# Sales Qualification Pack ## Context **Company Profile:** B2B SaaS targeting operations teams at companies with 50-500 employees **ACV:** $12,000 **Sales Cycle:** ~45 days **Team Structure:** SDRs qualify inbound leads and hand off to AEs **Core Problem:** High inbound volume but AEs report low meeting quality --- ## 1. Problem Diagnosis The gap between high inbound volume and low meeting quality points to a qualification breakdown. Common root causes in this scenario include: - **Loose or undefined qualification criteria:** SDRs may lack a clear, shared framework for what constitutes a "qualified" lead, leading to inconsistent handoffs. - **Incentive misalignment:** If SDRs are compensated primarily on meetings booked rather than pipeline generated or deals closed, they are incentivized to pass volume, not quality. - **Insufficient discovery during qualification:** SDRs may be scheduling meetings after surface-level conversations rather than confirming genuine fit, need, and timing. - **Inbound lead source quality variance:** Not all inbound channels produce the same quality. Some channels (e.g., content downloads, free tool signups) may attract researchers or non-buyers. - **Lack of a feedback loop:** AEs may not have a structured way to report meeting quality back to SDR leadership, so the problem persists undiagnosed. --- ## 2. Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) Refinement Before qualification criteria can work, the team needs a tight ICP. Based on the stated parameters: ### Firmographic Fit | Dimension | Target | Acceptable | Disqualify | |---|---|---|---| | Employee Count | 100-500 | 50-99 | <50 or >500 | | Industry | Manufacturing, logistics, professional services, healthcare ops | Retail, e-commerce, construction | Government, education, non-profit (unless ops-heavy) | | Revenue Range | $10M-$100M (estimated) | $5M-$10M | <$5M | | Geography | Primary market (e.g., US, Canada) | Secondary markets | Markets you don't serve | | Tech Stack | Uses complementary tools (ERP, project management, HRIS) | Minimal tooling (greenfield) | Locked into competitor with 2+ years remaining | ### Persona Fit | Dimension | Primary Buyer | Secondary Buyer | Not a Buyer | |---|---|---|---| | Title | VP/Director of Operations, Head of Ops, COO | Operations Manager, Process Improvement Lead | Individual contributor, intern, student | | Reporting Line | Reports to CEO/COO or is the COO | Reports to VP Ops | Reports to non-ops function | | Budget Authority | Owns or influences $12k+ annual spend | Can champion internally | No purchasing influence | | Team Size Managed | 5-50 direct/indirect reports | 3-5 reports | No reports | --- ## 3. Qualification Framework ### Recommended: MEDDPICC (Adapted for $12k ACV, 45-day cycle) Given the ACV and cycle length, a full enterprise qualification framework is overkill. Instead, use a streamlined version focused on the dimensions that most predict conversion: ### SDR Qualification Criteria (BANT+) SDRs should confirm at least 4 of the following 5 before booking an AE meeting: **1. Budget Indication** - The prospect's company can reasonably afford $12k/year (not a tiny bootstrapped startup) - They are not in a hiring freeze, layoff cycle, or publicly known financial distress - *SDR question:* "How does your team typically evaluate and budget for tools like this? Is there a budget allocated for operations improvements this year?" **2. Authority / Access to Power** - The person on the call holds a relevant title (Manager+ in operations or a closely related function) - OR they can specifically name the decision-maker and confirm willingness to involve them - *SDR question:* "Who else would be involved in evaluating a solution like this? Walk me through how your team has made similar decisions in the past." **3. Need / Pain Confirmed** - The prospect can articulate a specific operational pain point your product addresses - The pain is current (not hypothetical, not "someday we might") - *SDR question:* "What's the biggest operational challenge your team is dealing with right now? How is that impacting the business?" **4. Timing / Urgency** - There is a triggering event or deadline creating urgency (new hire, lost customer, compliance requirement, board mandate, broken process) - They are actively looking for a solution, not just researching the market - *SDR question:* "What's driving you to look at this now? Is there a timeline you're working toward?" **5. Fit Confirmation** - The prospect's use case aligns with your product's core capabilities - They are not asking for functionality you don't have and won't build - *SDR question:* "Based on what you've described, let me confirm -- you're looking for [restate their need]. Is that right?" ### Scoring System | Criteria Met | Action | |---|---| | 5 of 5 | Book immediately. Flag as high-priority for AE. | | 4 of 5 | Book the meeting. Note which criterion is missing in the handoff. | | 3 of 5 | Place in nurture sequence. Re-engage in 2-4 weeks. | | 2 or fewer | Disqualify or route to self-serve / marketing nurture. | --- ## 4. SDR-to-AE Handoff Protocol ### The Handoff Brief (Required for Every Meeting) SDRs must complete the following template before an AE meeting is confirmed: ``` HANDOFF BRIEF ============= Date: [Date] SDR: [Name] AE: [Name] Prospect: [Name, Title, Company] COMPANY SNAPSHOT - Company: [Name] - Employees: [Number] - Industry: [Industry] - Website: [URL] - Inbound Source: [How they found us -- specific channel] QUALIFICATION SUMMARY - Budget: [Yes/Partial/Unknown] -- [Notes] - Authority: [Decision-maker / Champion / Influencer] -- [Notes] - Need: [Specific pain stated] -- [Verbatim quote if possible] - Timing: [Active / Exploring / Future] -- [Trigger event if known] - Fit: [Strong / Moderate / Uncertain] -- [Notes on use case] SCORE: [X out of 5] KEY CONTEXT FOR AE - What the prospect cares about most: [1-2 sentences] - What they've tried before: [Previous solutions, if discussed] - Potential objections or concerns raised: [List any] - Competitors mentioned: [List any] MEETING DETAILS - Date/Time: [Scheduled time] - Format: [Video / Phone / In-person] - Attendees: [List all confirmed attendees and their roles] - Suggested AE approach: [Discovery-heavy / Demo-ready / Executive alignment] ``` ### Handoff Rules 1. **No blank fields.** If a field is unknown, write "Not discussed -- AE should explore." This forces intentionality. 2. **48-hour freshness rule.** If more than 48 hours pass between the SDR call and the AE meeting, the SDR sends a brief re-engagement email to the prospect confirming the meeting and restating context. 3. **AE pre-read required.** AEs must review the handoff brief before the meeting. No walking in cold. 4. **Warm introduction.** The SDR sends a bridge email introducing the AE to the prospect before the meeting. Template below. ### Bridge Email Template ``` Subject: [First Name], meet [AE First Name] -- your [Company Name] specialist Hi [Prospect First Name], Thanks again for our conversation on [day]. As I mentioned, I'm connecting you with [AE Full Name], who works directly with operations teams like yours on [brief value prop related to their stated pain]. [AE First Name] -- [Prospect First Name] leads operations at [Company] and is looking to [restate their specific need in 1 sentence]. They're currently [brief context on timing/urgency]. You're set to connect on [Date] at [Time]. Looking forward to hearing how it goes. Best, [SDR Name] ``` --- ## 5. Inbound Lead Scoring Model Implement lead scoring to pre-filter before SDR outreach and prioritize the queue: ### Behavioral Scoring (0-50 points) | Action | Points | |---|---| | Requested a demo | 25 | | Started a free trial | 20 | | Visited pricing page | 15 | | Attended a webinar (live) | 10 | | Downloaded a case study | 10 | | Visited 3+ pages in one session | 8 | | Opened 3+ emails in 30 days | 5 | | Downloaded a general whitepaper/ebook | 3 | | Subscribed to newsletter only | 1 | ### Firmographic Scoring (0-50 points) | Attribute | Points | |---|---| | Employee count 100-500 | 20 | | Employee count 50-99 | 10 | | Target industry | 15 | | Adjacent industry | 5 | | Title: VP/Director/Head of Ops or COO | 15 | | Title: Manager of Ops | 10 | | Title: Non-ops but relevant (e.g., CFO at small co) | 5 | | Uses complementary tech (from enrichment data) | 5 | ### Scoring Thresholds | Score | Routing | |---|---| | 70-100 | Immediate SDR outreach (within 5 minutes during business hours) | | 50-69 | SDR outreach within 2 hours | | 30-49 | Automated nurture sequence; SDR reviews weekly | | Below 30 | Marketing nurture only; no SDR touch | --- ## 6. Disqualification Criteria SDRs must be empowered (and expected) to disqualify. Passing unqualified leads wastes AE time and erodes trust. ### Hard Disqualifiers (Immediate) - Company has fewer than 30 employees - Prospect is a student, consultant (not buying for a client), or competitor - No operations function exists at the company - Prospect explicitly states no budget and no path to budget in the next 6 months - Prospect needs functionality your product fundamentally does not offer - Prospect is in a market/geography you do not serve ### Soft Disqualifiers (Route to Nurture) - Right company profile but wrong persona (e.g., marketing intern filled out the form) - Timing is 6+ months out with no triggering event - Prospect is evaluating but has no authority and cannot name the decision-maker - Company is in ICP but prospect cannot articulate a specific pain --- ## 7. SDR Compensation Alignment If SDR comp is tied only to meetings booked, quality will suffer. Recommended structure: ### Proposed SDR Compensation Mix | Component | Weight | Metric | |---|---|---| | Base salary | 50% | -- | | Meetings booked (qualified) | 20% | Meetings that meet 4/5 qualification criteria | | Pipeline generated | 20% | Dollar value of opportunities created from SDR-sourced meetings | | Meetings-to-opportunity conversion rate | 10% | Percentage of SDR meetings that AEs convert to active pipeline | ### Key Changes from Typical Models - **Meetings booked** is only 20%, not 50%+. This discourages volume-chasing. - **Pipeline generated** connects SDR effort to revenue outcomes. - **Conversion rate** creates a direct quality signal. If an SDR books 50 meetings but only 10% convert, their comp reflects that. --- ## 8. AE Meeting Quality Feedback Loop ### Meeting Quality Scorecard After every SDR-sourced meeting, the AE completes a 60-second rating: ``` MEETING QUALITY SCORECARD ========================= Date: [Date] Prospect: [Company / Name] SDR: [Name] AE: [Name] 1. Was the prospect expecting the call and prepared? [ ] Yes [ ] Partially [ ] No 2. Did the prospect match the handoff brief? [ ] Matched [ ] Partially matched [ ] Did not match 3. Was there a real, confirmed pain point? [ ] Yes, specific and urgent [ ] Vague/general [ ] No pain identified 4. Did the prospect have authority or access to authority? [ ] Decision-maker present [ ] Champion identified [ ] No authority 5. Is this a viable opportunity? [ ] Yes, creating opportunity [ ] Maybe, needs follow-up [ ] No, disqualifying OVERALL QUALITY: [ ] High [ ] Medium [ ] Low NOTES FOR SDR COACHING: [Free text] ``` ### Feedback Cadence | Activity | Frequency | Owner | |---|---|---| | Scorecard completion | After every SDR-sourced meeting | AE | | SDR-AE 1:1 review | Weekly (15 min) | SDR Manager facilitates | | Quality metrics review | Bi-weekly | Sales leadership | | Calibration session (SDR + AE alignment on "qualified") | Monthly | SDR Manager + AE Manager | --- ## 9. Inbound Channel Quality Analysis Since not all inbound is equal, track and act on source quality: ### Recommended Tracking Dimensions For each inbound channel, measure: 1. **Volume:** Leads generated per month 2. **Qualification Rate:** % of leads that meet 4/5 SDR criteria 3. **Meeting Conversion Rate:** % of qualified leads that become AE meetings 4. **Opportunity Rate:** % of AE meetings that become pipeline opportunities 5. **Win Rate:** % of opportunities that close 6. **Blended CAC:** Cost to acquire a customer through this channel ### Channel Quality Matrix (Example Framework) | Channel | Volume | Qual Rate | Opp Rate | Action | |---|---|---|---|---| | Demo request (website) | Medium | High | High | Invest more; fastest path to revenue | | G2/review site referrals | Low | High | High | Increase presence and review volume | | Paid search (branded) | Medium | Medium | Medium | Maintain; optimize landing pages | | Paid search (non-branded) | High | Low | Low | Audit keywords; tighten targeting or reduce spend | | Content downloads | High | Low | Very Low | Route to nurture, not SDR queue | | Webinar registrations | Medium | Medium | Medium | Use as nurture touchpoint; qualify post-event | | Partner referrals | Low | High | High | Invest in partner program | | Free trial signups | Medium | Medium | Medium | Implement product-qualified lead (PQL) triggers | --- ## 10. Recommended Process Changes -- 90-Day Implementation Plan ### Month 1: Foundation - [ ] Finalize and document ICP (firmographic + persona fit criteria) - [ ] Train SDR team on updated qualification framework (BANT+ with scoring) - [ ] Implement handoff brief template as a required step in CRM - [ ] Launch AE meeting quality scorecard - [ ] Audit current lead scoring model; implement or update in marketing automation platform ### Month 2: Optimization - [ ] Analyze first 30 days of meeting quality scorecards; identify patterns - [ ] Run first SDR-AE calibration session to align on "qualified" - [ ] Review inbound channel quality data; make initial budget reallocation recommendations - [ ] Adjust SDR compensation structure (phase in over current quarter) - [ ] Implement automated lead routing based on scoring thresholds ### Month 3: Scaling - [ ] Measure impact: compare meeting quality scores, opp conversion rates, and cycle times vs. baseline - [ ] Refine qualification criteria based on data (which criteria most predict closed-won?) - [ ] Formalize disqualification as a tracked, positive SDR behavior - [ ] Publish internal "What Good Looks Like" examples -- best handoff briefs, highest-quality meetings - [ ] Set targets for Month 4-6 based on learnings --- ## 11. Key Metrics to Track ### Leading Indicators (Weekly Review) | Metric | Current Baseline | 90-Day Target | |---|---|---| | SDR qualification score (avg across meetings) | Establish baseline | 4.0+ out of 5 | | AE meeting quality rating (% rated "High") | Establish baseline | 60%+ | | Meetings-to-opportunity conversion rate | Establish baseline | 50%+ | | Average SDR response time (inbound leads) | Establish baseline | <5 min for 70+ score leads | ### Lagging Indicators (Monthly Review) | Metric | Current Baseline | 90-Day Target | |---|---|---| | Average deal size (ACV) | $12,000 | $12,000+ (maintain or grow) | | Sales cycle length | ~45 days | ~40 days (modest improvement) | | Win rate (opportunity to close) | Establish baseline | Improve 10-15% relative | | Disqualification rate (SDR stage) | Establish baseline | 25-35% of inbound (healthy rejection) | | AE productive selling time | Establish baseline | Increase 20%+ (fewer wasted meetings) | --- ## 12. Quick-Reference: Top 5 SDR Discovery Questions For SDRs to use on every qualification call: 1. **"What's the biggest operational challenge your team is facing right now?"** *Purpose:* Confirm a real, specific pain exists. 2. **"How is that impacting the business? Can you put a number on it?"** *Purpose:* Quantify the pain; urgency and budget justification follow from this. 3. **"What have you tried so far to solve this?"** *Purpose:* Understand competitive landscape, prior solutions, and sophistication level. 4. **"Who else would be involved in evaluating and deciding on a solution?"** *Purpose:* Map the buying committee; confirm authority or path to authority. 5. **"What's driving you to look at this now, and what does your timeline look like?"** *Purpose:* Identify trigger events and urgency; distinguish active buyers from browsers. --- ## Summary The core issue -- high inbound volume with low meeting quality -- is a qualification and handoff problem, not a demand generation problem. The fixes are: 1. **Tighten qualification criteria** with a structured, scored framework (BANT+ with 4/5 threshold). 2. **Standardize the handoff** with a required brief that forces SDRs to confirm fit before booking. 3. **Realign incentives** so SDRs are rewarded for quality (pipeline generated, conversion rate), not just volume. 4. **Close the feedback loop** with AE meeting quality scorecards and regular calibration sessions. 5. **Score and route inbound leads** so SDR time goes to the highest-potential prospects, and low-quality leads go to automated nurture. 6. **Track channel quality** to identify which inbound sources produce real pipeline and which produce noise. These changes should be implementable within 90 days and measurable within the first 60.