Definition
Lead qualification is a yes or no check on each inquiry: does it fit the work a business does? A yes gets a meeting. For a service business, that means checking a few facts, such as the job, the place, and the budget, before anyone books a call.
What is lead qualification?
Lead qualification is a yes or no check on one inquiry: does it fit the work you do? A yes gets a meeting. A no gets a polite reply instead.
It is not the same as lead scoring, which ranks the inquiries that fit. Qualification decides whether a lead gets a meeting. Scoring decides when, and with whom.
How is lead qualification different from lead scoring?
They answer different questions, and they come in order. Qualification comes first.
| Lead qualification | Lead scoring | |
|---|---|---|
| The question it answers | Should this inquiry get a meeting? | How soon, and who should take it? |
| What it gives you | Yes or no | A number, such as 72 out of 100 |
| What it checks | Facts that rule a job in or out | How well each answer fits your best work |
| When it matters most | When some inquiries are outside your area or price range | When more inquiries fit than you can call at once |
What does lead qualification look like for a service business?
Here is a made-up example for a plumbing business.
- Qualify: Is the job in a town you cover? Is it work you do? An inquiry from outside the area does not get a visit.
- Score: A burst pipe today scores high, so the owner calls right away. A quote for a new bathroom next spring scores lower, so a team member offers a time next week.
Both inquiries qualified. Scoring only changed when they heard back, and from whom.
What should happen to an inquiry that does not qualify?
It should still get a prompt, kind reply. Say plainly that the job is not one you take. If you can, name someone who does take it. In Qualiform, the rule that tells a visitor they are not a fit stays switched off until you turn it on.
To put qualification and scoring to work on your own website, read the guide to qualifying leads from your contact form.
Common questions
Do small businesses need lead qualification?
Most do, even with only a few inquiries a week. Knowing which inquiries are outside your area or price range saves a call that was never going to turn into work.
Can AI qualify leads?
The AI can ask the questions and write down the answers. In Qualiform, your own rules decide the score and what the lead is offered, so the same answers always get the same result.
Should a missing answer turn a lead away?
No. A missing answer means you do not know yet. In Qualiform, a question nobody answered is left out of the score instead of counting as zero, and it never turns anyone away.