Definition
ANUM is a checklist for deciding whether an inquiry is worth a call. It checks four things, in this order: Authority (can they say yes), Need (what problem they have), Urgency (how soon they need it fixed), and Money (whether they can pay). It asks who decides first and the budget last.
What does ANUM stand for?
ANUM is four letters. Each one is a thing to learn about an inquiry:
- Authority: who can say yes to the work.
- Need: the problem they want solved.
- Urgency: how soon it has to be solved.
- Money: whether their budget fits your prices.
ANUM asks about these in order. It starts with who decides and ends with the budget. It is not the same as BANT. BANT covers almost the same four things, but it starts with the budget. The post on BANT for small service businesses explains it.
What is one form question for each letter?
One question per letter is enough. These are examples. Change the wording to fit your business.
| Letter | What you learn | Example form question | Example answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Authority | Who says yes | Who else will help decide on this? | "Just me" |
| Need | The problem | What do you need help with? | "Our website is hard to update" |
| Urgency | How soon | When do you need this done? | "Before May" |
| Money | Budget fit | Do you have a rough budget in mind? | "Around $2,500" |
Ask the Money question near the end, in its own message.
You can often learn Authority without asking. In Qualiform, a question set to Infer only is never asked directly. The AI fills it in from clues, such as "I will have to run it past my partner," or leaves it blank.
What does ANUM look like for a service business?
Here is an example inquiry a design studio might get:
I run a bakery and need a new website before we open a second shop in May. My partner and I will decide together. We were thinking about $3,000.
Read it one letter at a time:
- Authority: two people decide, the owner and their partner.
- Need: a new website.
- Urgency: before May.
- Money: about $3,000.
This one message answers all four letters. There is nothing left to ask. When an inquiry answers only one or two letters, the form only needs to ask about the rest.
When does ANUM not help much?
A plumber fixing a burst pipe rarely needs to ask who decides. The person calling is often the person paying. Drop a letter when its answer is always the same for your business. Three useful questions are better than four where one tells you nothing.
To turn these four answers into a score, read the guide to qualifying leads from your contact form.
Common questions
Why does ANUM ask about money last?
Asking about price before someone has explained their problem can feel rude. By the end, they have said what they need and when. A budget question then makes sense to them.
Does a small business need the ANUM framework?
It helps any business that gets more inquiries than it can call back. If one owner makes every decision, the Authority question often answers itself.
What if an inquiry answers only some of the letters?
Treat a missing answer as unknown, not as a no. Read what they did say, and reply to them anyway.