Jul 11, 20218:58 PM - edited Aug 12, 202110:44 AM
HubSpot Employee
How do you qualify leads?
How do you uncover your leads' needs and goals? Have you ever had a conversation where you did an especially good job getting your prospect talking? Share your stories in the comments below!
How I would say you qualify a lead is to first gather as much contextual information as you can before making contact. You can look at previous data from other buyers and use this to see how certain factors match up with the specific lead. Then after you've finished that and find that you want to proceed, you then make contact with them and ask open, low pressure questions.
I always start with open and genuine questions, like we're just having a casual chat. I focus more on listening than talking, and once they feel I genuinely want to help, they start opening up. I remember one time a prospect started talking about their business and ended up sharing their frustrations with previous vendors. That’s when I realized they weren’t just looking for a product, they needed trust and support. That conversation was key to closing the deal.
start by asking open-ended questions that let them share their challenges, not just their needs. I’ve found that really listening and digging into the ‘why’ behind their answers helps me uncover the true goals. One great conversation turned into a long-term client after I helped them realize a problem they hadn’t even recognized!
I qualify leads by having honest conversations to understand their needs, budget, timeline, and decision-making process. I look for alignment between what they’re looking for and what I can offer. It’s about making sure it’s a good fit for both sides before moving forward.
To qualify leads, you need to understand if they’re a good fit for your product or service and if they’re ready to buy. This involves asking the right questions during your conversations—especially during the explore phase—to uncover their goals, challenges, timeline, authority, and budget. To uncover a lead’s needs and goals, you should: Ask open-ended questions like: “What are you hoping to achieve this quarter?” “What’s currently holding you back?” “How are you evaluating solutions?” Practice active listening, and let the prospect talk more than you. Show genuine curiosity and empathy. People open up more when they feel understood, not sold to. One time, I asked a prospect, “What’s stopping your team from hitting its targets?” That simple question opened up a 20-minute conversation about their internal bottlenecks—and it gave me exactly what I needed to tailor my pitch.
To qualify a lead, I focus on understanding whether the lead is a good fit for our product or service and whether they have the potential to buy. I typically use the BANT or MEDDIC frameworks, but I also adapt based on the buyer’s journey and company-specific criteria.
– I assess whether the lead matches our ICP using firmographics like company size, industry, location, and their tech stack (if relevant).
– I explore the challenges they’re facing and determine if our solution can truly help them. I often ask open-ended discovery questions to uncover pain points.
– I look at how engaged they are (e.g., email opens, page views, webinar attendance) and if they've interacted meaningfully with our content.
I confirm if I’m speaking with a decision-maker or someone who can influence the buying process, and whether there’s budget alignment.
I evaluate when they’re looking to make a decision, to understand deal urgency and prioritize accordingly
I qualify leads by having genuine, open-ended conversations focused on their pain points and goals. I use simple but powerful questions like “What’s your biggest challenge right now?” and “What does success look like for you?” to dig deeper. Once I understand their situation, I see if our solution is actually a good fit. I also pay attention to their urgency, budget, and decision-making power—so I’m not wasting their time or mine. It’s all about clarity and connection.
Qualifying leads means determining whether a potential customer is a good fit for your product or service and likely to convert. The process typically involves evaluating several key criteria, often summarized by frameworks like BANT or CHAMP:
Common Lead Qualification Criteria:
1. Budget – Can the lead afford your solution?
2. Authority – Is the lead a decision-maker or an influencer?
3. Need – Does the lead have a clear problem your product solves?
4. Timeline – Are they ready to buy soon, or just researching?
Steps to Qualify a Lead:
1. Initial Research: Look into their company, industry, and job role.
2. Ask Targeted Questions: Use discovery calls or forms to uncover BANT/CHAMP data.
3. Score the Lead: Use a lead scoring system based on behavior (e.g. website visits, email opens) and demographic fit.
4. Segment Accordingly: Classify as Sales Qualified Lead (SQL), Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL), or disqualified.
5. Follow Up Strategically: Use qualification data to tailor your next steps—like sending more info, setting a demo, or nurturing.
"I qualify leads by asking open-ended questions to understand their challenges and goals. One time, I asked a prospect about their biggest obstacle, and this led to a deeper conversation about their needs and how our solution could help them."
To qualify your prospects, ask open-ended questions about their challenges, goals, and priorities. Active listening helps you discover your customer's needs. For example, asking, "What is the biggest challenge you're facing right now?" can reveal important information.
You qualify leads by figuring out if they actually need what you’re offering and if they’re ready to buy. This means looking at their budget, timeline, interest level, and whether they have the authority to make a decision.
I qualify leads by applying the CGP-TCI-BA framework. This allows for closer customer relationships and a better understanding between customer and seller. Through this we also talk about what effects on the rest of their business certain steps would have.
Currently, I have minimal experience in Sales. But, if I were to qualify leads, I would use the CGP method, opening up with how to ask for my prospects' challenges, get to know their goals in their business, and which plans I can help them with.
So far, this course has taught me the basic foundation on how I can turn a prospect into a QL. Good learning points!
