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Essential Lead Qualification Checklist for Sales Success

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Dan Mowinski

Jan 21, 2025
11 minutes read
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Essential Lead Qualification Checklist for Sales Success

Strong qualification processes can dramatically reduce the burden on over-stretched sales teams.


They give reps the vital information they need to identify and close the highest-value leads and avoid wasting resources on prospects that were always unlikely to convert. 


A detailed checklist tailored to the nuances of your market is beyond valuable. But there’s an art to putting one together. It needs to account for more than simple demographic data and yes/no markers regarding budget.


Fortunately, we’ve collected data from thousands of successful sales campaigns. And we’ve developed a pretty solid idea of which qualification practices actually work—and which don’t.


Understanding the Three Levels of Qualified Leads 

Lead qualification is the process of measuring how well a prospect matches your ideal customer profile (ICP).


As leads progress through your funnel, ICP fit assessment becomes increasingly refined. For example, a lead might only need to have shown interest in your brand to qualify as marketing qualified. Sales qualified leads, on the other hand, will need to meet a range of practical and behavioral criteria. 


The well-known terms MQL, SAL, and SQL represent the journey of a lead through your sales pipeline. Generally speaking, marketing and sales departments will have their own qualification checklists that are adjusted to each stage. 


MQL

Let’s look at each of the levels of qualified leads in detail. 


1. Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs)

An MQL has demonstrated sufficient interest to warrant sales team engagement. Qualification criteria at this stage usually revolve around interest. If a prospect has engaged with your brand as part of the lead generation process—downloading a whitepaper, responding to a cold email, or simply visiting your site—and they fit early-stage ICP criteria, they can usually be considered an MQL. 


2. Sales Accepted Leads (SALs)

An MQL becomes a SAL when the sales team has performed further checks and determined they have a reasonable probability of becoming a customer. Reps will typically conduct comprehensive diagnostics, often with the help of third-party data sources, to determine if the prospect is worth pursuing. 


Criteria might include the lead’s engagement level, company size, industry, eagerness to engage with sales, spending power, decision-making authority, and job role fit. The sales process at this stage is usually exploratory and may involve email exchanges and initial phone calls. 


3. Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs)

A SAL becomes an SQL when the sales department decides that the lead is likely to buy and represents a promising opportunity. Often, these high-quality leads are actively interested in making a purchase. 


Qualification criteria at this stage typically revolve around buying intent and definite decision-making ability (can they authorize a purchase and do they have access to a suitable budget). Account executives (AEs) prioritize connecting with SQLs to close a deal. 


Automating sales qualification at the SAL and SQL stages has always been tricky. Determining whether a lead’s pain points match your ICP or whether or not you’re talking to the right decision maker has traditionally required human input. However, AI has made significant strides in this area.


Artisan’s AI BDR, called Ava, can take care of significant portions of the qualification process beyond the scope of traditional automation. These include interpreting qualitative data, tracking multiple data points, and making sense of behavioral indicators. If you would like to see how Artisan can improve your sales processes, get in touch with our sales team to book a demo


Lead Qualification Checklist

Now we’ve looked at the different categories of leads, let’s move on to the specific steps that make up the lead qualification process. 


But first, a caveat. This checklist is best treated as a template on which to build a checklist suited to the nuances and needs of your industry. The decision-making process and sales cycle vary across markets, and this should always be accounted for. 


Lead Qualification Checklist

1. Identify Demographic, Psychographic, and Technographic Criteria

Let's start with the fundamentals: hard data. 


Imagine if your sales team could simply input data into an algorithm and churn out a list of all your ready-to-buy leads? If only. 


“Graphics” data is just one part of the puzzle. But it’s an important part. It can provide a data-based picture of the buyers most likely to be interested in what you’re offering, especially those at the top of your sales funnel. 


Qualify leads against your ICP using the data in the table below. 


Data Type


Data Focus


Method


Demographic


Age, gender, income


Surveys, public data


Firmographic


Company size, industry


Business directories, LinkedIn


Geographic


Location, region


Geolocation services


Technographic


Tools, software use


Website tracking, surveys


Psychographic


Lifestyle, interests


Surveys, social media insights



Often, this data will be available from a good data provider. You don’t need to collect it all yourself. For example, Artisan’s B2B lead database includes a comprehensive set of lead data drawn from multiple web sources, including LinkedIn, directories, and public sources. 


2. Assess Behavioral Indicators

Behavioral indicators measure engagement and buying intent. Engagement is more important at the MQL and SAL stages; buying intent is the primary marker used to differentiate SALs from SQLs. 


Here is an overview of the main behavioral indicators and how to track them:


Behavioral Indicator


What it measures


Method


Number of interactions


How often a lead has interacted with your brand


Social media and website analytics


Browsing patterns


Time spent on site and pages visited


Website analytics


Downloads


Engagement with assets requiring a high time investment, like white papers and software trials


Website analytics


Outreach response rate


The number of times a lead has responded to emails and phone calls


Outreach analytics


Outreach response quality


The degree of enthusiasm with which potential customers respond to early-stage outreach interactions


Outreach analytics and manual review of emails and phone calls



3. Uncover Needs and Pain Points

It’s become a sales truism: products need to solve a problem or provide a benefit. Everybody with even a passing knowledge of business gets that. But you’d be surprised how few put it into practice. 


The question, “Does this prospect actually need what I’m selling?” isn’t always easy to answer. Demonstrations of interest and even signs of buying intent aren’t always foolproof. 


Here are the main indicators of pain points that suggest strong ICP alignment:


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    Talking about  specific unmet needs


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    Expression of frustration with current processes or competitor software


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    Interest in specific functionality 


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    Frequent questions about more general product attributes like scalability and integrations


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    High interest in workflow optimization features


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    Past use of competitor products 


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    Engagement with educational content



4. Determine Budget and Authority

A lead might appear perfect on paper. They fit the attributes of your ICP at an individual and corporate level. They’ve shown all the right behavioral indicators. And it’s clear as day they have unmet needs that you can serve. 


But if they haven’t got both the ability and authority to buy, then you can’t turn them into a paying customer. It’s a straightforward, practical issue that can’t be overcome. 


Don’t overcomplicate this stage. Ask them if they’re the relevant decision maker and if they have a suitable budget. It really is that simple and can be done during the early stages of outreach. 


Often, you’ll be dealing with buyer committees when selling B2B services. In these cases, it’s important to ensure that you’re either dealing with all stakeholders directly or that the prospect is able to communicate the relevant information to other parties. 


5. Implement a Lead Scoring System

Lead scoring is where the theory of lead qualification frameworks is put into practice.


You’ll usually manage scoring in your CRM. Specific lead scoring systems are always tailored to the requirements of the company doing the selling. But in every case, they give sales and marketing teams a tangible way of categorizing MQLs, SALs, and SQLs and determining the best approach for each prospect.


Here’s an example of a basic lead-scoring system that you can copy: 


TABLE

6. Establish a Follow-Up Strategy

Lead nurturing happens at all stages of the sales pipeline but is especially important during the “middle” stages. It’s what turns an interested MQL into a ready-to-buy SQL. 


Here’s a step-by-step strategy for using your lead-scoring framework to follow up with leads:


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    Adjust nurturing strategies for different lead scores. 


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    Share relevant content (testimonials, case studies, technical documentation) where appropriate. 


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    Send personalized email sequences. 


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    Monitor interactions for readiness and intent signals (opens, clicks) and change scores accordingly.  


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    Re-qualify at pre-set intervals to assess sales readiness.



The appropriate nurturing approach depends primarily on lead scores. A prospect at the top of your funnel will require a different strategy from one that’s already demoed your product or service.


One area that has traditionally caused issues for sales teams is email follow-up. It requires personalization and, when done at scale, can quickly become costly. However, AI is overcoming these difficulties and can now match the personalization and email drafting abilities of humans. 


Ava, Artisan’s virtual BDR, is a powerful example of this innovation trend. If you’d like to see how she can automate your lead qualification and follow-up and boost your marketing and sales conversion rates, get in touch to arrange a demo


Key Questions Your Lead Qualification Checklist Should Include 

One of the most important skills for effective lead scoring is the ability to ask the right questions. 


Quantitative methods of data collection are important. However, the answers to qualitative questions also provide valuable data for scoring. 


Let’s take a look at what questions you should be asking and how to ask them. 


Key Questions for Lead Qualification

Question 1: What is the lead's budget for this project?

If the budget isn’t there, it doesn’t matter if you’re the best salesperson in the known universe. You won’t be able to make the sale. Raise this early in the prospecting cycle to avoid wasted time and sales resources. 


Here’s how to sensitively ask about budget: 


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    "To help tailor our approach, could you tell us if there’s a budget allocated for this project?"


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    "So we stay within your expectations, do you have a particular budget in mind?"


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    "Understanding your budget helps us suggest the best service package. Would you mind sharing a general range you’re comfortable with?"


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    “To make sure we’re on the same page, can you provide an idea of what you’re looking to invest in a solution like this?"


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    "Before we shoot ahead with a call, and to help set a direction for the meeting, can I ask what kind of budget you’re working with?”



Question 2: Who are the decision-makers involved?

Verifying that you’re talking to decision makers is just as important as confirming budget viability. Perhaps more so, as it’s often only the decision makers who will be able to give you accurate budget information in the first place. 


Here’s how to confirm you’re talking to the right people: 


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    "Besides yourself, are there other stakeholders involved in purchasing decisions at your company?"


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    "Does anybody else on your team need to be involved in our calls?"


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    "Is there anybody else you’d like to invite to the meeting to make sure all perspectives are considered?"


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    "Are there others in your company who might benefit from being part of our discussions?" 



Question 3: What specific needs or pain points does the lead have?

Pain points and needs are often overlooked during the qualification process. They’re core parts of a solid ICP, yet marketing and sales teams often don’t include questions about pain points in their checklists. The answers can be among the most powerful qualification data. 


Here are open-ended questions you can ask to gain clarity about pain points:


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    "Can you share the main challenges you’re facing that you hope our meeting will address?"  


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    "What specific issues are you looking to potentially solve with our product?"  


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    "Are there any particular issues that have motivated you to look for solutions?"  


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    "Are you aware of any obstacles preventing your company from hitting its targets and KPIs?"  


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    "What do you see as the ideal outcome of adopting a solution like the one we’re offering?"



Question 4: When does the lead plan to make a decision?

Buyer timelines are useful data points. They give your B2B sales team much-needed information about when to prioritize resource-intensive nurturing and closing tasks like calls, demos, and even in-person meetings. 


Here are questions for clarifying timeframes while keeping the conversation natural:


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    "When are you hoping to have a solution like ours in place?"  


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    "Do you have a timeframe in mind for making a decision on this?"  


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    "Is there a specific deadline for solution implementation?"  


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    "In an ideal world, what’s the perfect timeframe for solution implementation?"  


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    "Are there any important dates or events influencing how soon you need a solution?"



Question 5: How did the lead hear about your company?

Knowing where a lead heard about your company is beneficial for two reasons. First, it gives you valuable marketing information about how to find future leads. Second, and perhaps most importantly, it gives insights into the expectations and assumptions your lead might have about your products or services. 


When asking this question, the key is to get as much detail as possible. For example, if a colleague recommended your tool, you should try and ascertain what specific features they cited and why they valued it over competitors. If they found it through search, inquire about the specific keywords they used.


Here are conversational questions you can ask to generate insights: 


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    "What first brought our company to your attention?"


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    "Did someone recommend us, or did you find us through your own research?"


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    "When you first heard about our product, was there anything specific that sparked your interest?"


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    "What most stood out when you first learned about us?"



Here are some follow-up questions that might also be useful:


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    "What did your colleague say that made you interested in our product?"  


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    "What aspects of our solution did your colleague highlight as valuable?"  


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    "If you found us through Google, were there any other companies that interested you as well?"  


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    "If you found us through Google, do you remember any particular phrases you used?"


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    "Were there any particular features you found interesting on learning about us?"  


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    “Did you read any reviews about us and did anything catch your attention, good or bad?”



Essential Frameworks for Assessing Lead Quality

Whether your leads come from inbound channels, a comprehensive outbound strategy, or both, an established framework lets you systematically evaluate them. There’s a bit of a problem, however. There’s quite a few to pick from. 


Let’s look at them individually and clarify their areas of focus. 


BANT (Budget, Authority, Need, Timing)

BANT

BANT is a straightforward framework for B2B sales. It’s one of the oldest sales frameworks and cuts to the most important data for identifying the highest-intent buyers. Those that fail to meet all the criteria can be dropped from your funnel or nurtured further. 


Here’s what the terms mean: 


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    Budget: How much is the prospect willing to pay? 


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    Authority: Is the prospect the appropriate decision maker?


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    Need: Is the prospect experiencing a pain point you can solve?


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    Timing: Does the prospect need a solution immediately?



CHAMP (Challenges, Authority, Money, Prioritization)

CHAMP

The CHAMP framework is based on a customer-focused approach to qualification. It aims to understand what’s motivating prospects to interact with your brand while also accounting for the foundational factors of “authority” and “money.”


Let’s look at the specifics:


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    Challenges: What are the pain points that the prospect is facing?


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    Authority: Can the prospect authorize purchasing decisions?


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    Money: Does the prospect have a suitable budget?


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    Prioritization: How urgently does the prospect need a solution? 



ANUM (Authority, Need, Urgency, Money)

ANUM

ANUM was developed by Ken Krogue and is very similar to the BANT and CHAMP frameworks, the key difference being that it prioritizes authority as the most important initial qualification step. 


Let’s break down the terminology:


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    Authority: Is the prospect the decision maker?


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    Need: Does the prospect have needs that your solution can meet?


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    Urgency: How urgent are the prospect’s needs?


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    Money: Can the prospect afford your solution?



MEDDIC (Metrics, Economic Buyer, Decision Criteria, Decision Process, Identify Pain, Champion)

MEDDIC

It’s a bit of a mouthful, isn’t it? MEDDIC is a more involved framework, but it’s very useful for more complex sales cycles for larger B2B clients. 


Here’s an overview of the different components: 


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    Metrics: Which success metrics does the prospect prioritize?


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    Economic Buyer: Is the prospect the decision maker and can they afford your pricing?


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    Decision Criteria: What specific criteria is the prospect using to evaluate solutions?


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    Decision Process: Can you navigate the prospect’s decision-making process? 


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    Identify Pain: Does your product alleviate the prospect’s pain points?


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    Champion: Is there anyone in the prospect’s organization who can champion your product?



SPIN Selling (Situation, Problem, Implication, Need-Payoff)

SPIN

SPIN is one of the best-known sales methodologies. While it’s not necessarily a framework, it’s still a useful qualification tool. It essentially allows you to ask the right questions at various stages of the sales cycle and qualify leads accordingly. 


Let’s break it down: 


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    Situation: What is the prospect’s current situation in terms of the processes and tools they use?


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    Problem: What problems and pain points is the prospect experiencing?


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    Implication: Why is it important these problems are overcome?


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    Need-Payoff: Can your solution solve the problems the prospect is facing?



Wrapping Up: Optimize Lead Qualification Through Artisan

A well-structured lead qualification checklist guides sales teams in systematically evaluating leads. The results? Informed decisions and tailored outreach. 


But what’s the best way to streamline and automate this often time-intensive process? 


In a word, AI. 


Artisan, which operates at the forefront of AI sales technology, is an example of a sales platform that supplements and improves the work of human sales reps by using proven outbound playbooks. This allows your AEs to focus on the important task of closing deals. 


Ava is Artisan’s virtual BDR. She manages a database of over 300 million enriched and validated leads and is capable of drawing on data from a wide set of sources to qualify and score leads. 


Ava can take care of all the following jobs:


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    Lead scoring before and during the outreach process


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    Prospecting from an up-to-date pool of over 300 million B2B leads 


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    Lead data hygiene monitoring, enrichment, and validation


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    Ongoing ICP and market segmentation optimization for improved scoring 


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    Personalization based on a unique proprietary “waterfall” for personalized outreach


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    A/B and multivariate testing of outbound campaigns


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    Automated LinkedIn outreach alongside cold email management


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    CRM integrations with automated scoring data syncing



If you’d like to see how Artisan can help your sales reps work with and score and connect with leads more effectively, get in touch to book a demo



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