The reason to buy comes before the intent signal

What made them look?
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By the time an account shows a signal, something has already changed inside it: a new leader, a missed target, a project approved. Forrester found 68% of buyers start a purchase with a preferred option already in mind.

This guide shows how to trace each signal back to its reason, tell real intent from three separate clicks, and hand sellers a lead they can act on tomorrow. Built on 2025 to 2026 Gartner and Forrester research, with one exercise per takeaway and a hand-over checklist your sales team will actually use.