Lead Qualification
Lead qualification is the process of deciding whether a lead is worth pursuing as a potential customer, based on criteria such as fit with the ideal customer profile, need, authority and timing.
Also called: qualification criteria, BANT
Why it matters
Sales time is limited, and pursuing every lead spreads it too thin. Qualification focuses reps on the leads most likely to buy and keeps the pipeline honest, which also makes forecasts more reliable. It also protects the buyer's time, because leads with no fit are not pushed through a sales process they do not need.
Qualification usually happens in two layers. Fit criteria, such as company size, industry and role, can often be checked from data before any conversation. Need, authority, budget and timing usually need a conversation. Frameworks such as BANT (budget, authority, need, timeline) and MEDDIC give the questions a structure, and teams write their criteria down so everyone applies them the same way.
Example
A company's written criteria say a qualified lead must work at a company with 100 to 2,000 employees in a supported country, hold a role in finance or operations, and describe a current problem with month-end closing. Leads that meet the fit criteria get a discovery call, where the rep checks the problem, who decides and when.
Questions people ask
What are lead qualification criteria?
The written rules a team uses to decide if a lead is worth pursuing. They usually cover fit (company size, industry, location, role), need (a problem the product solves), authority (who decides), budget and timing. Frameworks such as BANT and MEDDIC are common starting points.
What makes a lead unqualified?
A lead is unqualified when it fails the agreed criteria: the company is outside the target profile, the person has no role in the decision, there is no problem the product solves, or there is no realistic budget or timing. Unqualified leads can still be nurtured if the gap may close later.
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