What is lead qualification?
Lead qualification is deciding which new leads deserve a salesperson's time, by checking how well each fits your ideal customer and how ready it is to buy.
Last updated 29 October 2026
Fit and engagement
- Fit: does the lead look like your best customers? Company size, industry, revenue and the person's job title.
- Engagement: are they showing interest? Website visits, form submissions, email clicks and booked meetings.
- CRMs such as HubSpot can combine both into one lead score, so reps see the strongest leads first.
Common frameworks
- BANT: budget, authority, need and timeline. Quick to apply, but it can be too simple.
- CHAMP: challenges, authority, money and prioritisation. It starts from the buyer's problems.
- MEDDIC: metrics, economic buyer, decision criteria, decision process, identify pain and champion. Thorough, but it takes longer.
MQLs and SQLs
Many teams split qualification between marketing and sales. A marketing qualified lead (MQL) is a good fit but not ready to buy yet. A sales qualified lead (SQL) is a good fit and ready to buy, so it goes to a rep.
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What's the difference between lead scoring and lead qualification?
Lead scoring gives each lead points for fit and engagement. Qualification is the decision you make with it: pass the lead to a rep, keep nurturing it or drop it.
Which framework should we use?
There's no single right one. Pick the one that matches how you sell, or combine two. BANT is quick but simple; MEDDIC is thorough but slower.
How does BeforeQuery qualify leads?
The AI Sales Agent researches each new inbound lead on the public web, scores it against the ideal customer profile you write down and suggests an owner. Each score shows its reasons and sources, and your sales manager approves the routing.
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