Lead Qualification

When to Apply

• Evaluating new leads for pipeline entry
• Marketing-sales handoff decisions
• When pipeline quality is poor (low conversion rates)
• When downstream bottleneck exists (too many unqualified leads)
• Configuring qualification criteria during onboarding

Core Framework

BANT 6-Criteria Gate

Every lead must pass all 6 criteria before entering the pipeline at Step 2:

Qualification Flow

Incoming lead
  |
  +-> Score against 6 criteria
  |
  +-> All 6 pass: QUALIFIED
  |     -> Enter pipeline Step 2
  |     -> Assign to appropriate sales Actions
  |
  +-> 1-2 fail: NURTURE
  |     -> Add to nurture sequence
  |     -> Re-evaluate in 30/60/90 days
  |     -> Do NOT add to pipeline
  |
  +-> 3+ fail: DISQUALIFY
        -> Remove from active tracking
        -> Log reason for future pattern analysis

Downstream Bottleneck Rule

When the pipeline bottleneck is downstream (e.g., demo capacity at 90% utilization):

Reduce upstream lead gen volume, don't increase it.

Bottleneck: Demo capacity (30/month, 90% utilized)
Qualified leads waiting: 15 in queue

WRONG: "Generate more leads to increase pipeline"
RIGHT: "Reduce lead gen to match demo throughput.
        Generating more leads than demo can handle is waste."

This is TOC's subordination principle applied to the sales pipeline.

Quality vs Quantity Tradeoffs

Qualification Criteria Calibration

Criteria should be reviewed quarterly:

• Too strict: pipeline starves (qualification rate >90%, pipeline-to-quota <2x)
• Too loose: pipeline polluted (qualification rate <20%, downstream conversion drops)
• Target: 30-50% qualification rate with healthy downstream conversion

Decision Rules

1. All 6 criteria must pass — partial qualification goes to nurture, not pipeline
2. Nurture is not rejection — unqualified today may qualify later
3. Downstream capacity limits upstream — never flood a constrained pipeline
4. Qualification rate is a health metric — track it, calibrate criteria
5. Log disqualification reasons — patterns reveal targeting problems
6. Quarterly criteria review — criteria drift over time, recalibrate

Anti-Patterns to Detect