Account executives lose hours every week on meetings that were never going to close. Qualification is how a sales development team protects that time.
The four questions behind every booked meeting
- Budget — is there money for this, or a realistic path to it?
- Authority — are we talking to the person who decides, or someone who can bring them in?
- Need — is there a problem worth solving now, in the prospect's own words?
- Timing — when would they want a solution in place, and what's driving that date?
Ask conversationally, not as a checklist
Nobody enjoys being interrogated. We weave the questions into a natural discovery conversation: "How are you handling this today?" reveals need; "Who else would weigh in on a change like this?" uncovers authority without asking for a title.
Not every lead needs four green lights
A strong need and an engaged champion can justify a meeting even when budget isn't confirmed yet. What matters is that the account executive knows exactly what's been confirmed — and what hasn't — before they walk in.
Hand over context, not just a calendar slot
Every meeting we book comes with a short brief in the CRM: what the prospect said, which BANT points are confirmed, and the open questions. The first call starts where the qualification ended.
The best meeting is the one your account executive is glad they took.
Curious how we qualify for your market? Book a discovery session.
Written by
Pratura team
Our SDR, customer experience and RevOps teams share what works on the floor — in Canada, France, Belgium and beyond.
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