Lead Qualification
Lead Qualification is the process of assessing whether a prospective customer has the interest, authority, budget, and need (BANT framework) to become a valuable customer. Qualified leads are more likely to convert and have higher lifetime value than unqualified prospects.
What Is Lead Qualification?
Lead Qualification determines which prospects are worth sales team time. Rather than spending resources on every inquiry, sales teams use qualification criteria to prioritize high-potential leads. A qualified lead typically has: Budget (can afford your solution), Authority (can make purchasing decisions), Need (has a problem you solve), and Timeline (wants to buy soon). Plura's AI agents qualify leads 24/7 by asking the right questions and routing only qualified prospects to your sales team, dramatically improving conversion rates and sales efficiency.
How Lead Qualification Differs From Lead Scoring
These terms are related but distinct:
- Qualification is binary: A lead either qualifies or doesn't based on BANT criteria
- Scoring is gradual: Leads accumulate points based on engagement, company size, fit
- Qualification is immediate: Determined in initial conversation or assessment
- Scoring evolves: Changes as you learn more about the prospect
- Use both: Qualify first, then score to prioritize among qualified leads
Why Lead Qualification Matters for Revenue
Unqualified leads waste sales time and reduce conversion rates. Sales teams that focus on qualified leads close deals faster and achieve higher close rates. Organizations that automate lead qualification see 30-40% improvements in sales efficiency. Qualification conversations analyzed through AI reveal which questions separate qualified from unqualified leads, helping teams refine their qualification process over time.
How Plura Automates Lead Qualification
Plura's AI qualification improves results:
- 24/7 lead capture: Qualify inbound calls, chats, and SMS after hours
- Consistent criteria: AI agents ask the same qualification questions every time
- Instant routing: Only qualified leads reach your sales team
- Complete context: Your sales team gets notes on qualification details and lead personality
Lead Qualification Methodologies
Organizations use different frameworks:
- BANT: Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline
- MEDDIC: Metrics, Economic buyer, Decision criteria, Decision process, Identify pain, Champion
- CHAMP: Challenge, Authority, Money, Priority
- Lead scoring: Points for demographics, behavior, engagement
FAQs related to
Lead Qualification
What questions should I ask to qualify a lead?
Ask about: (1) Budget—Do they have money for solutions like yours? (2) Authority—Can they make purchasing decisions? (3) Need—What problem are they trying to solve? (4) Timeline—When do they want to implement? (5) Competitors—Who else are they considering? Tailor questions to your product.
What percentage of leads should qualify?
It depends on your lead source and qualification criteria. Well-targeted campaigns might see 40-60% qualification rates, while cold outreach might be 5-15%. Track your qualification rate and improve lead sources with low conversion rates.
How does AI improve lead qualification?
AI asks qualification questions consistently, never gets tired or distracted, qualifies leads outside business hours, and provides sales teams with complete context. AI can handle multiple qualification conversations simultaneously, handling volume that would require huge sales teams.
Should I qualify before or after sales contact?
Qualify before sales contact to save time. If you wait until sales gets involved, you've already wasted effort. Automate initial qualification through marketing forms, chatbots, or AI agents so sales only talks to ready prospects.
Can you re-qualify leads over time?
Yes. A lead that wasn't qualified 6 months ago might be ready now. Markets change, companies grow, budgets shift. Periodically re-engage unqualified leads, especially if they showed some interest. Some teams touch up unqualified leads quarterly.