Stop Wasting Time on Bad Leads: A Practical Guide to Lead Qualification

You spent 45 minutes on a discovery call. Great conversation. But they have no budget, no timeline, and no authority to buy. You just wasted an hour on a lead that was never going to close.

Key Takeaways

• 50% of leads are never going to buy from you
• Qualification saves 10+ hours/week on dead-end conversations
• Simple frameworks (BANT, MEDDIC) work if you actually use them
• Lead scoring automates prioritization

The Real Cost of Bad Leads

Let's do the math:

Activity	Time per Lead
Initial outreach	10 min
Follow-up (3x)	15 min
Discovery call	45 min
Proposal	60 min
Negotiation	30 min
Total investment	2.5 hours

If 50% of your leads are unqualified, and you pursue 20 leads/month, you're wasting 25+ hours/month on leads that will never close.

The BANT Framework (Classic)

Budget - Do they have money to spend? Authority - Are you talking to the decision maker? Need - Do they have a real problem you solve? Timeline - When do they need a solution?

A lead must have all four to be truly qualified.

BANT Questions to Ask

Budget:

• "What's your budget range for this project?"
• "Have you allocated funds for this initiative?"
• "What did you spend on similar solutions before?"

Authority:

• "Who else is involved in this decision?"
• "What's your approval process?"
• "Are you the final decision maker?"

Need:

• "What's driving this initiative?"
• "What happens if you don't solve this?"
• "How is this impacting your business today?"

Timeline:

• "When do you need this implemented?"
• "What's driving that timeline?"
• "Is there a specific event or deadline?"

Lead Scoring: Automating Qualification

Manual qualification doesn't scale. Lead scoring does.

Demographic Score (Who They Are)

Criteria	Points
Job title = Decision maker	+20
Company size = Your ICP	+15
Industry = Good fit	+15
Location = Serviceable	+10

Behavioral Score (What They Do)

Action	Points
Visited pricing page	+15
Downloaded case study	+10
Attended webinar	+20
Requested demo	+25
Opened 3+ emails	+10

Score Thresholds

Score	Category	Action
0-30	Cold	Nurture with content
31-60	Warm	Soft outreach
61-80	Hot	Priority follow-up
80+	Sales-ready	Immediate call

Red Flags: Leads to Disqualify

Recognize these warning signs early:

• "Just researching" - No timeline, no urgency
• Won't discuss budget - Usually means no budget
• Can't identify decision maker - You're talking to the wrong person
• Vague about the problem - No real need
• Wants free consulting - Will never pay for implementation
• Competitor research - Just gathering intel

How to Say No to Bad Leads

It's okay (and smart) to disqualify:

Template:

"Thanks for your interest. Based on our conversation, it sounds like [reason - timing/budget/fit] might not align right now. I'd suggest [alternative - competitor/DIY/future follow-up]. If things change, feel free to reach out."

How Dewx Helps with Lead Qualification

Dewx GTM Hub includes qualification tools:

1. Lead scoring - Automatic scoring based on behavior
2. Contact enrichment - Know who you're talking to
3. Activity tracking - See engagement before calling
4. Pipeline stages - Qualified vs unqualified
5. AI insights - Dew flags high-potential leads

Spend time on leads that matter.

FAQ

How quickly should I qualify?

In the first 10 minutes. Ask qualifying questions early. Don't waste an hour to discover no budget.

What if they pass BANT but still don't buy?

There's more to it. Also consider: Do they trust you? Is the timing right? Is there a champion?

Should I pursue small deals?

Calculate the math. If a $500 deal takes the same effort as a $5,000 deal, focus on the $5,000 deals.

Conclusion

Time is your most limited resource. Every hour spent on an unqualified lead is an hour not spent on qualified ones.

Qualify early:

• Use BANT or similar framework
• Score leads automatically
• Recognize red flags
• Don't be afraid to disqualify

Want to focus on leads that close? Join the Dewx beta and let AI prioritize your pipeline.