This document discusses the importance and process of qualifying sales leads. It defines qualifying as filtering suspects based on predefined criteria to determine if they are prospects or not. Examples are provided of asking probing questions to gather information and match suspects against qualifying criteria in order to push them into the prospect category. Key aspects of qualifying criteria are identified as verifying specific needs, budget, and timeline. The document also outlines a sample sales cycle and conversion from suspects to prospects to later stages over time through qualifying questions.

1. I need to
learn to sell!

2. B2B sales
Probing and qualifying
Rudhir Sharan
Founder

3. B2B Sales
What is sales?

4. B2B Sales

5. B2B Sales

6. B2B Sales

7. B2B Sales

8. B2B Sales

9. B2B Sales

10. B2B Sales
We are always selling

11. B2B Sales
Every one sells!

12. B2B Sales
Every one can sell!

13. B2B Sales
Some are obvious...

14. B2B Sales
...some, irritating

15. B2B Sales
I will help you connect
with your friends
and family!!!
...others, subtle

16. B2B Sales
Why do you have to sell?

17. B2B Sales
sales
if you can sell,
there is a
business

18. B2B Sales
How to sell to organizations?

19. B2B Sales
How to sell with a method?

20. B2B Sales
Life cycles...

21. B2B Sales
Life cycles...

22. B2B Sales
Sales Life Cycle
S
uspecting
O
rder
P
rospecting
C
losing
A
pproaching
N
egotiating

23. B2B Sales
Sales Cycle
S
uspecting

24. B2B Sales
Sales Cycle
S
uspecting
Fulfills the criterion for a Suspect
(e.g.
- Target customer category
- Uses a competing product)

25. B2B Sales
Sales Cycle
S
uspecting
P
rospecting

26. B2B Sales
Sales Cycle
S
uspecting
P
rospecting
1. Qualified as a would be customer
based on a Prospect Criterion
(e.g.
- Continues to show interest
- Has Need and Money)

27. B2B Sales
Sales Cycle
S
uspecting
P
rospecting
A
pproaching

28. B2B Sales
Sales Cycle
A
The meat of the sales process
pproaching

29. B2B Sales
Sales Cycle
A
1. Find the MAN
2. Find the influencers
3. Map the account
pproaching

30. B2B Sales
Sales Cycle
S
uspecting
P
rospecting
A
pproaching
N
egotiating

31. B2B Sales
Sales Cycle
S
uspecting
P
A
C
N
rospecting
losing
pproaching
egotiating

32. B2B Sales
Sales Cycle
1. Closing approach and techniques
2. Do not ASSUME. QUALIFY
C
losing

33. B2B Sales
Sales Cycle
S
uspecting
O
rder
P
rospecting
C
losing
A
pproaching
N
egotiating

34. B2B Sales
Secpanel Sales Cycle
K
now about
B
uy
I
nterested
O
h Wow!
C
ompare
T
ry out

35. B2B Sales
Sales Cycle
S
uspecting
O
rder
P
rospecting
C
losing
A
pproaching
N
egotiating

36. B2B Sales
Sales Cycle
S
uspecting
P
rospecting
Process of qualification

37. B2B Sales
qualify?

38. B2B Sales
qualifying is useful

39. B2B Sales
...in real life and in...

40. B2B Sales
...a sales situation
We do not have
a SaaS budget
this year.

41. B2B Sales
...a sales situation
We do not have
a SaaS budget
this year.

42. B2B Sales
qualify?

43. B2B Sales
qualify:
To reach the later stages of a
selection process or contest by competing
successfully in earlier rounds.

44. B2B Sales
qualify:
To filter suspects based on
pre-defined criteria and determine if the
suspects are prospects or not

45. B2B Sales
Why qualify?
to know what to focus on
and
what
not to focus on

46. B2B Sales
Example 1
Buyer: I love your product. I will
order. Show me a demo.

47. B2B Sales
Example 1
Buyer: I love your product. I will
order. Show me a demo.
Accept it as the truth
and forecast a sale.
Commit demo resources

48. B2B Sales
Example 1
Buyer: I love your product. I will
order. Show me a demo.
Accept it as the truth
and forecast a sale.
Commit demo resources
What is your budget for HR productivity
automation?

49. B2B Sales
Example 1
Buyer: I love your product. I will
order. Show me a demo.
Accept it as the truth
and forecast a sale.
Commit demo resources
What is your budget for HR productivity
automation
We have no budgets this year
Budget is $20,000

50. B2B Sales
Example 2
Buyer: Your price is too high. So
we bought a competing product

51. B2B Sales
Example 2
Buyer: Your price is too high. So
we bought a competing product
In your mind, “You suck anyway.
Who wants to sell to you”
Remove Suspect from funnel

52. B2B Sales
Example 2
Buyer: Your price is too high. So
we bought a competing product
In your mind, “You suck anyway. Does competition have all that you need
in my product?
Who wants to sell to you”
Remove Suspect from funnel

53. B2B Sales
Example 2
Buyer: Your price is too high. So
we bought a competing product
In your mind, “You suck anyway.
Who wants to sell to you”
Remove Suspect from funnel
Does competition have all that you need
in the product?
Their reporting is weak,
but...
Yes and they have good
support

54. B2B Sales
how to qualify?

55. B2B Sales
By asking questions!

56. B2B Sales
Get information
+
Match against Criteria

57. B2B Sales
probing questions?

58. B2B Sales
Example 1
Suspect
Prospect
Small business
Small business with a
security threat perception
Has online presence
Spends more than $2000/
month on servers
Has a budget of more
than $300 per month

59. B2B Sales
Questions
Criteria
Have you been attacked in
Small business with a
the past?
security threat perception
How many servers does it Spends more than $2000/
take to run blahblah.com?
month on servers
Do you have a monthly
security budget?
Has a budget of more
than $300 per month

60. B2B Sales
Ask probing questions
to determine the shape
or the state of your
sales process
Probing

61. B2B Sales
Probing

62. B2B Sales
Example 2
Suspect
Prospect
Company with 100 or
more employees
100 people company with
at least 40 developers
Work from two or more
locations
Developers work
remotely
Should have a budget of
$5000/month

63. B2B Sales
Questions
Criteria
How any developers are 100 people company with
there in your company?
at least 40 developers
Do you have coders
working remotely?
Developers work
remotely
What is your monthly
budget?
Should have a budget of
$5000/month

64. B2B Sales
Define SUSPECT & PROSPECT clearly
Make a matrix of information you need to qualify
Qualify prospects. Push them to the Prospect bucket

65. B2B Sales
Essentials of a qualifying
criterion
Verify specific need
Has money?
Time line?

66. B2B Sales
Example 1
Suspect
Prospect
Small business
Small business with a
security threat perception
Has online presence
Spends more than $2000/
month on servers
Has a budget of more
than $300 per month

67. B2B Sales
Example 2
Questions
Criteria
How any developers are 100 people company with
there in your company?
at least 40 developers
Do you have coders
working remotely?
Developers work
remotely
What is your monthly
budget?
Should have a budget of
$5000/month

68. B2B Sales
100 Suspects, Day 0
50 Prospects
Day 10
40 Approaching
Day 25
12 Negotiating
Day 85
4 Closing
Day 115
2 Order, Day 135

69. B2B Sales
Stage
Number
Days
Suspecting
100
Day 0
Prospecting
50
Day 10
Approaching
40
Day 25
Negotiating
12
Day 85
Closing
4
Day 115
Order
2
Day 135

70. B2B Sales
Q&A
rudhir@secpanel.com
@RudhirSharan