Many organizations still evaluate leads solely against filtering criteria. Company size, industry, job title, location, and lead scores tell you something, but they do not answer the most important question: is the buyer actually looking to buy? That is why intent should be the primary criterion, with filtering attributes providing supporting context. It is time to put things in perspective.
Even a small company can be planning a major project
Even a small company may be preparing a major project as a coordinator, an evaluator, or the driving force behind the initiative. It may also be part of another company you would normally overlook.
Conversely, even a perfect match for your ideal customer profile (ICP) can lead nowhere. And often, it does. Only by understanding the buyer’s intent can you determine whether there is a real sales opportunity.
Conversation matters more than form data
That is why a conversation often matters more than information collected through a form. When buyers can explain their situation, they may reveal details that scoring models based on website visits, clicks, and other activity cannot capture.
Scoring models cannot tell you why the current solution falls short or how ready the organization is to move forward if the conditions are right.
Intent is the primary criterion. Filtering attributes provide supporting context.
Qualification happens during the conversation
An AI sales assistant changes this process. Qualification no longer happens before the conversation. It happens during it.
Sales organizations can make early qualification more efficient by using AI sales agents in the early stages of the sales process. The agent talks with visitors to understand their situation and answers follow-up questions autonomously. Some buyers will want to meet with a salesperson right away.
Understand what the buyer is trying to solve
This has a major impact on the salesperson’s work. Instead of receiving only filtering attributes, they get context: what the buyer is trying to solve, what remains unresolved, and why now is the right time to reach out.
Timing matters when deciding which buyer conversation to continue first.
The change starts with a shift in mindset
Ultimately, the most important change is in how we think. Instead of simply asking whether a customer is a good fit for us, we ask the customer what prompted them to explore a solution. The other details are easier to establish.
A capable AI sales assistant frees salespeople to spend more time advancing opportunities through the next stages of the sales process.