07 · Filter
Qualify In / Qualify Out
Stop running deals that won't close. If three or more "qualify out" signals appear in one call, walk.
Qualify In
- Operator-CEO or COO is on the call
- They've already tried something and it failed
- They can name a specific cost (hours, dollars, customers lost)
- Growth is putting pressure on operations
- Headcount is in the 1k-3k zone
- Compliance/regulatory pressure exists
- They mention spreadsheets, copy-paste, or "tribal knowledge"
- They have a budget cycle and we're inside it
- They asked for next steps before you did
Qualify Out
- Only IT is on the call. No ops/business stakeholder.
- They want a "demo" before any discovery
- They just signed up for [competing SaaS] last quarter
- They have a six-month procurement / RFP process
- "Send me a proposal" before you understand the pain
- They want to compare against 5 vendors
- "We're just exploring" - no event driving the buy
- Champion has been at the company < 90 days (no political capital)
- They want a custom build for $20k