In consultative selling, qualifying doesn’t end once you’ve uncovered needs and challenges. Stage 3 of the OpenDoor Lead2T™ Process — Budget and Decision — is where qualification continues in earnest. This is where you match the prospect’s delivery expectations with your ability to deliver.
A prospect may have clear needs, but until you understand their budget parameters and decision process, you don’t know if the opportunity is truly qualified. Just as important, you need to learn how their timelines for approvals and sign-off align with your implementation schedule.
Key Areas to Qualify at Stage 3
Budget Alignment
Don’t shy away from budget conversations. This isn’t about quoting a number — it’s about confirming whether your solution fits into their financial framework. Anchor the discussion in value and ROI - mindful of referencing the needs and challenges you’ve taken time to learn.
Decision Dynamics
Who influences the decision? Who has the authority to sign? And how long does that process take? These are essential qualifying questions that keep you from being surprised later.
Delivery and Implementation Timeframes
If a decision isn’t likely for another quarter — or if implementation can’t begin until their fiscal year turns — you need to know. Equally, be candid about your own delivery capacity so expectations stay realistic.
Think of Budget & Decision as an extension of discovery. You’re not just confirming facts — you’re taking the full view of the opportunity and exploring fit across budget, process, and implementation. If your prospects’ timing and process doesn’t align with your expectations, the opportunity may need to shift into a different place in your sales pipeline. Side question: May I assume that your CRM is tailored to input this information for continued follow up in the future?
When you continue to qualify at this stage- and it’s critical that this is settled here - ,you avoid surprises and ensure that your quote or proposal is positioned for success. We’ll discuss the Propose and Close stage in the next blog due to post on the 15th.
In the interim, Sell Well. Bobbie
If you’d like more details, head to my Substack account to read my latest KEYnotes article on Budget and Decision.
