline 90 days out, we're helping building owners submit their data and identify low-cost efficiency upgrades that improve their scores. Want a compliance checklist?"

Before a refrigerant phase-out:

"With the R-410A phase-down starting this year under the AIM Act, refrigerant costs are climbing and replacement timelines are tightening.. Want me to audit your systems and map out a transition plan before prices spike further?"

Before fire/life safety inspections:

"Your building's fire safety inspection is due in 60 days. Most building owners find 2-3 violations during these audits—usually exit lighting, sprinkler testing, or alarm panel updates. Happy to do a pre-inspection walkthrough so there are no surprises."

You're solving a problem they already know they have. And because deadlines create urgency, close rates on compliance-driven deals are significantly higher than general cold outreach.

6. System Age & Failure Windows

Equipment doesn't last forever. HVAC systems that are 15-20 years old are approaching the end of their 15-25 year average lifespan. Flat roofs that are 18-25 years old are in the typical 20-30 year replacement cycle. Elevators hit their modernization cycle around 20-25 years. Pre-LED lighting systems waste energy and represent easy rebate opportunities.

Predictable failure timelines let you proactively reach out before emergency breakdowns. 

Target buildings with aging systems: "I noticed your building was constructed in 1998—meaning your original HVAC units are likely 25+ years old and nearing failure. Can I show you a preventive replacement plan that avoids a mid-summer emergency?"

Nobody wants to deal with an HVAC failure in July. You're offering a smarter path forward.

7. Economic & Market Triggers

External market pressures create internal needs. Building owners don't operate in a vacuum—rising costs, labor shortages, tenant demands, and regulatory shifts all force decisions.

Rising energy costs make solar and efficiency upgrades ROI-positive. Labor shortages drive interest in automation, BAS systems, and remote monitoring. Tenant turnover or high vacancy rates push building owners to upgrade properties to stay competitive. ESG and sustainability mandates from investors force carbon reduction investments. Insurance premium increases drive loss-prevention spending like fire suppression upgrades or roof replacements.

The key: these triggers affect entire markets simultaneously. When electricity rates jump 18% across a region, thousands of building owners start evaluating solar at the same time. When insurance premiums spike after a major storm, building owners look for ways to reduce risk and lower rates.

The Play:

Tie your outreach to current market conditions. Show them you understand the pressure they're under and offer a solution that addresses it directly.

After energy rate increases:

"Electricity rates in [Region] are up 18% this year—and most analysts expect another 10-12% increase next year. We're helping building owners evaluate solar to lock in predictable energy costs. I can run a quick ROI analysis for [Property]'s roof. Takes 10 minutes and shows the payback timeline."

During labor shortages:

"With labor costs up and staffing shortages across facilities management, we're seeing more building owners automate HVAC monitoring. Remote diagnostics catch failures before they happen and reduce the need for on-site techs. Want to see how it works for a building of your size?"

After insurance premium spikes:

"Insurance premiums for commercial properties jumped 15-20% this year in [market]. One way building owners are offsetting that: upgrading fire suppression and roofing to qualify for loss-prevention discounts. I can show you what upgrades generate the biggest premium reductions."

Economic triggers work because they're unavoidable. Every building owner in the market is dealing with the same pressure—your job is to show up with a solution before your competitors do.

8. Seasonal & Calendar Triggers

Some buying windows are predictable. Q4 (October-December) is the budget planning season, when facility managers finalize next year's spending. 

• Pre-summer HVAC prep happens March through May, when smart building owners lock in maintenance before the cooling season hits. 

• Pre-winter prep runs September through October—heating system checks and roof inspections before the snow flies. 

• Post-winter damage assessment in April and May addresses freeze and snow damage.

• And fiscal year-end spending varies by organization, but it always creates use-it-or-lose-it budget dynamics.

Timing your outreach to align with natural buying seasons dramatically improves conversion.

You might say something like: "As you finalize 2026 budgets this month, I wanted to share how three buildings in [submarket] reduced janitorial costs 14% by restructuring contracts. Are you open to a 15-minute call to review?"

How to Find Trigger Events in Your Territory

If you’re looking to build a prospecting process that takes advantage of sales triggers like the ones we just covered, you have two options.

Manual Research (Free but Slow):

Track permit databases—most cities publish permits online. Monitor county assessor sites for ownership changes. Set up Google Alerts for "[Your City] + building sale" or weather events in your service area. Drive your territory and observe construction activity, storm damage, or new signage.

This works if you're managing 20-30 high-value accounts. Beyond that, you'll spend more time researching than selling.

Automated Territory Intelligence (Scalable):

Sales intelligence platforms like Convex monitor almost 6 million commercial buildings across North America and alert you to trigger events at the property level. Purchase intent signals, permit filings, property ownership transfers, management changes, and more.

The result: you get regular alerts delivered straight to your sales dashboard. You spend your time on warm outreach, not database searches.

Here's the math: if you're tracking 200+ buildings across a metro area, manual research becomes a full-time job. Automation turns that into a 10-minute morning review of prioritized opportunities.

Convex's platform combines sales intelligence (business and organization data), map-based property intelligence (property-specific data), and Signals (buyer intent tracking) with alerts to ensure you never miss a trigger event in your territory. Most teams see 9x ROI within 12 months.

How to Act on Trigger Events (The 72-Hour Rule)

Speed matters. Building owners often reach out to 3-5 vendors immediately after a trigger event. The first relevant, helpful responder has a massive advantage.

Here's the playbook:

1. Day 0 (Detect): A trigger event is identified. A permit gets filed, a storm hits, and ownership changes hands.

2. Day 0-1 (Research): Gather context. Property details, system age, comparable buildings. Don't go in blind.

3. Day 1-2 (Personalized Outreach): Send an email or make a call that references the specific trigger. Make it relevant.

4. Day 1-2 (Offer Immediate Value): Free assessment, quick insight, or a relevant benchmark. Give them a reason to engage.

5. Day 3-7 (Follow-up): Second touchpoint if no response. Add new value each time—don't just repeat yourself.

Here's what that looks like after a hail storm:

• Day 1: Email offering a free roof inspection, mentioning the specific date of the storm.

• Day 3: Call with this: "After Thursday's hail, we've inspected 12 buildings in your area - so far we’ve seen damage on 8. Can I add yours to our team’s inspection route on Friday?

• Day 5: Share a quick video or photo of damage at a nearby comparable building. "Here's what we found at [Address]—takes 2 minutes to review."

This sequence will give you a significantly better chance of landing the deal than trying to send 100 cold emails per week with little to no context or personalization.

Conclusion: Stop Cold Calling. Start Trigger Selling.

The difference between struggling sales reps and top performers isn't effort. It's timing.

Elite sellers reach out when prospects are already in buying mode. They're not interrupting. They're showing up exactly when building owners need help.

By systematically tracking and acting on trigger events, you transform your pipeline from cold, low-intent contacts into warm, high-intent conversations. You stop burning hours on prospects who aren't ready. You start closing deals faster with higher win rates.

Your Next Step:

Identify three trigger events in your territory this week. Permits, weather events, and ownership changes. Reach out within 72 hours using the frameworks above. Track your response rate versus your usual cold outreach.

The results will speak for themselves.

Ready to stop chasing cold leads and start having warm conversations? Schedule a demo of Convex today to see how it works.

FAQ

Q: How do I prioritize which trigger events to focus on?

A: Start with high-urgency, high-intent triggers like weather damage, permits, and compliance deadlines. These create immediate need and compress buying cycles.

Q: Can I use trigger events for existing customers?

A: Absolutely. Trigger events help you expand accounts and upsell existing customers. For example, if a customer obtains a permit for a different property in their portfolio, reach out to discuss extending your service to that location.

Q: What if I contact someone too late after a trigger event?

A: If you're 2-4 weeks late, acknowledge it: "I realize the permit was filed several weeks ago—if you've already locked in vendors, no problem. But if HVAC RFPs are still open, I'd love to share how we integrate with your planned upgrades."

Q: Do trigger events work for all industries?

A: Yes—HVAC, roofing, solar, janitorial, landscaping, elevators, BAS, fire/life safety, and more. Adapt the trigger type to your service (e.g., solar sellers focus on energy cost triggers and roof age; janitorial focuses on ownership changes and budget cycles).

Q: How many trigger events should I track per prospect?

A: Layer 2-3 trigger types. Example: Track both permit activity AND system age for a building—if a 20-year-old HVAC system's building pulls a renovation permit, that's a double trigger (high priority)