In prospecting as in inbound, there is one truth that all salespeople learn over time: a bad lead costs more than no lead at all. It wastes time, demotivates teams, clogs up the pipeline, creates friction between marketing and sales, and often ends up with a plummeting conversion rate.
1. Understanding what a qualified lead really is
Before qualifying a lead, you need to define what constitutes a good lead.
Too many teams confuse sales intuition with structured qualification.
"I have a good feeling about this" or "he asked a lot of questions" are not criteria.
A qualified lead (SQL) is a lead that meets clear criteria, defined in advance and shared between marketing and sales.
What this implies:
- Formalize the criteria that enable an MQL to become an SQL
- Make them objective, measurable, and applicable by all
- Include them in a clear, written process
2. Define rational qualification criteria
To clear up any confusion, you need to set out in black and white what makes a prospect a serious opportunity. You can use the simple and proven BANT method as a basis for your thinking:
- Budget: Does the prospect have an allocated budget?
- Authority: Does the person contacted have decision-making power or influence?
- Need: Is there an identified and priority need?
- Timing: is this the right moment in the purchasing cycle?
These criteria are not set in stone. Contextual elements can be added:
- Company size
- Level of digital maturity
- Pain point expressed
- Current use of a competing tool
Tools to structure this:
- Qualification sheet shared between teams (Notion, Google Sheets)
- CRM with integrated scoring (HubSpot, Pipedrive, Salesforce)
- Automated lead scoring with Clearbit, Kaspr, or Dropcontact enriched
3. Conducting a qualification call: why and how
One of the most effective ways to qualify a prospect is through the initial phone call.
Not to sell, but to understand. If the call is handled well, it feels natural to the prospect, as it follows an expression of interest (form, download, demo request, etc.).
What this appeal enables:
- Validate or invalidate qualification criteria
- Identify buying signals (clarity of need, urgency, attitude)
- Gather key information that will be useful for the rest of the sale
- Build a relationship of trust (without pressure or direct sales pitches)
- Provide a positive first experience of contact with the company
This initial exchange can last 10 to 15 minutes. Its purpose is not to close the deal, but to filter, inform, and prepare.
4. Questions to ask during the qualification call
Questions should remain open-ended, neutral, and focused on understanding.
Here is a basic framework, inspired by the BANT method:
Need
- What made you interested in this topic at this time?
- "What are the main challenges you are seeking to resolve?"
Timing
- "When do you expect to make concrete progress?"
- "Is this a priority project for this year or rather for later?"
Decision
- "Who is involved in the decision at your company?"
- "How is this type of decision usually made?"
Budget
- "Is this an item that has already been budgeted for, or is it a requirement that is still under discussion?"
- "Which budget area does this fall under at your company?"
Don't hesitate to rephrase and dig deeper. The goal is to make a diagnosis, not to follow a script.
5. Interpret the responses in order to take action
At the end of the call, you should be able to answer one question:
Does this lead deserve to enter the sales process?
If yes:
- We pass the baton to the sales team or structure the rest of the cycle.
- You can enrich your CRM with the information you collect.
- We personalize the upcoming contact (demo, appointment, etc.).
If not:
- We place the prospect in a nurturing sequence.
- You can send them targeted content, track their engagement signals, and re-qualify them later.
- If it is not relevant at all, we remove it from the pipeline.
The challenge is not to "sort the good from the bad," but to match the right level of maturity with the right type of action.
6. The impact of good qualifications
The benefits of a rigorous qualification process are immediate:
- Save time on leads that are genuinely interested
- Best conversion rate
- Marketing/sales alignment
- Less demotivation related to "windy" appointments
- Smoother and more professional prospect experience
Poor qualification leads to a loss of revenue and credibility.
Good qualification allows you to gain revenue, even without changing the volume of leads.
