How to Qualify Leads in Sales

A 15-rep fintech team. New VP of Sales. Six months in. He pulled up the last 30 closed deals. Average size: $32K. The ICP doc on the wall said $100K plus. The reps were closing deals 70% smaller than the company they were built to sell to. Pipeline looked healthy. Forecast looked clean. Quota was hitting. Revenue was 35% below where the same team should be producing. We pulled the qualification criteria the reps were actually using. Not the one on the wall. The one in the CRM. The one in their actual conversations. Reps were qualifying on company size only. Anyone with the right headcount could be an opportunity. Nobody was checking revenue band. Nobody was checking buyer authority. Nobody was checking budget signal. The 30 closed deals fell into two buckets. Sub-$50M revenue companies that bought the entry tier and never expanded. The $30K deals. $50M-plus revenue companies where the rep happened to land on a real buying committee. The $100K-plus deals. Same effort. Same product. Triple the ACV when the qualification was tight. Here is the fix we shipped. Three qualification gates. All required before stage 2. One. Revenue band confirmed by public source or asked directly. Two. Buyer authority named. If we don't have the title we sell to in the next two meetings, the deal pauses. Three. Budget signal. A line in the next-year plan, a recent investment in a similar tool, or a leadership ask. One of three. Eleven months later, win rate moved from 28% to 42%. Average deal size moved from $32K to $87K. That team added $1.4M in new revenue on the same number of reps, the same product, the same total leads. The qualification you skip is the ACV you lose. The ICP on the wall is decoration if the gates in the CRM are softer.

5 steps to qualify deals like a top 1% seller instead of seeing more ghosts than Bill Murray in NYC at Christmas. You don’t lose deals at the close. You lose them way earlier, usually before you even realize it. Let me tell you what I mean. Years ago, when I was scaling a SaaS startup from zero to unicorn status, my reps kept saying the same thing: “Scott, we had a great call… they just went dark.” No, they didn’t “go dark.” You lost them during qualification, you just didn’t notice it yet. Most reps treat qualification like a box-ticking exercise. The best ones? They treat it like an investigation. Here’s the Cycle of Deal Qualification I’ve used (and taught to 160+ startups): 1️⃣ Verify the pain, then Quantify the pain If there’s no pain, there’s no deal. Ask: What’s the real cost of doing nothing? Is this problem a must-fix or a nice-to-have? Who else is feeling the pain internally? If they can’t articulate pain clearly, congrats, you’re about to waste 3 months on a dead deal. 2️⃣ Confirm the budget “Yeah, we have a budget for this” means absolutely nothing. Dig deeper: Is the budget approved or hypothetical? Who actually signs the checks? What did they pay last time for something similar? If you don’t know who controls the money, you don’t control the deal. 3️⃣ Map the decision process Most sellers think the decision-maker is the person who talks the most on the call. Wrong. The real decision-maker might be the one who doesn’t even show up. Ask: What’s your decision timeline? Who has veto power? What could derail this internally? 4️⃣ Assess Fit (Be Honest) Every deal isn’t a fit. And that’s okay. Ask: What requirements can’t we meet right now? Are we solving your top priorities or side projects? Do you need something we don’t do? Qualifying out is just as valuable as qualifying in. 5️⃣ Evaluate the competition If you don’t know who else they’re talking to, assume it’s everyone. Ask: Who else is on your shortlist? What made you consider us in the first place? Why wouldn’t you choose the obvious option? That last one always gets gold. The best reps I’ve ever coached don’t chase every deal. They move fast, qualify hard, and know exactly where a deal stands before they waste another minute. So before you blame your close rate, check your qualification rate. That’s where the real money leaks happen.

POV: You're on zoom, looking at me in my phonebooth.

I closed $2M in founder-led sales in under a year. No sales background. No formal training. Just a mindset shift that changed everything: Stop trying to qualify prospects. Instead, focus on disqualifying them. Here’s what that looks like: 1/ Ask the tough questions that most people avoid. - Why don’t existing solutions like X, Y, and Z work for you? - Why are you taking time out of your day to talk to me? - Is this something you truly need right now, or are you just exploring? 2/ Listen. Really listen. These conversations aren’t about closing deals. They’re about learning why people buy or why they don’t. 3/ Be okay with prospects walking away. If the pain isn’t strong enough, they’re not the right customer. And that’s okay. Don’t fear disqualifying prospects. It’s better to lose a few now than to waste time chasing customers who don’t need you. If the pain is strong enough, they’ll stay. What’s one question you ask during discovery that’s made all the difference?

I warmed up a prospect for 3 months on LinkedIn before our first call. They signed a £75K deal in 3 days. Modern selling demands a new approach: cold outreach fails, warm relationships win. Think about it... That prospect had consumed 47 of my posts. Watched my videos. Read my articles. Engaged with my content. By the time we jumped on that first call? They already trusted me. They already knew my approach. They already understood the value. I didn't have to sell them. They'd already sold themselves. Here's my framework for turning content into closed deals: 👇 1. Build trust at scale BEFORE the pitch Stop spraying and praying with cold messages. Start building relationships through value. Each post builds trust. Your insights mark credibility. Stories create connection. Your content is doing the heavy lifting while you sleep. 2. Let buyers self-educate on THEIR timeline Modern buyers don't want to be sold to. They want to discover solutions themselves. ↳ 70% of the buying journey happens before they talk to sales ↳ They're researching you before you even know they exist ↳ Your content is either attracting or repelling them Give them what they need to make informed decisions. 3. Recognize the REAL buying signals Forget MQLs and SQLs. Think about PQLs (product qualified leads) Here's what actually matters: - Multiple engagements across different posts - Bringing colleagues into the conversation - Asking specific, detailed questions - Moving from public comments to private messages These aren't leads. These are pre-qualified buyers. 4. Keep momentum BETWEEN meetings Here's where most deals die: The 167 hours between your calls. While you're chasing other prospects, your buyer is: ↳ Getting cold feet ↳ Talking to competitors ↳ Forgetting why they were excited Smart sellers stay present even when they're not there. This is where tools like Consensus come in. They let buyers explore demos on their own time. Answer their questions at 10 PM. Share materials with their team. Stay engaged between touchpoints. It's how you keep social selling momentum right through the demo stage. https://lnkd.in/ePVWw-Bi 5. Close with confidence, not pressure When trust is already built? When value is already proven? When buyers are already educated? Closing feels natural, not like a battle. The best deals I've ever closed felt inevitable. Because the relationship started months before the opportunity. Here's what this approach delivers (in my experience): ✓ Significantly faster sales cycles ✓ Much higher close rates ✓ Bigger deal sizes (pre-sold = less negotiation) ✓ Happier customers (they chose you, not the other way around) Stop thinking of social selling as "nice to have." Start treating it as your primary sales strategy. Your next big deal isn't in your CRM. They're scrolling LinkedIn right now. What content are you creating to catch them? #ConsensusPartner

If sales and marketing are arguing over what "qualified" means, your pipeline’s already in trouble. We’ve all seen it: - Marketing hits their MQL numbers, pats on the back all around. - Sales gets the “qualified” leads… and half of them are tire-kickers with zero urgency. Now the pipeline’s stuffed, win rates are tanking, and everyone’s pointing fingers. Here’s the real issue: Most of these leads aren’t bad. They’ve got pain points. They’re even “qualified” on paper. But they lack urgency…and sales is left trying to manufacture it out of thin air. You can’t build a healthy pipeline on hope and hypotheticals. Here’s how to fix it: 1) Pre-pipeline holding zones Not every lead deserves pipeline status. Create a pre-pipeline stage for deals with latent pain but no clear timeline. Sales can nurture them without clogging up forecasts. Bonus: Your QBRs will stop looking like a graveyard of stalled deals. 🕺 2) Urgency-based lead scoring Stop relying on surface-level qualifications. Score leads on intent and timeline, not just “right company, right title.” - Active Need: They’re shopping now. - Latent Need: Pain exists, but no immediate plan to fix it. 3) Sales-led nurture playbooks Give AEs tools to move latent pain into active need…without wasting cycles. Think cost-of-inaction decks, ROI calculators, and strategic drip touchpoints. 4) Align KPIs across teams Marketing’s job isn’t to stuff the pipeline - it’s to accelerate it. Sales shouldn’t be judged on bloated pipelines either. Align KPIs around pipeline velocity and win rates, not just volume. A bloated pipeline isn’t a sign of success. It’s a symptom of a broken process. Fix the gaps, align teams, and turn “qualified” into closeable.

The day marketing sent me a lead that was actually qualified… I thought someone made a mistake: Sales loves blaming marketing. Marketing loves blaming sales. Meanwhile, revenue sits in the middle wondering who’s serious. The issue usually isn’t effort. It’s definition. * What does “qualified” actually mean? * Is it based on job title? * Budget? * Urgency? * Intent signals? * Actual problem awareness? If marketing defines MQL as “downloaded an ebook,” and sales defines SQL as “ready to sign in 30 days,” you’ll always feel like you’re digging through trash hoping to find gold. A qualified lead isn’t just interested. They: - Know they have a problem. - Have authority or influence. - Are actively evaluating solutions. - Have a timeline. - Show intent beyond passive browsing. Here’s what works: 1. Define qualification together. Sit down. Build one shared definition of “sales-ready.” No ambiguity. 2. Use disqualifying language in marketing. Yes, disqualifying. If your messaging repels the wrong buyers, it protects your time. 3. Track intent, not just clicks. Multiple site visits. Pricing page views. Demo comparisons. Those signals matter more than a webinar signup. 4. Create a rejection feedback loop. If sales rejects a lead, document why. Patterns will show up fast. 5. Prioritize pipeline quality over volume. Ten serious buyers beat one hundred curious ones. That’s not random.  That’s structured filtering.

𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 101: 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲: 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐁𝐮𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐥 Last week, I received a call from a salesperson eager to set up a meeting to demonstrate and sell their hail solution. The call started with a warm acknowledgment of a booth visit at ITC, but there was a catch—I hadn’t visited their booth. As the conversation unfolded, it became clear that the salesperson hadn’t done their homework. When I asked about their Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and whether they researched the organizations they were contacting, it was evident that their outreach was based on a simple list rather than thoughtful qualification. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐈 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥: 𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧’𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝. This means doing your research—reviewing company websites, social media profiles, annual reports, and recent news. Understanding whether the business aligns with your solution saves time for both you and the prospect. Hint: Kerry Macca and KM Consulting are not in the market for hail data. 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 “𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐖𝐞 𝐃𝐨 𝐚 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐨?” 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦. Instead of starting with a request for a demo, start with curiosity about the buyer’s needs. Demonstrate that you understand their challenges and ask thoughtful questions to uncover pain points. This sets the stage for a meaningful conversation, not just a sales pitch. 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 101: 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 1️⃣ 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭: Before you pick up the phone or send an email, research the prospect. Know their business model, industry challenges, and whether they fit your ICP. 2️⃣ 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞, 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐥: Buyers don’t want a product demo—they want a problem solved. Position your solution as the answer to a specific need, and only suggest a demo if it aligns with their priorities. 3️⃣ 𝐀𝐬𝐤, 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞: Even after researching, approach the conversation with curiosity. Ask questions to confirm their pain points and alignment. 4️⃣ 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐲: If the prospect isn’t a fit, thank them for their time and move on. Focus your energy on prospects who align with your solution. The salesperson appreciated the feedback, and I hope they left the call better prepared for future interactions. In sales, preparation is everything. 𝐓𝐨 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 Let’s strive to elevate our commitment to building true partnerships by respecting the process, doing our homework, leading with empathy, and focusing on solving problems—not just selling products. It’s not about making the sale at any cost—it’s about delivering genuine value to the right buyer. #SalesExcellence #InsuranceIndustry #ProblemSolving

Building Trust from Day One: The Cost of Starting Sales Relationships with Lies vs. Proper Qualification In today's competitive sales landscape, the temptation to oversell or misrepresent capabilities to get a foot in the door is ever-present. But is this short-term gain worth the long-term pain? Let's explore why starting with honesty and proper qualification creates stronger client relationships and better business outcomes. The False Promise Trap We've all seen it happen: A sales rep so eager to close that they promise the moon, knowing full well their solution can only deliver a small asteroid. While this approach might secure that initial meeting or even the first sale, it sets up both parties for disappointment. When sales begin with misrepresentation, several negative outcomes are virtually guaranteed: Erosion of trust once the truth emerges Client resentment and damaged reputation Wasted resources servicing poor-fit clients High customer churn and negative reviews Team burnout from managing unsatisfied clients The Qualification Alternative Contrast this with a qualification-focused approach. When sales professionals take time to properly qualify prospects, they: Identify genuine needs that match their solution's capabilities Set realistic expectations from the first interaction Build relationships based on mutual value and honesty Focus resources on prospects with the highest success potential Create a foundation for long-term partnership rather than one-off transactions The ROI of Honesty Beyond the ethical considerations, there's a compelling business case for starting relationships with honesty. Properly qualified clients typically: Have higher lifetime value Require less customer support Provide more referrals Become advocates for your brand Renew and expand their business with you Practical Steps to Improve Qualification Develop clear ideal customer profiles based on your most successful clients Create a structured qualification framework (budget, authority, need, timeline) Train teams to ask insightful discovery questions Reward quality of fit over volume of deals Document and share qualification success stories The Courage to Walk Away Perhaps the most challenging aspect of proper qualification is having the courage to walk away from opportunities that aren't a good fit. This requires confidence in your value proposition and trust that better-fit opportunities will come. Remember: Every poor-fit client you pursue takes time away from finding and serving ideal clients who will value your solution & become long-term partners. The most successful sales professionals don't see qualification as a barrier to sales but as the foundation of meaningful business relationships built on mutual benefit and trust. #SalesStrategy #BusinessEthics #ClientRelationships #QualificationProcess #TrustInSales #B2BSales #SalesLeadership #CustomerSuccess #SalesAuthenticity #RelationshipSelling #CIO #CISO #CTO #Entrepreneur #startups #telecom #HOA

Hot take: Lead scoring kinda sucks. I just finished deep research into lead scoring effectiveness. 98% of marketing-qualified leads never result in closed business. And only 35% of salespeople have confidence in their companies lead scoring accuracy. Zendesk tested 800 leads: → 400 "high-score" MQLs  → 400 random leads Conversion difference? ZERO. 98% of MQLs never close. 65% of reps ignore lead scores. But here's what actually works. Scoring your TAM. And here’s how you can build this in Clay. Step 1: Define Your ICP Criteria Pull your top 20 closed-won accounts. Find the patterns: • Revenue: $10M-$100M • Employees: 50-500 • Industry: SaaS, Tech, FinTech • Location: US/Canada • Tech Stack: Uses Salesforce • Growth: Funded or 20%+ headcount growth Step 2: Build Your Scoring Model Simple binary scoring (1 = match, 0 = no match): Criteria → Points → Weight • Revenue match → 1 point × 2 = 2.0 • Employee match → 1 point × 1.5 = 1.5 • Industry match → 1 point × 2 = 2.0 • Location match → 1 point × 1 = 1.0 • Tech stack match → 1 point × 1.5 = 1.5 • Growth signals → 1 point × 2 = 2.0 Total possible: 10 points Step 3: Score Your Entire TAM in Clay Import 5,000-50,000 accounts. Example A - Perfect Fit (10/10): • $50M revenue ✓ (2.0 points) • 200 employees ✓ (1.5 points) • SaaS company ✓ (2.0 points) • US-based ✓ (1.0 points) • Has Salesforce ✓ (1.5 points) • Series B funding ✓ (2.0 points) Example B - Partial Fit (5/10): • $200M revenue ✗ (0 points) • 300 employees ✓ (1.5 points) • SaaS company ✓ (2.0 points) • UK-based ✗ (0 points) • Has Salesforce ✓ (1.5 points) • No growth signals ✗ (0 points) Step 4: Assign Tiers & Take Action • Tier 1 (8-10 points): Dedicated SDR, personalized outreach  • Tier 2 (5-7 points): Coordinated campaigns  • Tier 3 (3-4 points): Marketing automation only  • Tier 4 (0-2 points): Exclude from outbound Step 5: Layer Intent Data Add a 30% weighted Intent Score: • Website visits • Competitor research • LinkedIn content • Topic consumption Final Priority Score = (Fit × 70%) + (Intent × 30%) Most lead scoring waits for someone to download a whitepaper. TAM scoring identifies your best accounts on Day 1. Comment "TAM" and I'll send you the full report. ✌️ P.S. Even HubSpot (who sells lead scoring) admitted their own system didn't work and built something else. Mark Roberge, former CRO at HubSpot, said: "At HubSpot, we tried the lead scoring approach, but ran into [problems]. We evolved to implement an alternative approach."