Qualification Pipeline
A Qualification Pipeline is a structured process that moves prospects through qualification stages: initial contact → initial interest → needs assessment → solution fit confirmed → sales ready. Clear pipelines ensure consistent qualification and accurate sales forecasts.
What Is a Qualification Pipeline?
A qualification pipeline defines the journey from "random inquiry" to "ready for sales." Each stage has clear criteria: Stage 1 requires answering discovery questions; Stage 2 requires budget confirmation; Stage 3 requires implementation timeline; Stage 4 requires executive sign-off. Plura's AI agents qualify prospects through this pipeline automatically, asking the right questions at each stage and advancing only truly qualified leads to humans.
Pipeline Stages (Best Practice)
Most effective pipelines include:
- Stage 1: Initial Contact - Prospect initiates contact; confirm basic need existence
- Stage 2: Discovery - Understand problem depth, current solution, pain level
- Stage 3: Qualification - Confirm budget, authority, timeline, fit
- Stage 4: Proposal - Present solution; obtain stakeholder buy-in
- Stage 5: Negotiation - Finalize terms, pricing, implementation
- Stage 6: Close - Sign contracts, receive purchase order
Why Qualification Pipelines Matter
Without clear pipelines, qualification is inconsistent. Some prospects skip stages. Others stall indefinitely. Clear pipelines create predictability: you know how many Stage 3 prospects equal a Stage 6 close, enabling accurate sales forecasts. They also ensure no high-potential prospects slip through cracks.
How Plura Improves Qualification Pipelines
Plura's platform accelerates prospects through pipelines:
- Automated Qualification: AI asks stage-specific questions, moving qualified prospects forward automatically
- Pipeline Visibility: See all prospects across all stages in real-time
- Bottleneck Detection: Identify which stages prospects get stuck in
- Consistent Criteria: Every prospect evaluated by same criteria regardless of source
Pipeline Metrics That Matter
Track these to optimize:
- Stage Conversion Rate: What % advance from each stage to the next?
- Stage Duration: How long does each stage take on average?
- Pipeline Velocity: How quickly do prospects move through the entire pipeline?
- Win Rate by Stage: Do Stage 5 prospects close at higher rates than Stage 3?
FAQs related to
Qualification Pipeline
How many pipeline stages should I have?
3-6 is ideal. Too few (2-3) oversimplifies qualification; too many (8+) slows movement. Align stages to your sales cycle. B2B SaaS typically uses 5-6; e-commerce uses 2-3.
What qualifies someone to move to the next stage?
Define clear exit criteria for each stage. Stage 1 exit: answered 3 discovery questions. Stage 2 exit: confirmed problem is real and painful. Stage 3 exit: budget and timeline confirmed. Clear criteria prevent bottlenecks.
How do I forecast from a pipeline?
Calculate conversion rates for each stage. If you have 100 Stage 3 prospects and Stage 3→Close conversion is 25%, expect 25 closes. Forecast visibility requires stable conversion rates and accurate stage tracking.
What if prospects skip stages?
That's okay if they meet exit criteria—they're qualified, just faster. What's bad: skipping stages and failing to meet criteria. Monitor this—it signals qualification issues or overeager sales teams.
Can AI move prospects through the pipeline?
Yes. AI can handle initial stages (1-3) automatically, asking questions and qualifying. When a prospect meets Stage 3 exit criteria, route to human sales for negotiation and close.