Qualification
What makes a B2B lead truly qualified?
A reply is not a lead. A checklist for separating real buying intent from polite curiosity.
5 min read
Teams often call any positive reply a lead. Then sales spends the week on calls that were never going anywhere. Qualification is how you protect that time.
The qualification checklist
- ICP fit, does the account match the profile?
- Correct role, is this person a decision-maker or real influence?
- Company size and industry, within the agreed range?
- Budget alignment, where applicable, is there a realistic budget?
- Active exploration, are they looking for a solution now?
- Attendance, for meetings, did it actually happen?
Agree the definition before you launch
The single biggest source of friction between sales and whoever generates pipeline is an undefined standard. Write it down, agree it, and measure against it.
Never use the word “qualified” without the criteria next to it.