# Sales Qualification Pack

**Prepared for:** B2B SaaS — Operations Teams (50-500 employees)
**Motion:** Inbound, SDR-qualified, SDR-to-AE handoff
**Date:** 2026-03-17

---

## 1) Context Snapshot

**Product (1 sentence):**
B2B SaaS platform that serves operations teams at mid-market companies (50-500 employees).

**ICP (primary):** Operations managers / directors at companies with 50-500 employees, mid-market B2B, industries with heavy operational workflows (logistics, manufacturing, professional services, healthcare admin, e-commerce fulfillment).
**ICP (secondary):** COO / VP Ops at companies 100-500 employees with a dedicated ops function and budget authority.
**Exclusions ("not for"):** Solopreneurs, companies <30 employees (no ops team), companies >500 employees (enterprise motion needed), government/public sector (procurement cycle incompatible with ACV), companies with no existing ops tooling (too early).

**Motion:** Inbound (high volume) with SDR qualification and handoff to AE.
**Who qualifies:** SDR (first pass: fit + pain + urgency check) then AE (validates decision process + deal viability).
**Handoff:** SDR books meeting for AE only after scorecard threshold is met. SDR passes structured CRM note to AE before meeting.

**Deal profile:**
- ACV: ~$12,000
- Cycle length: ~45 days
- Required stakeholders: Ops manager (user/champion), VP Ops or CFO (economic buyer), sometimes IT (security/integration review)

**Primary funnel failure mode:** AEs report meetings are low quality. Hypothesis: SDRs are booking meetings with leads that have interest but lack urgency, decision access, or real pain. Too many "maybe forever" opportunities enter the pipeline.

**Qualification goal:** Fewer bad meetings for AEs. Increase meeting-to-opportunity conversion by ensuring SDRs only hand off leads with confirmed pain, urgency, and a path to decision.

**Constraints:**
- High inbound volume -- SDRs need fast triage (5-10 min initial screen, 15-20 min qualification call)
- CRM must capture qualification evidence for AE prep
- ACV of $12k means qualification must be lightweight (not enterprise-grade multi-call discovery)

**Assumptions & unknowns:**
- Assuming CRM is a standard tool (HubSpot / Salesforce); specific field names may need adjustment
- Assuming SDR team is 2+ people (calibration needed across reps)
- Assuming no strict SLA on inbound response time (will recommend <4 hours for hot leads)
- Unknown: exact win rate, current meeting-to-opp conversion, disqualification reasons breakdown
- Unknown: specific product capabilities and integration constraints

---

## 2) Qualification Charter

### A) Definition of "qualified"

**We pursue (ACCEPT) when:** The lead is in our ICP, has an articulated operational pain with measurable impact, has a trigger or timeline creating urgency in the next 90 days, and we can identify a path to decision (named stakeholders + known process).

**We nurture when:** The lead is in our ICP and has real pain, but timing is wrong (no trigger in next 90 days), budget is unconfirmed, or we cannot access the decision-maker yet. We set a follow-up trigger and re-engage when conditions change.

**We disqualify (REJECT) when:** Any hard disqualifier is true (see below). We exit gracefully, preserve goodwill, and optionally refer to alternatives.

### B) ICP Segments

| Segment | Who | Use case | "Why now" triggers | Common objections | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Primary: Mid-market Ops** | Ops Manager / Director at 50-300 emp companies | Replacing manual/spreadsheet ops workflows; consolidating fragmented tools | Hiring an ops leader; audit/compliance deadline; scaling pain from growth; tool contract renewal | "We're used to our current process"; "Need IT approval"; "Budget is next quarter" | Fastest sales cycle. Champion is often the user. Likely a single decision-maker or manager + VP sign-off. |
| **Secondary: Scaling Ops** | VP Ops / COO at 200-500 emp companies | Standardizing ops across teams/locations; visibility and reporting for leadership | New exec hire (VP Ops / COO); board pressure on efficiency; post-acquisition integration; failed internal tool build | "We need enterprise features"; "Security review required"; "Need to involve procurement" | Slightly longer cycle (may hit 60 days). Higher expansion potential. Usually requires economic buyer + IT. |
| **Tertiary: Ops-Adjacent** | Project / program managers using ops tooling adjacently | Lightweight process automation for a specific team workflow | Team lead frustrated with current tool; new initiative or project requiring process | "Not sure this is the right tool"; "We only need it for one thing" | Watch for narrow use cases that don't justify $12k ACV. Can be good land-and-expand if pain is real. |

### C) Hard Disqualifiers (fast "no" rules)

These are non-negotiable. If ANY is true, we do NOT advance to an AE meeting.

| # | Disqualifier | How to detect | When to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | **Not in ICP segment** -- company <30 or >500 employees, no operations function, government/public sector | Firmographic data, first 2 questions on call | First 2 minutes |
| 2 | **No meaningful pain** -- cannot articulate a specific operational problem; "just browsing" or "researching for someday" | Ask: "What problem are you trying to solve right now?" If answer is vague after 1 follow-up, disqualify. | First 5 minutes |
| 3 | **No urgency / no trigger** -- nothing changes in the next 90 days; no deadline, event, or consequence of inaction | Ask: "Why now? What changed?" and "If you did nothing for 6 months, what happens?" If answer is "nothing much," disqualify. | Minutes 5-8 |
| 4 | **No access to buyer** -- the person on the call has no ability to influence or access the budget holder, and there is no path to get there | Ask: "Who else needs to be involved for a decision?" If answer is "I have no idea" and they're a junior IC with no authority, disqualify. | Minutes 8-10 |
| 5 | **Cannot meet minimum deal value** -- looking for free tier only, wants to pay <$500/mo, or use case is too narrow to justify $12k ACV | Ask about team size, scope of use. If single-user or tiny scope, disqualify (or redirect to self-serve if available). | Minutes 5-10 |
| 6 | **Non-starter technical constraint** -- requires an integration or capability the product does not support and will not support in the foreseeable future | Ask about current tools and must-have integrations. Cross-reference with known product capabilities. | Minutes 5-10 |

### D) Nurture Triggers (when to re-open)

**Trigger events to watch for:**
- Lead's company announces funding, expansion, or new ops hire (monitor via LinkedIn / news alerts)
- Lead reaches out again with a specific question or request
- Contract renewal date for their current tool approaches (if captured)
- Quarterly business review period (budget planning windows)

**Follow-up cadence:**
- Nurture leads get a follow-up at +30 days, +60 days, +90 days
- After 90 days with no engagement, move to marketing nurture (newsletter/content)

**Content/asset to send:**
- ROI calculator or case study relevant to their industry
- "Operations maturity assessment" (self-service lead magnet)
- Invite to upcoming webinar or community event

### E) Stage Model

| Stage | Entry criteria | Exit criteria (evidence) | Required next step | Max age | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **New Lead** | Inbound form fill or demo request received | SDR has attempted contact within 4 hours | First contact attempt with date | 48 hours | SDR |
| **SDR Qualifying** | SDR has made contact; initial conversation started | Scorecard completed; decision: accept / nurture / reject | If accept: AE meeting booked with date. If nurture: follow-up date set. If reject: closed-lost with reason. | 7 days | SDR |
| **AE Discovery** | AE meeting booked; SDR handoff note in CRM; scorecard score >= threshold | AE confirms: pain validated, decision process mapped, stakeholders identified, next step agreed | Demo or proposal meeting with date + stakeholders confirmed | 10 days | AE |
| **Evaluation** | Demo/proposal delivered; buyer has seen the product | Buyer confirms: product fits need, pricing is in range, internal approval process started | Decision meeting or procurement step with date | 14 days | AE |
| **Commit** | Verbal commitment or "we're moving forward"; procurement/legal/IT in progress | Signed contract or PO received | Close date confirmed | 14 days | AE |
| **Closed Won / Lost** | Contract signed OR deal lost/abandoned | N/A | If won: onboarding kickoff date. If lost: loss reason captured. | N/A | AE |

**Pipeline hygiene rules:**
- **No next step, no stage.** Every active opportunity MUST have a dated next step with a named owner. If no next step exists, the deal is flagged in the weekly review.
- **Max stage age enforcement.** If a deal exceeds max age for its stage, it is escalated to the manager for review and either advanced (with new evidence) or recycled/closed-lost.
- **Stalled deal policy:** Any opportunity with no activity for 14+ days is auto-flagged. Manager reviews in weekly pipeline meeting. If no path forward after review, it moves to nurture or closed-lost within 48 hours.

---

## 3) Qualification Scorecard

### Scoring instructions

- Score each criterion **0-3** using the anchors below. Multiply by weight.
- **ACCEPT** (book AE meeting) if weighted total >= **14** AND all must-pass criteria score >= 2.
- **NURTURE** if weighted total is **9-13** OR a must-pass criterion scores 1.
- **REJECT** if any hard disqualifier is true OR weighted total < **9**.

### Scorecard Table

| # | Criterion | Weight | 0 (Absent) | 1 (Weak) | 2 (Acceptable) | 3 (Strong) | Score |
|---|---|---:|---|---|---|---|---:|
| 1 | **ICP Fit** | x2 | Not in ICP (<30 or >500 emp, no ops team, govt) | Partial fit (right size but unclear ops function, or adjacent industry) | Good fit (50-500 emp, has ops team, relevant industry) | Perfect fit (100-400 emp, dedicated ops leader, high-ops industry like logistics/manufacturing/services) | __ |
| 2 | **Pain Severity** (must-pass) | x2 | No pain articulated; "just looking" | Mild inconvenience; aware of problem but not actively seeking solution | Important problem; actively seeking a solution; can describe impact | Hair-on-fire; current process is broken/failing; costing real time/money weekly; executive visibility | __ |
| 3 | **Impact / ROI** | x2 | Cannot quantify any impact | Vague sense of impact ("it would save some time") | Can estimate: "We lose X hours/week" or "It costs us roughly $Y/month" | Clear, quantified: "This costs us $Z/quarter in overtime + errors; we've calculated ROI" | __ |
| 4 | **Urgency / Trigger** (must-pass) | x2 | No trigger; no timeline; "maybe next year" | Vague: "We'll probably look at this soon" | Timeline: "We want to decide in 60-90 days"; there's a reason (e.g., contract renewal, new hire) | Compelling event in <60 days: deadline, exec mandate, compliance requirement, broken process causing weekly pain | __ |
| 5 | **Access to Decision** | x2 | Unknown who decides; contact is junior IC with no influence | Contact knows who decides but has no relationship or path | Contact can introduce us to decision-maker; has described the approval process | Decision-maker is on the call or is the direct manager of contact; process is clear and short (1-2 steps) | __ |
| 6 | **Champion Strength** | x1 | No internal advocate | Contact is curious but passive; waiting for us to drive everything | Contact is actively advocating: sharing materials internally, scheduling follow-ups | Contact is driving the initiative internally: has budget conversation started, has exec sponsorship, is organizing stakeholders | __ |
| 7 | **Constraints / Fit Risk** | x1 | Fatal constraint: requires unsupported integration, security standard we can't meet, or use case outside product scope | High risk: significant uncertainty about technical fit or compliance; would require custom work | Manageable: minor integration work needed; standard security review; no blockers identified | Low risk: clean technical fit; no compliance concerns; standard use case | __ |

**Weighted total: __ / 24**

### Must-Pass Criteria (both required)

- [ ] **Pain Severity** scores >= 2 (the lead must articulate a real, specific problem)
- [ ] **Urgency / Trigger** scores >= 2 (there must be a reason to act in the next 90 days)

### Threshold Summary

| Weighted Total | Must-Pass Met? | Decision | SDR Action |
|---:|---|---|---|
| >= 14 | Both >= 2 | **ACCEPT** | Book AE meeting; complete CRM note; brief AE |
| 9-13 | At least one < 2 | **NURTURE** | Set follow-up trigger + date; add to nurture sequence; capture reason in CRM |
| < 9 | N/A | **REJECT** | Graceful close-out; capture disqualify reason; move to closed-lost |
| Any | Hard disqualifier true | **REJECT** | Immediate graceful close-out |

### Scoring Example: Good Lead (Accept)

> **Company:** 180-employee logistics company. **Contact:** Director of Operations. **Pain:** "We're managing dispatch scheduling in spreadsheets; we lose 5 hours/week to errors and our drivers are frustrated." **Trigger:** "We just hired a new VP Ops who wants this fixed in Q2." **Decision:** "VP Ops has budget authority; she asked me to evaluate tools."

| Criterion | Score | Weighted |
|---|---:|---:|
| ICP Fit | 3 | 6 |
| Pain Severity | 3 | 6 |
| Impact/ROI | 2 | 4 |
| Urgency/Trigger | 3 | 6 |
| Access to Decision | 3 | 6 |
| Champion Strength | 2 | 2 |
| Constraints/Fit Risk | 2 | 2 |
| **Total** | | **32 -- but max is 24 so we cap at actual: 6+6+4+6+6+2+2 = 32? No -- let me recalculate. Max possible: (2+2+2+2+2)*3 + (1+1)*3 = 30+6 = 36. Wait -- 7 criteria, weights sum to 2+2+2+2+2+1+1 = 12. Max weighted = 12*3 = 36. Thresholds above should be recalibrated.** |

*Correction -- recalibrating thresholds to match actual max score:*

**Max weighted total: 12 (sum of weights) x 3 (max score) = 36.**

Revised thresholds:
| Weighted Total | Must-Pass Met? | Decision |
|---:|---|---|
| >= 26 | Both >= 2 | **ACCEPT** |
| 16-25 | At least one < 2 | **NURTURE** |
| < 16 | N/A | **REJECT** |

**Re-scoring the example:**

| Criterion | Weight | Score | Weighted |
|---|---:|---:|---:|
| ICP Fit | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| Pain Severity | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| Impact/ROI | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Urgency/Trigger | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| Access to Decision | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| Champion Strength | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Constraints/Fit Risk | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| **Total** | | | **32** |

Decision: **ACCEPT** (32 >= 26, both must-pass >= 2). Book AE meeting.

### Scoring Example: Nurture Lead

> **Company:** 80-employee professional services firm. **Contact:** Operations Coordinator (IC). **Pain:** "Things are messy but we manage. My boss mentioned looking into tools." **Trigger:** "No specific deadline; maybe next fiscal year." **Decision:** "I'd have to ask my boss; not sure who decides."

| Criterion | Weight | Score | Weighted |
|---|---:|---:|---:|
| ICP Fit | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Pain Severity | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Impact/ROI | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Urgency/Trigger | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Access to Decision | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Champion Strength | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Constraints/Fit Risk | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| **Total** | | | **14** |

Decision: **REJECT** (14 < 16). But ICP fit is there, so in practice: disqualify from active pipeline, add to nurture with trigger: "Re-engage when they have a new ops leader or budget cycle."

### Scoring Example: Reject Lead

> **Company:** 20-person startup. **Contact:** Founder. **Pain:** "Just curious what's out there." **Trigger:** None. **Decision:** "I make all the decisions but we have no budget."

| Criterion | Weight | Score | Weighted |
|---|---:|---:|---:|
| ICP Fit | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Pain Severity | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Impact/ROI | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Urgency/Trigger | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Access to Decision | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Champion Strength | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Constraints/Fit Risk | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| **Total** | | | **4** |

Decision: **REJECT** (4 < 16; hard disqualifier: not in ICP, <30 employees). Graceful close-out.

---

## 4) Discovery / Qualification Call Script (SDR -- 15-20 min)

*Note: At $12k ACV with SDR-to-AE handoff, the SDR call should be 15-20 minutes (not 30). The AE runs a deeper 30-minute discovery in the next stage.*

### Agenda (share at start of call)
1. Quick context + set expectations (2 min)
2. Understand their current situation + pain (5-7 min)
3. Impact + urgency (3-4 min)
4. Decision process + next steps (3-4 min)
5. Decision: book AE meeting, nurture, or close out (2 min)

### Opener (sets expectations)

> "Thanks for taking the time, [Name]. I'll keep this short -- about 15-20 minutes. I'm going to ask a few questions to understand what you're dealing with and whether it makes sense to set up a deeper conversation with one of our solutions team members. If it's not a fit, I'll tell you quickly and we won't waste your time. Sound good?"

### Question Bank (mapped to scorecard criteria)

**Block 1: Fit + Context (2-3 min)** -- maps to ICP Fit + Constraints
- "Tell me a bit about your role and your team. How big is the ops team?"
- "What tools or processes are you using today for [relevant workflow]?"
- "Any must-have integrations or requirements I should know about upfront?"

*Disqualifier check: If <30 employees, no ops team, or non-starter constraint -- move to graceful close-out.*

**Block 2: Pain + Impact (5-7 min)** -- maps to Pain Severity + Impact/ROI
- "What prompted you to reach out / look into this now?"
- "Walk me through what's not working today. What does a bad day look like?"
- "When that happens, what's the impact? How much time does it cost? Does it affect other teams or customers?"
- "What have you tried to fix this? What happened?"

*Disqualifier check: If they cannot articulate a problem after these questions (answer is "just researching" with no specifics after one follow-up) -- move to nurture or close-out.*

**Block 3: Urgency + Trigger (3-4 min)** -- maps to Urgency/Trigger
- "Is there a deadline or event driving this? A contract renewal, a new initiative, a mandate from leadership?"
- "If you did nothing about this for 6 months, what happens?"
- "When are you hoping to have something in place?"

*Disqualifier check: If no trigger and "nothing happens if we wait" -- nurture path.*

**Block 4: Decision Process + Access (3-4 min)** -- maps to Access + Champion
- "If you saw something you liked, what would the process look like to move forward? Who else needs to be involved?"
- "Has your team evaluated tools like this before? What happened?"
- "Is there a budget for this, or would you need to get that approved?"

*Disqualifier check: If contact is a junior IC with no path to a decision-maker and no ability to champion -- nurture or close-out.*

### Decision Point (2 min)

**If ACCEPT (scorecard >= 26, must-pass met):**
> "Based on what you've shared, this sounds like a strong fit. Here's what I'd recommend as a next step: I'll set up a 30-minute call with [AE name], who works with [similar companies]. They'll walk through how we've solved [specific pain mentioned] for teams like yours, and you can see the product in action. Can we do [specific day/time]? And would it make sense to include [stakeholder they mentioned]?"

**If NURTURE (scorecard 16-25 or must-pass not met):**
> "Thanks for walking me through this. It sounds like there's a real need here, but the timing might be a bit early for a full evaluation. Here's what I'd suggest: I'll send you [specific resource -- case study, ROI calculator, or guide relevant to their situation]. When [trigger they mentioned -- e.g., 'you get closer to budget season' or 'the new VP starts'] happens, let's reconnect and we can pick this up. I'll set a reminder to check in on [specific date]. Sound good?"

**If REJECT (hard disqualifier or scorecard < 16):**

### Graceful Disqualify Talk Track

> "I appreciate you sharing all of this. Based on what you've described, I don't think we're the best fit right now, and I'd rather be upfront than waste your time. [Specific reason -- e.g., 'Our platform is really built for teams of 5+ in ops, and it sounds like you're a smaller setup where a lighter tool might be a better fit.'] If it helps, a couple of things I'd suggest looking into: [1-2 alternatives or general advice]. And if [specific trigger -- e.g., 'your team grows' or 'you bring on an ops lead'], I'd love to revisit. Fair enough?"

---

## 5) CRM Artifacts

### A) Qualification Notes Template (SDR completes before AE handoff)

```
=== QUALIFICATION NOTE ===

Opportunity name: [Company] - [Primary use case]
Date of call: [YYYY-MM-DD]
SDR: [Name]

--- FIT ---
ICP segment: [Primary / Secondary / Tertiary / Not ICP]
Company size: [# employees]
Ops team size: [# people]
Contact role + title: [Name, Title]
Current tools/process: [What they use today]
Must-have integrations: [List or "none"]

--- PAIN ---
Problem (in their words): "[Direct quote or close paraphrase]"
Impact (time / $ / risk): [Specific: e.g., "5 hrs/week lost to manual scheduling errors"]
What they've tried: [Previous attempts + why they failed]

--- URGENCY ---
Trigger / why now: [Specific event or deadline]
Timeline: [When they want to decide / go live]
What happens if they wait 6 months: [Their answer]

--- DECISION ---
Economic buyer: [Name + title]
Other stakeholders: [List + roles]
Decision process: [Steps they described]
Budget status: [Confirmed / likely / unknown / no budget]
Champion: [Name + strength: driving / advocating / curious / none]

--- RISKS / CONSTRAINTS ---
Technical risks: [Integration, security, compliance concerns]
Deal risks: [Competing priorities, political, other]

--- SCORECARD ---
ICP Fit: [0-3] | Pain: [0-3] | Impact: [0-3] | Urgency: [0-3]
Access: [0-3] | Champion: [0-3] | Constraints: [0-3]
Weighted total: [X / 36]
Decision: [ACCEPT / NURTURE / REJECT]

--- NEXT STEP ---
Next step: [Specific action + date]
AE meeting date: [If accept]
Nurture trigger: [If nurture -- what event would re-open this]
Reject reason: [If reject -- which disqualifier]

=== END NOTE ===
```

### B) Required CRM Fields

These fields must be populated before an opportunity can advance past "SDR Qualifying":

| Field | Type | Required at stage | Options/Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| ICP Segment | Dropdown | SDR Qualifying | Primary / Secondary / Tertiary / Not ICP |
| Company Size | Number | SDR Qualifying | # employees |
| Pain (in their words) | Text | SDR Qualifying | Free text (min 1 sentence) |
| Trigger / Why Now | Text | SDR Qualifying | Free text (min 1 sentence) |
| Scorecard Total | Number | SDR Qualifying | Weighted score (0-36) |
| Qualification Decision | Dropdown | SDR Qualifying | Accept / Nurture / Reject |
| Next Step | Text | All active stages | Action + date |
| Next Step Date | Date | All active stages | Date of next action |
| Economic Buyer | Text | AE Discovery | Name + title |
| Decision Process | Text | AE Discovery | Steps described |
| Lost/Nurture Reason | Dropdown | Closed Lost / Nurture | No pain / No urgency / No access / Not ICP / No budget / Went with competitor / Went dark / Other |

### C) Pipeline Hygiene Rules

| Rule | Enforcement | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| **No next step, no stage** | Automated CRM alert: any opportunity without a dated next step for >3 days gets flagged | Manager reviews in weekly pipeline meeting; deal must get a next step or move to nurture/closed-lost |
| **Max stage age** | Automated: flag deals exceeding max age per stage (see stage model above) | Manager reviews; either advance with new evidence or recycle/close |
| **Stalled deal = 14 days no activity** | Automated CRM report: "Stalled Deals" filtered by last activity date | Mandatory manager review; 48-hour resolution (advance, nurture, or close) |
| **Required fields gate** | CRM validation: cannot move to next stage without required fields | Hard block in CRM; SDR/AE must complete fields before advancing |
| **Lost reason required** | CRM validation: cannot close-lost without selecting a reason | Enables loss-reason analysis in weekly/monthly reviews |
| **Weekly pipeline audit** | Manager reviews 10 random opportunities each week for quality | Checks: scorecard present, notes complete, next step valid, stage age acceptable |

---

## 6) Rollout + Measurement Plan

### Rollout Plan (2 Weeks)

**Pre-launch (Day 0)**
- [ ] Load scorecard criteria + CRM fields + notes template into CRM
- [ ] Create "Stalled Deals" and "Missing Next Steps" automated reports/alerts
- [ ] Prepare 3 example scored deals (1 accept, 1 nurture, 1 reject) for training

**Week 1: Train + Calibrate**
- [ ] **Day 1-2: Kickoff training (60 min)** -- Walk team through:
  - ICP segments + exclusions (10 min)
  - Hard disqualifiers + talk tracks (10 min)
  - Scorecard criteria + anchors with examples (20 min)
  - Call script walkthrough + role-play (15 min)
  - CRM notes template + required fields (5 min)
- [ ] **Day 3-5: Live call reviews (3 calls)** -- SDR team scores 3 real calls using the scorecard, independently. Compare scores. Discuss disagreements. Adjust anchors if two reps are >1 tier apart on the same call.
- [ ] **Day 5: Calibration adjustment** -- Update scoring anchors or disqualifier wording based on calibration results. Document changes.

**Week 2: Enforce + Measure**
- [ ] **Day 6: Go live** -- All SDR calls use the script and scorecard. CRM notes template required for every qualified meeting.
- [ ] **Day 8: First pipeline audit** -- Manager reviews 10 opportunities for: scorecard present, notes complete, next step with date, stage age acceptable.
- [ ] **Day 10: "Top disqualifier reasons" report** -- Publish the top 3 reasons leads are being disqualified. Share with marketing (for lead quality feedback) and leadership (for funnel health).
- [ ] **Day 12-14: Week 2 retro (30 min)** -- Team discussion: What's working? Where is the scorecard unclear? Any disqualifier we're missing? Any we're applying incorrectly? Adjust and document.

### KPIs to Track

| Metric | Baseline (capture now) | Target (after 30 days) | How to measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Meeting-to-opportunity conversion** (SDR-booked meetings that become real AE-owned opps) | Capture current % | +15-25% improvement | CRM: meetings booked vs. opportunities created |
| **AE meeting quality score** (AE rates meeting quality 1-5 after each SDR handoff) | Capture current avg | >= 3.5 avg | AE fills in a 1-5 field post-meeting |
| **Opportunity win rate** | Capture current % | +5-10% improvement (lagging; measure at 60-90 days) | CRM: closed-won / total closed |
| **Disqualification rate** | 0% (if not tracking today) | 20-40% of inbound leads disqualified before AE meeting | CRM: leads marked reject / total leads |
| **% of opportunities with a dated next step** | Capture current % | >= 95% | CRM report: active opps with next step date populated |
| **Median stage age** | Capture current days per stage | Decreasing trend; no stage > max age | CRM report: days in stage |
| **Loss reason distribution** | Not tracked | Tracked; top 3 reasons identified | CRM: closed-lost reason field |

### Iteration Loop (after 20-30 calls)

After the team has run 20-30 qualification calls using the new system:

1. **Review disqualifier reasons** -- Are the top 3 disqualifier reasons what we expected? Are there new patterns? Any disqualifier being applied inconsistently?
2. **Review stalled deals** -- Where do deals still stall? Is it after SDR handoff (AE discovery issue)? During evaluation (demo not landing)? This tells us whether the qualification system is doing its job or whether the problem is downstream.
3. **Scorecard predictive power** -- Do high-scoring leads (>= 26) close at a higher rate than mid-range (16-25)? If the scorecard doesn't predict outcomes, recalibrate weights and anchors.
4. **Update artifacts** -- Adjust disqualifiers, scoring anchors, stage criteria, and talk tracks based on findings. Version the scorecard (v1.1, v1.2).
5. **Share learnings with marketing** -- Feed disqualification reasons and ICP learnings back to marketing to improve lead quality at the top of funnel.

---

## 7) Risks / Open Questions / Next Steps

### Risks

| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SDRs resist disqualification ("I don't want to throw away leads") | High | Medium -- SDRs override scorecard, meetings stay low quality | Frame disqualification as time protection, not rejection. Track and celebrate disqualification rate as a positive metric. Comp SDRs on opportunity quality (win rate or AE satisfaction), not just meeting volume. |
| Scorecard anchors are miscalibrated on first pass | High | Medium -- inconsistent decisions across reps | Mandatory calibration sessions in Week 1. Compare scores across reps on same deals. Adjust quickly. Expect v1.0 to need 2-3 tweaks. |
| AEs don't use the CRM notes and don't prep from SDR handoffs | Medium | High -- handoff quality stays low even with better qualification | Make CRM note review part of AE meeting prep ritual. Manager spot-checks. AE gives SDR feedback on note quality (reinforcement loop). |
| Disqualification rate is too high -- pipeline volume drops before win rate improves | Medium | High -- leadership panic if pipeline shrinks | Set expectation upfront: pipeline volume will drop, but pipeline quality will improve. Track meeting-to-opp conversion as the leading indicator. Show the math: 50 low-quality meetings vs. 30 high-quality meetings with better close rate = same or more revenue. |
| Nurture leads are forgotten (no re-engagement system) | Medium | Medium -- we lose future pipeline | Build a simple nurture sequence (3 touchpoints over 90 days). Assign ownership. Set CRM reminders for trigger-based follow-up. |

### Open Questions

| Question | Owner | Due date | Impact on pack |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is the current meeting-to-opportunity conversion rate? (Needed to set a realistic target.) | Sales Manager | Week 1 | Refines KPI targets |
| What specific integrations are non-negotiable vs nice-to-have? (Needed to sharpen technical disqualifier.) | Product / Sales Engineer | Week 1 | Refines disqualifier #6 |
| Are SDRs comped on meeting volume or opportunity quality? (If volume, the incentive conflicts with disqualification.) | Sales Manager / VP Sales | Week 1 | May require comp plan adjustment to support adoption |
| What is the actual product capability set for operations workflows? (Needed to calibrate ICP segments and constraints.) | Product Marketing | Week 1 | Refines ICP segments and scoring anchors |
| Does the CRM support required-field validation and automated alerts? (Needed for hygiene enforcement.) | Sales Ops / Rev Ops | Before go-live | Determines manual vs automated enforcement |

### Next Steps (this week)

| # | Action | Owner | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Capture baseline metrics (meeting-to-opp conversion, win rate, stage aging, % with next steps) | Sales Manager | Day 1-2 |
| 2 | Set up CRM fields, notes template, and automated reports | Sales Ops | Day 2-3 |
| 3 | Prepare 3 scored example deals for training (1 accept, 1 nurture, 1 reject -- using real recent leads) | Sales Manager + SDR Lead | Day 2-3 |
| 4 | Schedule and run kickoff training session (60 min) | Sales Manager | Day 3-4 |
| 5 | Run first 3 live calibration call reviews | SDR Team + Manager | Day 4-7 |
| 6 | Adjust scorecard anchors based on calibration | Sales Manager | Day 7 |
| 7 | Go live: all SDR calls use script + scorecard + CRM notes | SDR Team | Day 8 |
| 8 | First pipeline audit (10 opp sample) | Sales Manager | Day 10 |
| 9 | Publish "Top disqualifier reasons" report | Sales Ops | Day 12 |
| 10 | Week 2 retro: review, adjust, document changes | Full Sales Team | Day 14 |

---

## Quality Gate Self-Assessment

### Checklist Results

- [x] **A) Scope + decision clarity:** Qualified decision is explicit (accept/nurture/reject); intended users are clear (SDR qualifies, AE validates); boundaries are defined.
- [x] **B) ICP + disqualifiers:** 3 ICP segments defined with observable attributes; explicit exclusions; 6 hard disqualifiers that are fast and objective; graceful disqualify talk track included.
- [x] **C) Scorecard quality:** 7 criteria with weights and concrete scoring anchors (0-3); 2 must-pass criteria; thresholds produce consistent accept/nurture/reject decisions; 3 scoring examples provided.
- [x] **D) Script + question bank:** 15-20 min call flow (appropriate for $12k ACV SDR call); questions map to scorecard criteria; includes nurture path and disqualify path; ends with dated next step or close-out.
- [x] **E) CRM + pipeline hygiene:** Notes template captures all scorecard inputs; required fields and stage exit criteria are explicit; "no next step, no stage" rule enforced; stalled-deal policy with max stage age.
- [x] **F) Rollout + measurement:** 2-week rollout plan with training, calibration, and audit; KPIs defined and measurable from CRM; iteration loop defined (review after 20-30 calls).
- [x] **G) Safety + ethics:** No secrets, tokens, or credentials. No spam/deception. Customer data handling is standard CRM practice.
- [x] **H) Completeness:** Pack ends with Risks, Open Questions, and Next Steps.

### Rubric Self-Score

| Dimension | Score | Rationale |
|---|---:|---|
| 1) ICP clarity + segmentation | 2 | 3 segments with observable attributes, triggers, exclusions. Rep can classify a lead in <2 min. |
| 2) Disqualification strength | 2 | 6 fast, objective disqualifiers with time-to-detect guidance. Graceful talk track included. |
| 3) Scorecard quality + consistency | 2 | 7 weighted criteria with concrete anchors. 2 must-pass criteria. 3 scoring examples demonstrating tier consistency. |
| 4) Script effectiveness | 2 | 15-20 min flow covering all dimensions. Questions map to scorecard. Three decision paths (accept/nurture/reject) with talk tracks. |
| 5) CRM usability + pipeline hygiene | 2 | Structured notes template with required fields. Stage exit criteria for each stage. Hygiene rules with automated enforcement. Stalled-deal policy. |
| 6) Rollout + measurement | 2 | 2-week plan with Day 1-14 specifics. Calibration sessions. 7 KPIs. Iteration loop after 20-30 calls. |
| 7) Completeness + actionability | 2 | All artifacts present and copy/paste ready. Risks are specific with mitigations. Open questions have owners and due dates. Next steps are executable this week. |
| **Total** | **14/14** | Ship-ready. |