Qualifying is an art. But it needs some science in there, too.
As your experience grows, your 'gut' becomes a well-developed tool for spotting good and bad opportunities.
Success hinges on this critical factor. So, it's no surprise that a well-executed qualification process separates opportunities with real potential from those destined to drain resources and time.
However, many sales teams still rely too much on science, which, don't get me wrong, is really important. But without bringing the softer aspects of qualification in, we can set up a project inside delivery for failure before it even begins.
So, let's explore the core theory and practical process behind effective sales qualification, with actionable insights for business leaders and founders looking to streamline their sales strategy.
Classic sales qualification models
Sales is an industrial discipline. And why would you expect anything less? Sales is the lifeblood of business growth and survival in many places.
So it's no surprise that lots of clever people over the years have applied their clever thinking to try to optimise and control its potential.
One element of this is several time-tested frameworks provide the foundation for sales qualification.
- BANT (Budget, Authority, Need, Timing) - This classic model focuses on four essential criteria for qualifying leads, ensuring prospects meet the minimum threshold for viable opportunities.
- CHAMP (Challenges, Authority, Money, Prioritisation) - CHAMP shifts the focus to understanding the prospect's challenges and priorities, emphasising their problem over your solution.
- MEDDICC (Metrics, Economic Buyer, Decision Criteria, Decision Process, Identify Pain, Champion, Competition) - This advanced methodology dives deep into measurable outcomes and decision-making dynamics, ideal for complex sales cycles.
While these models provide excellent starting points, qualification requires a nuanced, adaptive approach to address modern B2B complexities.
Obvious qualification criteria characteristics
Simply put, the fundamentals of qualification remain unchanged.
Does this prospect meet your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)?
And how do you quantify the basics of any ICP?
Decision-maker vs. influencers
Identifying the actual decision-maker is critical. While influencers can advocate for your solution, only decision-makers can allocate budget and sign contracts. Failing to distinguish between the two often leads to wasted efforts.
Budget
Does the prospect have the financial resources to invest in your solution? If their budget doesn't align with your pricing, it may signal a need for further exploration—or a disqualification. But at the start of this, we're looking at company size too because you will have an ideal fit based on budget expectations of differing sizes of prospect business.
Timescales
What is the prospect's timeline for solving their problem? An unrealistic or ambiguous timeline can derail even the most promising opportunities.
Number of potential partners
Is the prospect engaging with multiple providers? Understanding the competitive landscape helps tailor your approach and manage expectations.
Understanding problem and solution fit.
Beyond the core mechanics for qualification, we're looking for problem and solution fit.
It's the ultimate goal. To find and solve a problem that fits with you.
Yet, some prospects struggle to articulate their pain points clearly. This is a significant red flag.
If a prospect focuses solely on the services they want rather than the problem they need to solve, it may indicate a lack of clarity or misalignment with your offering.
We need to ensure our product or service addresses their specific challenges. When a strong problem-solution fit exists, the sales process becomes far smoother and mutually beneficial, and we're setting the business up for success.
Expectations on outcomes
Expectation management is the thing that means success or failure. And it needs to come from both sides.
Clarity from the prospect for their intended outcomes is essential for both parties to succeed. Without it, you risk setting unrealistic goals or mismanaging client expectations.
Defining and articulating desired outcomes is a skill in its own right. But if you ask your prospects to outline their desired results, it will show their desire to be partners and understand their business. If they can't, this could signal a lack of seriousness or understanding of their needs, or worse, maturity in what they're setting out to achieve.
And with those outcomes, we need to validate and ensure they're realistic and measurable and ensure the expected outcomes are both attainable and quantifiable. Unrealistic goals often lead to dissatisfaction, even if your solution is robust.
Ways of working
Every business operates differently, and understanding your prospect's preferred working style is crucial.
This is as simple as communication style, where they prefer detailed emails, quick calls, or formal meetings. However, aligning with their preferences can build trust and rapport in the sales process and beyond.
From a process perspective, we need to evaluate how their internal processes align with yours. Compatibility here can prevent friction during the engagement.
How agile are they? Or do they have a rigid and formal way of working?
Being able to adapt to their style in the sale process will serve you well and also set the delivery up for success.
Open and Transparent Engagement
Openness and transparency are key indicators of a prospect's commitment to the sales process.
A prospect's willingness to engage is key. If a prospect avoids meetings or fails to provide necessary information, they may not see the problem as urgent or already have another partner in mind.
This cold or distant behaviour could indicate that the prospect is either not serious or simply fulfilling a mandated price comparison exercise.
Cultural Alignment
Cultural fit is a critical yet often overlooked qualification criteria, brought together subtly from the previous sections.
When you and your prospect share similar values and perspectives, finding this positive alignment becomes seamless, and collaboration flourishes.
The risks associated with misalignment are so high. Even if you win the deal, delivering work for a misaligned client can lead to long-term headaches.
Taking cultural alignment seriously ensures smoother project execution and more rewarding relationships.
Let's wrap this up
Qualification isn't just about ticking boxes. It's about understanding your prospect's business, challenges, and goals while ensuring alignment with your solution and values.
Here's what you can do to apply these insights today:
- Audit your current qualification process against the criteria outlined above.
- Train your team to ask deeper, problem-focused questions.
- Develop a checklist for red flags, from unclear expectations to cultural misalignment.
Remember, effective qualification isn't about closing every deal. It's about closing the right ones. By refining your approach, you'll build stronger client relationships, drive better results, and create a more predictable and sustainable sales pipeline.