/lead-qualification-bant

name: lead-qualification-bant
description: Qualify leads using the BANT framework (Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline) with discovery questions and scoring criteria
license: MIT
metadata:
  author: ClawFu
  version: 1.0.0
  mcp-server: "@clawfu/mcp-skills"

Lead Qualification: BANT

> Systematically qualify leads using the BANT framework to identify sales-ready opportunities and prioritize follow-up efforts.

When to Use This Skill

• Discovery calls with inbound leads
• Qualifying outbound responses
• Training SDRs on qualification
• Building qualification scorecards
• Improving lead handoff quality

Methodology Foundation

Based on the **IBM BANT Framework** (Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline), modernized with:

• Consultative discovery approach
• Scoring-based qualification
• Flexible question sequencing
• Modern buying committee awareness

What Claude Does vs What You Decide

| Claude Does | You Decide | |-------------|------------| | Structures BANT questions | Qualification threshold | | Scores responses | Handoff criteria | | Identifies gaps | Follow-up approach | | Suggests next steps | Exception handling | | Creates call guides | Disqualification rules |

Instructions

Step 1: Understand BANT Components

| Component | Question | Why It Matters | |-----------|----------|----------------| | **Budget** | Can they afford it? | No budget = no deal | | **Authority** | Can they decide? | Need decision maker | | **Need** | Do they need it? | Problem = urgency | | **Timeline** | When will they decide? | Forecasting |

Step 2: Design Discovery Questions

**Budget Questions:**

• Direct: "What budget have you allocated for this?"
• Indirect: "How are initiatives like this typically funded?"
• Value-based: "If we could solve [problem], what would that be worth?"

**Authority Questions:**

• "Who else needs to be involved in this decision?"
• "Walk me through how decisions like this are typically made."
• "Who signs off on purchases in this range?"

**Need Questions:**

• "What prompted you to look into this now?"
• "What happens if you don't solve this?"
• "How is this problem affecting [metrics/team/goals]?"

**Timeline Questions:**

• "When are you hoping to have a solution in place?"
• "What's driving that timeline?"
• "What needs to happen before a decision can be made?"

Step 3: Score Each Component

| Score | Criteria | |-------|----------| | 3 | Strong - Clear, confirmed | | 2 | Moderate - Indicated but not confirmed | | 1 | Weak - Vague or unclear | | 0 | None - Not present or disqualifying |

**Qualification Threshold:**

• 10-12: Sales-ready (SQL)
• 7-9: Needs development (MQL)
• <7: Not qualified (Nurture/Disqualify)

Examples

Example 1: Discovery Call Guide

**Output:**

## BANT Discovery Call Guide

### Call Structure (30 minutes)

| Phase | Time | Focus |
|-------|------|-------|
| Opener | 3 min | Rapport, agenda |
| Context | 5 min | Situation questions |
| Need | 8 min | Problem discovery |
| Authority | 5 min | Decision process |
| Budget | 4 min | Investment capacity |
| Timeline | 3 min | Decision timing |
| Wrap-up | 2 min | Next steps |

---

### Opening Script

"Thanks for taking the time, [Name]. Before we dive in, I'd love to understand what's happening on your end so I can make this as useful as possible for you.

I'll ask some questions to understand your situation, and you can ask me anything about [Company/Product]. Sound good?

What prompted you to take this call today?"

---

### Need Discovery

**Situation Questions:**
- "Tell me about your current [process/tool/approach]."
- "How long have you been doing it this way?"
- "How many people/deals/projects does this affect?"

**Problem Questions:**
- "What's the biggest challenge you're facing with [area]?"
- "How is that impacting [team/revenue/efficiency]?"
- "What have you tried to solve this?"

**Implication Questions:**
- "What happens if this doesn't get solved this year?"
- "How does this affect your ability to [hit goals]?"
- "What's the cost of the status quo?"

**Scoring Need:**
| Signal | Score |
|--------|-------|
| Clear, urgent problem with measurable impact | 3 |
| Problem acknowledged, some urgency | 2 |
| Problem exists but low priority | 1 |
| No clear problem or "just looking" | 0 |

---

### Authority Discovery

**Questions:**
- "Who else would need to be involved in evaluating a solution like this?"
- "Walk me through how you've made similar decisions in the past."
- "If you decided to move forward, what would the approval process look like?"
- "Is there anyone who could block or slow down this decision?"

**Follow-up mapping:**
- "Besides yourself, who would use this day-to-day?"
- "Who would need to sign off on the budget?"
- "Is there a procurement or legal review process?"

**Scoring Authority:**
| Signal | Score |
|--------|-------|
| Economic buyer, can sign contract | 3 |
| Key influencer, direct access to buyer | 2 |
| User/evaluator, no budget control | 1 |
| No influence, wrong contact | 0 |

---

### Budget Discovery

**Soft Questions (Start Here):**
- "How are initiatives like this typically funded—is it department budget, or does it come from elsewhere?"
- "Have you set aside budget for solving [problem] this year?"
- "When you've purchased [similar solutions] before, how did the funding work?"

**Direct Questions (If Appropriate):**
- "What budget range are you working with?"
- "Our solutions typically range from $X to $Y—does that align with your expectations?"
- "Is budget already approved, or is that part of the process?"

**Value-Based (If Hesitant):**
- "If we could save you [X hours/dollars/etc], what would that be worth to the business?"
- "What's the cost of not solving this problem?"

**Scoring Budget:**
| Signal | Score |
|--------|-------|
| Budget allocated, confirmed range | 3 |
| Budget not set but path to funding clear | 2 |
| "We'd need to find budget" | 1 |
| No budget, no path to funding | 0 |

---

### Timeline Discovery