How to qualify a lead in one call

Every unqualified deal in your pipeline costs you twice: once in the time you spend chasing it, and again in the forecast it distorts.

Four questions that do the work

1. What happens if you do nothing? No cost of inaction usually means no deal.
2. Who else needs to say yes? Map the buying group early.
3. When do you need this solved? A real date anchors the timeline.
4. How are you handling it today? The current workaround tells you what you are replacing.

Move it or park it

If you get clear answers to at least three, move the deal to Qualified and log the answers as a note. If not, park the contact and set a reminder for next quarter.

Keep the notes where the deal lives

Qualification answers are the most useful context a teammate can inherit. Write them on the deal, not in a private notebook.