Salespeople are wired for immediate feedback. If you're running a sales team, a little public recognition goes a long way—especially when it's instant and tied to real achievements. That's where Ambition comes in. Ambition triggers let you automatically recognize reps the moment they hit a target, close a deal, or do anything else worth celebrating.
But let's be real: triggers can be both awesome and overwhelming. Set them up right, and you get a motivated team and a lively Slack channel. Set them up wrong, and you get noise, eye rolls, and “Congrats, you updated a field!” spam. This guide is for sales leaders, ops folks, and admins who want to actually use Ambition triggers for good—not just tick a box.
Below, you’ll find a step-by-step walkthrough, some honest warnings, and a handful of shortcuts from people who’ve been there.
1. What Are Ambition Triggers—and Why Should You Care?
Ambition triggers are simple: they're event-based automations that fire off when something specific happens in your CRM or sales tools. They can:
- Send a congratulatory Slack message
- Launch a GIF party in Teams
- Notify a manager or exec
- (Optionally) update a leaderboard, scorecard, or other Ambition feature
In theory, this keeps recognition timely and public. In practice, it can be the difference between a rep feeling invisible and a rep feeling like a hero.
A quick reality check: - Triggers work best for real wins, not minor housekeeping. - They’re only as good as the data you feed them. - Too many triggers = everyone tunes out. Less is more.
2. The Prep Work: What You Need Before You Set Up Triggers
Don't skip this. It’ll save you a headache.
a. Clean Data - Triggers depend on your CRM data being accurate and up-to-date. - If your reps don't log activities consistently, triggers won’t fire (or worse, they'll fire at the wrong times).
b. Clear Recognition Criteria - Decide what actually deserves instant recognition. (Closed deals? Meetings booked? Contract signed?) - Talk to your team—what do they want to be recognized for?
c. The Right Integrations - Make sure Ambition is connected to your CRM (like Salesforce or HubSpot). - If you want notifications in Slack or Teams, set up those integrations too.
d. Admin Access - You need admin privileges in Ambition to create or manage triggers.
Pro Tip: Start with one or two high-impact triggers. You can always add more. If you launch with 10, you’ll regret it.
3. How to Configure Ambition Triggers: Step by Step
Here’s how to get a trigger working, minus the fluff.
Step 1: Navigate to Triggers in Ambition
- Log into Ambition.
- From the left sidebar, click on Automations, then Triggers.
- Hit “Create Trigger.”
Step 2: Choose the Trigger Event
This is what you want Ambition to watch for—something like:
- A new Opportunity marked “Closed Won”
- A meeting logged with a certain type or outcome
- A call lasting over X minutes
Choose an event that matters. “Logged an activity” is too broad. “Closed a new logo deal” is better.
Honest Take: If you’re not sure, start with “Closed Won” deals. It’s universally motivating and easy to track.
Step 3: Set the Trigger Criteria
Now, define the details:
- Object: What kind of record (e.g., Opportunity, Activity, Lead)
- Field Filters: Only want deals over $10k? Or meetings with “Decision Maker” in the title? Set those filters here.
- Frequency: Prevent spam by limiting how often it can fire for the same rep. (Daily, per event, etc.)
Watch Out: Avoid overly complex filters. If you need a dozen conditions, you probably need a report, not a trigger.
Step 4: Decide the Action
What happens when the criteria are met?
- Send a Slack or Teams message: Pick a channel, customize the message (“Congrats, {{user}} just closed a ${{amount}} deal!”)
- Send an email: (If you want to keep it old school)
- Update a metric or leaderboard
- Trigger a workflow in another tool: (Advanced, but possible with webhooks)
Add some personality—GIFs, emojis, and custom text work great. But keep it professional. Over-the-top celebrations get old fast.
Pro Tip: Use variables (like {{user}}, {{deal_name}}, {{amount}}) so the message feels specific.
Step 5: Test the Trigger
- Before making it live, use Ambition’s test feature or trigger it on a sample record.
- Double-check that it only fires when it’s supposed to.
- Watch for accidental spam (e.g., firing on every status update).
Honest Take: Testing is boring, but necessary. One bad trigger can clog up your team’s notification channels all day.
Step 6: Activate and Monitor
- Turn the trigger on.
- Let your team know what to expect—don’t surprise them with a sudden flood of GIFs.
- Watch the first week’s activity. Are people reacting? Does it feel motivating or annoying?
- Adjust as needed.
4. Making Triggers Actually Useful (and Not Just Annoying)
Setting up triggers is the easy part. Making them meaningful is trickier.
What Works
- Simple, high-value triggers: Recognize things that really matter. Promotions, big deals, record-breaking calls.
- Public praise: Use team-wide channels so everyone sees the win.
- Customization: Tailor messages to your team’s tone—some teams love memes, others prefer a simple shoutout.
What Doesn’t
- Trigger overload: Too many notifications and people will mute the channel, guaranteed.
- Recognizing the trivial: “Congrats on logging a call!” does nothing for morale.
- Forgetting context: A $500 deal isn’t always worth the same hoopla as a $50k deal.
What to Ignore
- Overly complicated automations: If it takes a flowchart to understand, skip it.
- Automated “coaching moments”: Recognition triggers should be for wins, not subtle reprimands.
- One-size-fits-all templates: Personalize or don’t bother.
5. Pro Tips and Common Pitfalls
- Start small: One or two triggers. Quality over quantity.
- Check for duplicates: If your CRM data is messy, you might get double notifications for the same event.
- Rotate or retire stale triggers: What worked last quarter might be annoying now.
- Ask for feedback: Your reps will tell you if it’s working—or if they’re just tuning it out.
- Keep it positive: Triggers should always be about recognition, not reminders or “gotchas.”
Skippable Features: Don’t waste time on endless customization (like adding custom sounds or animations) until you know triggers are actually helping your culture.
6. Example Triggers That Actually Work
Here are a few triggers that most teams find genuinely motivating:
- Closed Won Celebration: Fires a Slack message when a rep closes a deal over $10k, tagging the rep and the manager, plus a relevant GIF.
- Meeting Hero: Recognizes reps who book 5+ meetings in a day, with a leaderboard update.
- Milestone Alerts: Celebrates when a rep hits 100 calls, 10 demos, or another specific target.
Each of these is:
- Specific
- Easy to understand
- Tied to real business outcomes
If you need inspiration, Ambition’s template library is worth a look—but don’t copy everything blindly.
7. Troubleshooting: When Triggers Don’t Fire
If you’re not seeing anything happen, check:
- CRM integration: Is Ambition actually seeing the data?
- Field mapping: Are you filtering on the right custom field?
- Timing: Some integrations sync every 10–15 minutes, so there’s a lag.
- User permissions: If the trigger is assigned to the wrong team or user group, it won’t fire.
Don’t waste hours fiddling. Nine times out of ten, it’s a data sync or filter mismatch.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Triggers can create a culture of public, instant recognition—if you use them wisely. Start with a couple of high-value moments, get feedback, and tweak as you go. Don’t aim for perfection out of the gate. The best recognition systems are simple, flexible, and a little bit fun. If you’re not sure, ask your team what actually motivates them. Then build from there.