The four questions
- What the job is and what they need it for.
- When they need it: is there a deadline, or is it «some day».
- A budget range, if your product is priced in ranges.
- Who else takes part in the decision.
The questions get asked in conversation, not on a form. A form at the front door cuts enquiry volume and gives you nothing a conversation would not have given.
Financial qualification
- A micro-payment. Demo access or a trial element for a small amount.
- A deposit to lock the terms. A small sum to fix the price or the lead time.
On a project with a deal size of around 2,400 zloty we made a micro-transaction stage mandatory: a demo for 29 zloty, or locking the terms for 100. After that the reps worked only with people who had confirmed they could pay by paying, and planned conversion held at 35%.
Who to filter out
- does not fit the product: a different job, a different scale
- no deadline, and no way to create one
- the decision sits with somebody you cannot reach
- the budget is out by several times over
How to say no
Directly and usefully: name the reason and say where else to look. That is cheaper than three weeks of messages, and some of those people come back when their job changes.
What to add to your records
- a separate close reason, «not our customer»
- a qualification flag, so you can count two conversion rates separately
- a field for who makes the decision