SDR lead qualification checklist: six questions before you book
Need a scoring rule your SDRs and AEs both trust? Module 11 of the SDR Programme Playbook covers lead scoring and nurture. Module 3 has response tiers and an escalation ladder, £29 + VAT.
A lead is ready for an AE when fit, role, problem and next step have answers. For larger deals, add cost and timing. Write the answers in the CRM before the meeting is booked.
The six questions
- Fit. Does the company match your target segment by size, sector and region?
- Role. Is this person the buyer, an influencer or a user?
- Problem. Did they name a problem in their own words?
- Cost. Did they say what the problem costs, in time, money or risk?
- Timing. Is there a date or an event that drives a decision?
- Next step. Did they agree to a specific meeting with a date?
Pass, hold or drop
- Pass: fit, role and problem are answered, and a next step is agreed. Book the meeting.
- Hold: fit is right but there is no problem or timing yet. Move to nurture with a dated task.
- Drop: no fit, or an opt-out. Remove from sequences and suppress.
Write the rule down so two SDRs make the same call on the same lead.
See inside
What counts as a meeting
A meeting counts when it is held and the AE accepts it. Agree these points with sales:
- The right company and the right role.
- A real problem.
- An agreed next step.
The handoff notes guide shows what to write in the invite. The meeting to opportunity rate shows whether the rule works.
Test the checklist
- Pull ten meetings that did not become opportunities.
- Mark which of the six questions had a weak answer.
- Tighten the rule on the question that appears most.
Next step: agree response times with sales. Read the lead handoff SLA template.
Questions
What makes a lead sales-qualified?
Fit, the right role, a stated problem and an agreed next step. Teams add timing and cost for larger deals.
Who decides what a qualified lead is?
Sales development and sales agree the definition together, then write it down. Review it each quarter against opportunities created.
What happens to a lead that is not ready?
It moves to nurture with a dated task. Fit leads without a problem or timing wait there.
Also: how to reduce no-shows, lead scoring template, discovery questions for a first call.
Related guides
SDR meeting handoff notes
Seven fields an AE needs before accepting a meeting.
SDR lead handoff SLA template
Five lines to agree between SDRs and AEs.
SDR meeting to opportunity rate
The formula, public benchmarks and what to check when it is low.
Turn this into a programme you can run
Module 11 covers lead scoring and nurture. Module 3 has response tiers and an escalation ladder. £29, one payment, plus VAT for UK and EU buyers.
Treat benchmarks as starting points. Tune them to your market, deal size and sales cycle. Every figure shows its source and year.