Qualifying: Not one time, ALL the time

We often think of qualification as a one-time thing.  A hurdle a deal must get over early in the sales process.   And once it is qualified, the sales team is then “all-in” on winning the deal. 

This is a limited way to use qualification.  You may have a great qualification model (the example I’m sharing is MEDDICC, but there are many others), but if you only apply it once you are missing 90% of the value.    It should not be viewed as a binary step - “go” or “stop.”  Rather it should be used as a guide that indicates where the seller needs to focus their efforts to improve the qualification level of the opportunity.

It should be applied at every milestone and key event in the sales process as a way to check progress, uncover what may have changed, and identify key next steps to progressing the deal.   And as the sales process progresses, the level of qualification should continually improve.   A barely passing score is acceptable at the beginning, but once you are in the latter stages, the score should have improved significantly, and there should be consistent evidence of progress in each qualification area.  

The table shows an example of how each MEDDICC criteria should become stronger across a typical enterprise sales process.    One example: you may only know the name of the Economic Buyer at the start of the sales cycle, but if you are investing your team's time months later to build and deliver custom demos, you need to have met them, know they are committed to the project, and will review the results of your proof activities.

Your and your colleagues' time is the most valuable asset you have, ensure every sales opportunity earns it.  Invest it to ensure that the opportunities that do merit it continue to do so.    And don’t fall victim to the sunk cost fallacy - be willing to walk away at any point in the sales cycle, no matter how much you have invested.  Your future self will thank you!