Your Guide to Sales Qualification: 7 Methods & 120 Essential Questions - White Paper

by Matan Mostov
|
Published:
November 22, 2023
Playbooks Templates
Discovery Best Practices
Sales Enablement Best Practices
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Many use the terms discovery and qualification calls interchangeably, but in reality, although they are similar, these calls serve different goals. Where discovery calls primarily revolve around customizing your offering, qualification involves making a binary decision on whether the prospect is a suitable fit for you to work with. To help you get it right, we’ve put together this comprehensive white paper, which includes playbooks that will make your sales qualification process more effective.

Your Guide to Sales Qualification: 7 Methods & 120 Essential Questions - White Paper

In the competitive world of sales, time and resources are precious commodities. Yet, all too often, salespeople find themselves chasing leads that ultimately yield little or no conversion. This not only depletes valuable assets but also poses a significant challenge to a team's ability to meet their sales quotas. 

Fortunately, the solution may be simpler than expected. By asking a few strategic sales qualification questions, you can dramatically increase the quality of leads in your pipeline, ultimately setting your team up for greater success and efficiency in achieving their targets.

To help you get it right, we’ve put together this comprehensive white paper, which includes playbooks that will make your sales qualification process more effective.

What is a Sales Qualification Call

Why is Qualification Important?

What Are the Stages of the Sales Qualification Process?

How to Prepare for a Qualification Call?

How playbooks contribute to the efficiency of qualification calls

7 Sales qualification methods [+playbook templates]

What is a Sales Qualification Call?

Many use the terms discovery and qualification calls interchangeably, but in reality, although they are similar, these calls serve different goals. Where discovery calls primarily revolve around customizing your offering, qualification involves making a binary decision on whether the prospect is a suitable fit for you to work with.

More specifically, qualification determines if a lead is worth pursuing, considering factors like deal viability and resource allocation. Discovery, which follows qualification, delves into understanding the prospect's pain points and requirements to craft a tailored value proposition. These stages work together to streamline the sales process.

A sales qualification call serves as the initial point of contact between a sales representative and a prospective buyer who has expressed interest in a product or service. 

During this call, the primary objective is to gain valuable insights. The focus is on understanding who the potential buyer is, identifying their pain points, goals, challenges, and priorities, and assessing whether they are a suitable match for the product or service being offered. 

This call typically involves a series of questions aimed at uncovering essential information about the prospect.

Why is Qualification Important?

A qualification call is an essential step in the sales process for several reasons:

  • Building rapport and relationship. If the sales representative finds the potential buyer is a good match, the call becomes a valuable opportunity to start developing rapport and building a relationship with the prospect. 

Building this initial connection is crucial as it sets the tone for future interactions and can significantly impact the likelihood of a successful sale.

  • Customizing your approach. The information gathered during the qualification call serves as a foundation for tailoring your pitch. Understanding the prospect's specific pain points and needs allows you to explain precisely how your product or service can address their unique challenges. 

By personalizing your approach, you increase the chances of resonating with the prospect and demonstrating the value your solution can offer.

  • Efficiency. A well-executed qualification call can save both the salesperson and the prospect a lot of time. It helps ensure that the potential buyer is genuinely interested and potentially a good fit for what you're offering. This means that, when done correctly, most buyers will be okay with engaging in these calls and providing relevant details because they see the value in the conversation.
  • Product or service preview. The qualification call offers the opportunity to give the prospect a preview of your product or service. While the primary focus is on asking the prospect questions, they may also inquire about your company and its offerings. Being well-prepared with extensive knowledge about the product allows you to provide a clear understanding of what your product or company is all about.
  • Demonstrating care and interest. By asking the right qualification questions, you show the prospect that you care about their needs, problems, and overall success. This demonstrates that their success matters to you and you are genuinely interested in finding the right solution to help them achieve their goals. 

In today's sales landscape, where buyers are discerning and can sense insincere intentions, showing genuine interest and concern is a critical factor in building trust and closing a deal.

What Are the Stages of the Sales Qualification Process?

The sales qualification process typically consists of the following stages:

  • Research and prepare. Before the qualification call, it is essential to gather background information about the prospect to inform the questions to be asked during the call, understand the buyer persona, and prepare relevant data, case studies, and statistics about the product.
  • Start right. The first 5 minutes of the call are crucial for setting the tone. Begin by introducing yourself, your role, and your company and outlining the call's agenda. Communicate the purpose of the call and be concise in your introduction.
  • Get to know the prospect. This is when the discovery part of the call begins. Start by asking questions that help qualify the buyer. The main purpose of these questions is to uncover the prospect's role, their company, and their specific challenges.
  • Qualify the prospect. Once you've gathered initial information, proceed to ask questions that focus on the prospect's goals, challenges, budget, timeline, and decision-making process. These questions help understand the prospect's needs and how well the product or service aligns with them.
  • Ask questions to prepare for the next steps. In the final stages of the call, inquire about the prospect's past experiences with similar products, whether they are considering other solutions and their preferences for the next steps. Set up follow-up actions to keep the conversation moving forward.

How to Prepare for a Qualification Call?

Effective preparation is crucial for a successful qualification call. Here are some key steps to prepare for a discovery call:

  • Understand the buyer's journey. Familiarize yourself with the buyer's journey, including the awareness, consideration, and decision stages. Adapt your approach to where the prospect is in this journey.
  • Research your prospects. As mentioned earlier, it's crucial to conduct thorough research on the prospect and their business. Focus on gathering information that demonstrates your knowledge and problem-solving capabilities.
  • Maintain a balanced talk-listen ratio. Let the prospect do the talking by keeping a good talk-listen ratio during the call and allow them to share their challenges and needs. 

Keep in mind that according to insights from Gong, top-performing B2B sales experts typically speak 43% of the conversation time and give the prospect 57% of it, on average.

  • Create a script. Use a script to outline the call's agenda and objectives. Using a script ensures that the questions asked are well-structured and relevant, preventing the common issue of misguided and unexpected questions that can confuse the prospect.
  • Ask the right questions. Ask open-ended questions that reflect your expertise and understanding of the prospect's business and needs. Be prepared with a list of thoughtful and researched questions to guide the conversation.

How playbooks contribute to the efficiency of qualification calls

A sales playbook is an essential tool for running a successful qualification process because it provides a structured framework that guides sales teams through various stages of the selling process. Here's how it helps:

  • Standardized best practices. Sales playbooks contain best practices, tactics, and strategies specific to different stages of the sales cycle, ensuring that the qualification process is standardized and follows proven methods.
  • Consistency. Sales reps can refer to the playbook to know what actions to take in specific selling situations, such as prospecting, nurturing, or pitching a product. This consistency in approach ensures that the qualification process is executed uniformly across the team.
  • Sales enablement. Playbooks include sales enablement materials, which arm salespeople with the necessary resources and information to engage with prospects effectively. These materials can be critical in qualifying leads and progressing them through the sales pipeline.
  • Guidance for discovery calls. Sales playbooks often provide a set of discovery call questions that reps can use to gather essential information about prospects. This structured approach to qualification ensures that reps ask the right questions to determine a lead's fit for the product or service.
  • Metrics and KPIs. Playbooks may also define KPIs to measure the success of the qualification process. This data-driven approach allows teams to evaluate the effectiveness of their strategies and make necessary adjustments.
  • Buyer personas. Playbooks can include information on buyer personas, helping sales reps understand the needs, pain points, and preferences of their target audience. This knowledge is valuable for tailoring the qualification process to specific customer segments.
  • Detailed sales process. The playbook often outlines the steps and stages of the sales process. This clarity ensures that reps follow a defined path when qualifying leads, reducing ambiguity and enhancing efficiency.


7 Sales qualification methods [+playbook templates]

MEDDIC 

The MEDDIC sales methodology is a structured approach that guides sales professionals in qualifying and managing opportunities. It involves assessing Metrics, identifying the Economic Buyer, understanding Decision Criteria and Processes, identifying Pain points, and cultivating a Champion within the prospect's organization. This method ensures a thorough evaluation of prospects, aligning solutions with their needs and increasing the likelihood of successful sales outcomes.
It helps sellers navigate each step of the call, with milestones highlighting key talking points and discovery topics to understand a prospect's needs and evaluate the potential fit with our solution.

When to use:
The MEDDIC sales methodology excels in complex B2B sales, particularly for high-value products/services. It's ideal for intricate decision-making, long sales cycles, and dealing with multiple stakeholders. MEDDIC's structured approach shines in enterprise sales, technical solutions, and competitive markets.



MEDDIC - sales qualification playbook template

1. Metrics - Quantify the economic benefit to the lead with metrics

Goal: Employ these inquiries to reveal measurable objectives that your buyers aim to accomplish through your solution or product.

  1. What specific goals or targets do you have for [Operational area] within the defined time frame?
  2. How are you currently measuring and tracking progress toward your goals?
  3. Are there any specific KPIs or metrics that are crucial for evaluating the success of this project?
  4. What impact or improvements do you expect to see by implementing our solution?

2. Economic Buyer - Find the decision-maker, also known as the economic buyer

Goal: Crafted to assist you in reaching a position of influence, these questions also aid in maintaining that influence if you've already attained it.

  1. Who holds the responsibility for [Operational area] within your organization?
  2. Who ultimately has the authority to sign off on this decision?
  3. What financial considerations or budget constraints should we be aware of?

3. Decision Process - Understand the Prospect’s decision process

Goal: Employ a virtual close technique to encourage your buyers to reveal their internal approval process and involve all decision-makers right from the outset.

  1. Can you walk me through the typical decision-making process for purchasing [Similar product/service] in your organization?
  2. Once a decision is made, what are the next steps to gain approval and move forward with the purchase?
  3. Who on your team plays a significant role in [Operational area] and will be impacted by this solution?
  4. Are there any key individuals who should be involved in the demo or evaluation process?

4. Decision Criteria - Understand the lead’s decision criteria

Goal: Present these questions to unveil the criteria they intend to employ during their evaluation process.

  1. What factors or criteria will be most important in your decision-making process?
  2. If you were asked to justify your decision, what would be the most critical reason for choosing a partner in [Business area]?
  3. What were the deciding factors in your previous purchase of [Incumbent/Similar product or service]? Are those still relevant to your current evaluation?

5. Identify Pain and how your product or service can help

Goal: Utilize these questions to prompt buyers to provide detailed and extensive responses, equipping you with valuable information for the remainder of your sales cycle.

  1. What are your team's primary challenges or pain points in [Operational area]?
  2. How is the identified challenge impacting your business operations or performance?
  3. On a scale of 1-5, how effective is your current solution in addressing these challenges?
  4. Do you encounter any bottlenecks or inefficiencies with your current solution? Who is most affected?
  5. What would be the consequences if the current pain or challenge is not addressed promptly?
  6. Why is it crucial for your organization to resolve this pain? How does solving this problem align with your strategic objectives?

6. Champion - Connect with a champion to vouch for your solution


Goal: Discover the optimal approach to maximize the potential of your champion and effectively guide your deal toward a successful close.

  1. What objections or concerns do you anticipate encountering during the evaluation process?
  2. How does the decision maker typically evaluate ROI for similar services or products?
  3. What additional information or support do you need to present a compelling business case to the decision-maker?
  4. How can you help the buying committee understand the value our solution can deliver to your organization?
  5. Are there any other solutions you are currently evaluating alongside ours?

 7. Closing

Goal: Set clear and actionable next steps, as this demonstrates commitment and professionalism and ensures a structured progression in the sales process, minimizing ambiguity and increasing the likelihood of a successful outcome.

“Thank you for your time today. I’ve learned a lot about your challenges and how our product can help. I’d like to follow up with you next week to discuss next steps. Is there anything else I can answer for you today?”

BANT

The BANT Qualification Framework is a proven method to assess a prospect's purchase readiness. By delving into Budget, Authority, Need and Timeline, we can gain valuable insights into their potential as qualified lead.

When to use: Use BANT when you need a clear understanding of whether a prospect is a potential customer. It helps identify if they have the budget, decision-making authority, genuine need for your product or service, and a realistic timeline for purchasing. 

BANT is particularly beneficial when dealing with larger deals and complex sales cycles. However, if your sales process requires a more consultative approach, focusing solely on BANT might overlook critical relationship-building aspects. It's essential to adapt the framework to your specific industry and sales context.

BANT - sales qualification playbook template

1. Budget Questions:

Goal: Effectively assess a prospect's financial capacity and evaluate their suitability as a buyer by addressing budget considerations early in the sales process while also recognizing the potential for changing circumstances.

  1. Can you share the budget you've allocated for this solution?
  2. How do you prioritize budget allocation among various initiatives?
  3. Are there any seasonal factors affecting your funding decisions?

2. Authority Questions:

Goal: Assess the prospect's decision-making authority and identify key stakeholders involved in purchasing decisions, thereby determining the need for involving additional parties.

  1. Who holds the authority to make the final purchase decision?
  2. Are there other stakeholders involved in the decision-making process?
  3. How do you typically handle objections during the decision-making phase?

3. Need Questions:

Goal: Evaluate whether your solution aligns with the prospect's needs, thus determining the suitability of your solution to address their challenges and prioritizing prospects with genuine needs for potential long-term customer relationships.

  1. What specific challenges are you currently facing in your business?
  2. Why is addressing this pain point a priority for your organization?
  3. What previous attempts have been made to address this challenge, if any?

4. Timeline Questions:

Goal: Determine the prospect's intended purchase timeline to prioritize leads with imminent buying intentions, thereby accelerating the sales cycle and increasing deal closure rates

  1. What is your desired timeline for implementing a solution?
  2. How does this project align with other priorities on your agenda?
  3. Are you evaluating alternative products or services at the moment?
  4. Is your team prepared to implement this solution immediately?

5. Closing:

Goal: Set clear and actionable next steps, as this not only demonstrates commitment and professionalism but also ensures a structured progression in the sales process, minimizing ambiguity and increasing the likelihood of a successful outcome.

“Thank you for your time today. I’ve learned a lot about your challenges and how our product can help. I’d like to follow up with you next week to discuss next steps. Is there anything else I can answer for you today?”

ANUM

ANUM, an extension of the BANT framework, puts emphasis on Authority, Need, Urgency, and Money, focusing on customer-centricity and early lead qualification. By understanding the decision-maker's authority, uncovering their needs and challenges, gauging urgency, and discussing budget considerations, sales reps can build strong, solution-oriented relationships and identify ideal prospects aligned with their ideal consumer profile (ICP).

When to use: This framework is particularly effective when dealing with time-sensitive deals or fast-paced sales cycles. It helps identify if the prospect holds decision-making authority, has a genuine need for your offering, feels a sense of urgency, and possesses the necessary budget. ANUM is preferred when your focus is quickly identifying high-potential opportunities that can lead to swift closures. However, for more complex sales scenarios that require a deeper understanding of a prospect's pain points and the ability to build long-term relationships, ANUM might overlook critical insights. It's important to consider the nature of your product, industry, and the level of personalization required before relying solely on the ANUM framework.

ANUM- sales qualification playbook template

1. Authority Questions:

Goal: Ensure that the sales pitch is directed towards the appropriate decision-maker, thus avoiding wasted efforts and tailoring presentations effectively for optimal engagement.

  1. Who holds the decision-making authority for the purchase?
  2. Is there anyone else within the organization who should be part of these discussions?
  3. Can you guide me to the ideal contact within your company?

2. Need Questions:

Goal: Thoroughly understand the needs and challenges of the identified decision-maker, tailoring a solutions-focused pitch that demonstrates the tangible impact your product or service can have on their specific business outcomes

  1. How long has this challenge been affecting your organization?
  2. What has triggered the need for a solution at this moment?
  3. Can you describe your current approach and how a solution could address it?

3. Urgency Questions:

Goal: Efficiently gauge the urgency of the prospect's problem within their organizational context, considering factors such as structural changes, industry trends, and regulatory shifts to align your solution with their immediate needs.

  1. How critical is it for your company to address this issue promptly?
  2. What is your plan to address this problem in the near future?
  3. What are the potential consequences if this issue remains unresolved?

4. Money Questions:

Goal: Effectively navigate the budget stage by ensuring direct communication with decision-makers, understanding that while budget is pivotal, rapport, trust, and alignment of your solution with their needs should take precedence, considering potential flexibility in budget constraints and staying informed about the prospect's financial context without making assumptions

  1. Is there a budget allocated for a solution like ours?
  2. Who else within the organization should be involved in the purchasing process?
  3. How high of a priority is it for your company to resolve this particular challenge?

5. Closing:

Goal: Set clear and actionable next steps, as this not only demonstrates commitment and professionalism but also ensures a structured progression in the sales process, minimizing ambiguity and increasing the likelihood of a successful outcome.

“Thank you for your time today. I’ve learned a lot about your challenges and how our product can help. I’d like to follow up with you next week to discuss next steps. Is there anything else I can answer for you today?”

FAINT

The FAINT framework is a modern alternative to BANT, designed to assess qualified prospects more effectively. FAINT stands for Funds, Authority, Interest, Need, and Timing, focusing on crucial buyer aspects beyond just budget. By using FAINT, sales reps can identify prospects with the financial capacity, decision-making authority, genuine interest, specific needs, and a clear purchase timeline, enabling more targeted and successful selling.

When to use: This framework is particularly effective when dealing with complex B2B sales, where understanding the prospect's financial capability, decision-making authority, genuine interest, identified need, and timing aligning with their business objectives is crucial. FAINT is preferred when your sales process involves a consultative approach and requires a deep understanding of the prospect's pain points and goals and the ability to tailor solutions accordingly. However, for simpler, transactional sales, relying on the FAINT framework might lead to unnecessary complexity. Additionally, in cases where time is of the essence and prospects are urgently seeking solutions, focusing solely on FAINT might delay the process. It's essential to adapt the framework to suit the specific context of your sales scenarios.

FAINT- sales qualification playbook template

1. Funds Questions:

Goal: Prioritize prospects with the financial capacity, distinguish between budget and financial capability, and confirm their ability to afford your product by utilizing publicly accessible financial data, recent milestones, or direct communication

  1. Can you confirm whether your organization possesses the financial capacity for an investment, even without a predetermined budget?
  2. How can our solution's potential impact align with your business objectives, justifying the financial commitment?
  3. Are there any financial concerns that might hinder your ability to proceed?

2. Authority Questions:

Goal: Target individuals with decision-making authority for budget allocation, recognizing that engaging with the right decision-makers is essential even if the initial contact lacks authority, employing research and networking to identify decision-makers, and fostering connections. 

  1. Who is your organization's decision-making authority for budget allocation and purchase approvals?
  2. Are you engaging with the key decision-makers who can authorize the necessary funds for this solution?
  3. Can you describe the typical decision-making process for purchases like ours within your organization?

3. Interest Questions:

Goal: Evoke genuine interest from the prospect regarding the potential of a new and improved reality through your solution, establishing its significance while differentiating it from competitors and showcasing the potential negative consequences of not adopting it.

  1. How does the idea of a transformative solution resonate with your vision for improved outcomes?
  2. What aspects of our offering stand out, differentiating us from other options you may have explored?
  3. What specific features of our solution have captured your attention?

4. Need Questions:

Goal: Position your product as an essential solution by identifying and addressing latent needs after generating interest, utilizing the goals stated by decision-makers to uncover underlying needs and demonstrate how your product fulfills them.

  1. Can you share the challenges or inefficiencies you've encountered in your current processes?
  2. Based on our discussions, how well do you think our solution aligns with your identified needs?
  3. Are there any underlying pain points that you believe our solution could effectively address?

5. Timing Questions:

Goal: Establish a clear purchase intent and timeline for the prospect's decision-making process, inquire about their readiness to commit, and specify a timeframe for the purchase, ensuring that qualified prospects with genuine interest and a defined timeline move forward in the sales process. 

  1. Is there a specific timeline in which you're looking to make a decision and move forward?
  2. Are there any external factors or impending deadlines that could influence your decision-making timeline?
  3. Additional Question: What key milestones or events might impact the timing of your decision?

6. Closing:

  1. From our conversations, can you confidently outline the benefits and potential return on investment our solution offers?
  2. Are you comfortable with the questions we've discussed to assess your readiness for moving forward?
  3. If our solution were implemented, what significant changes do you anticipate for your business?


CHAMP 

CHAMP is a sales qualification methodology that focuses on four key areas to help sales professionals determine whether a prospect is worth investing time and resources. The acronym CHAMP stands for Challenges, Authority, Money, and Prioritization, which are essential elements to consider when qualifying a lead. By assessing these areas, sales teams can gauge the prospect's needs and their potential value to the organization.

When to Use: This methodology is most effective when dealing with complex sales processes that require multiple decision-makers and a significant investment. It's particularly useful when you need to quickly identify if the prospect is aligned with your solution, ensuring that you focus your efforts on the most promising opportunities.

CHAMP - sales qualification playbook template

1. Challenges:

Goal: To identify the pain points and challenges that the prospect is currently facing.

  1. Can you describe the biggest challenge you're currently facing in [relevant area]?
  2. How has this challenge impacted your business or operations?
  3. What have you tried so far to address this issue?

2. Authority:

Goal: To determine who the decision-makers are and what their decision-making process entails.

  1. Who will be involved in making the decision to purchase this solution?
  2. What is the approval process for a purchase like this?
  3. Are there any other stakeholders whose approval is necessary?

3. Money:

Goal: To understand the prospect's budget and whether they have the necessary funds to invest in your solution.

  1. Do you have a budget set aside for solving [the issue/challenge]?
  2. What is the financial impact of not solving this issue?
  3. Are there any financial constraints that we should be aware of?

4. Prioritization:

Goal: To assess how urgent the need is for a solution and what the timeline looks like for implementing it.

  1. How quickly do you need to implement a solution to address your challenges?
  2. What are the consequences of not meeting this timeline?
  3. Is this project a top priority for you right now?

5. Closing:

  1. From our conversations, can you confidently outline the benefits and potential return on investment our solution offers?
  2. Are you comfortable with the questions we've discussed to assess your readiness for moving forward?
  3. Additional Question: If our solution were implemented, what significant changes do you anticipate for your business?

GPCTBA/C&I

GPCTBA/C&I is an extended sales qualification methodology that builds upon more traditional qualification frameworks. This method is detailed and comprehensive, focusing on Goals, Plans, Challenges, Timelines, Budget, and Authority, along with considering Negative Consequences and Positive Implications. It's designed to give a 360-degree view of the prospect's situation and mindset.

When to Use: This methodology is best suited for high-ticket, complex sales processes where the buying decision involves multiple layers of evaluation. It’s particularly effective for longer sales cycles where understanding the broader context and impact of the purchase is critical.


GPCTBA/C&I - sales qualification playbook template

1. Goals:

Goal: To understand what the prospect aims to achieve in both the short-term and long-term.

  1. What are your key objectives for this quarter/year?
  2. How do you measure success for these goals?
  3. What milestones have you set to achieve these goals?

2. Plans:

Goal: To find out the strategies and plans the prospect has devised to achieve their goals.

  1. What plans do you currently have in place to reach your goals?
  2. Are there any obstacles you foresee in executing these plans?
  3. How flexible are these plans?

3. Challenges:

Goal: To identify any roadblocks or difficulties the prospect anticipates or is currently facing.

  1. What challenges are you encountering in executing your plans?
  2. How are these challenges affecting your ability to meet your goals?
  3. Have you attempted any solutions to these challenges yet?

4. Timeline:

Goal: To establish the urgency and time frame for solving challenges and achieving goals.

  1. What is your expected timeline for achieving your current goals?
  2. Are there any external factors influencing this timeline?
  3. How soon are you looking to implement a solution?

5. Budget:

Goal: To determine the prospect's financial capability to invest in a solution.

  1. Do you have a dedicated budget for this project?
  2. What is the ROI you are expecting?
  3. Are there any financial constraints that could impact this project?

6. Authority:

Goal: To identify who holds the decision-making power and what the decision-making process is.

  1. Who will be the key decision-makers for this project?
  2. What is your company's decision-making process for initiatives like this?
  3. Is anyone else's approval needed to proceed?

7. Negative Consequences & Positive Implications (C&I):

Goal: To understand the potential impact, both positive and negative, of taking or not taking action.

  1. What are the negative consequences of not solving the challenges you've identified?
  2. What positive outcomes do you expect if your goals are achieved?
  3. How would achieving your goals impact your team or business in the long term?

8. Closing:

  1. From our conversations, can you confidently outline the benefits and potential return on investment our solution offers?
  2. Are you comfortable with the questions we've discussed to assess your readiness for moving forward?
  3. Additional Question: If our solution were implemented, what significant changes do you anticipate for your business?

FORD 

The FORD methodology is a sales qualification approach that focuses on understanding the customer on a more personal level. While traditionally more used in casual networking and social settings, FORD (Family, Occupation, Recreation, Dreams) can also be used in sales to forge stronger relationships and understand the motivating factors behind a decision-maker's choices.

When to Use: FORD is especially effective in industries or settings where building a strong personal relationship can be a critical factor in closing a deal. It's best used when you have more time to engage with a prospect and when a more consultative, relational sale is beneficial.

FORD - sales qualification playbook template

1. Family:

Goal: To connect on a personal level and gain an understanding of the prospect's background.

  1. How does your family feel about your current work situation or challenges?
  2. Does your role impact your work-life balance?
  3. Do family considerations factor into your business decisions?

2. Occupation:

Goal: To understand the prospect's work, role, challenges, and day-to-day activities.

  1. What are the most rewarding aspects of your job?
  2. Can you tell me about a typical day for you at work?
  3. What professional challenges keep you up at night?

3. Recreation:

Goal: To know what the prospect enjoys doing outside of work, helping you relate to them better.

  1. What do you like to do for fun when you're not working?
  2. How do you usually de-stress from work challenges?
  3. Do your recreational activities ever intersect with your professional life?

4. Dreams:

Goal: To understand the prospect's aspirations, both personally and professionally.

  1. What are some long-term goals you have for yourself or your team?
  2. How does your current role fit into your career aspirations?
  3. What would be a dream solution or outcome for the challenges you're facing?

In summary

This comprehensive white paper has been meticulously crafted to empower you with insights and templates for creating and using effective sales qualification call playbooks. We've explored the crucial elements of a sales qualification call, its importance, the stages of the qualification process, and the vital steps for preparation.

It's worth emphasizing that a well-executed qualification call can save precious time for both salespeople and prospects, transforming initial interactions into valuable and productive conversations. 

Through the use of playbooks, we've underscored the importance of standardized best practices, consistency, sales enablement, structured guidance for discovery calls, metrics and KPIs, buyer personas, and a clear sales process – all of which contribute to enhanced efficiency and the likelihood of successful lead qualification.

Armed with this knowledge and the resources provided in this white paper, you are better equipped to navigate the competitive sales landscape, forge meaningful connections with prospects, and demonstrate genuine care for their needs. 

In a world where authenticity is paramount, your commitment to understanding your prospects' unique challenges, paired with the right approach and playbooks, can be the key to building trust and closing deals.

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