The Selling Process

Qualifying Sales Leads

Not all sales leads hold the potential for becoming sales prospects.  There are many reasons for this including:

• Cannot be Contacted – Some prospects may fit the criteria for being a prospect but gaining time to meet with them may be very difficult (e.g., high-level executives).
• Need Already Satisfied - Prospects may have already purchased a similar product offered by a competitor and, thus, may not have the need for additional products.
• Lack Financial Capacity - Just because someone has a need for a product does not mean they can afford it.  Lack of financial capacity is major reason why sales leads do not become prospects.
• May Not Be Key Decision Maker - Prospects may lack the authority to approve the purchase.
• May Not Meet Requirements to Purchase - Prospects may not meet the requirements for purchasing the product (e.g., lack other products needed for seller’s product to work properly).

The process of determining whether a sales lead has the potential to become a prospect is known as “qualifying” the lead.  In some cases, a sales lead can be qualified by the seller prior to making first contact.  For instance, this can be done through the use of research reports, such as an evaluation of a company’s financial position using publicly available financial reporting services.  More likely, sellers will not be in a position to qualify leads until they establish contact with a lead, which may occur in activities associated with either Preparation for the Sales Call or The Sales Meeting.