Strategies are based on asking the right questions. Any successful business leader understands that inquiry in the right direction opens channels for a positive outcome.

But, framing the correct questions can be challenging, as is the norm for strategy. There are a lot of considerations a business and its teams must understand to enquire in the right direction. For SaaS companies that mainly work on a B2B model, asking the right question means the difference between success and failure.

After all, lead generation is anticipating problems (questions) of potential buyers and presenting solutions for them. And a major roadblock for most teams is prospects that go nowhere.

Why does this occur?

There is a good chance that the leads your teams are chasing might be losing points in the qualifying round.

The Role of Qualification in the Sales Funnel

Here, the value of asking the right questions is apparent. From marketing to sales teams, your campaigns should be designed to qualify your leads and push them through the sales funnel.

Frameworks such as BANT, MEDDIC, and ANUM help sales teams qualify their prospects. And it is necessary to implement them to help sales teams close more deals.

But there is a caveat: sales prospects also go beyond these basic frameworks to tailor their pitch for the prospect.

And that begins by listening.

Qualifying Frameworks Overview

BANT and other frameworks that help sales teams close more deals.

Qualifiers are vital for a lead generation strategy to work. A rich sales pipeline is based on the quality of leads generated.

But all leads are not the same. While some leads may be window shopping, others might not be relevant at all. MQLs can be generated in quantity, but if they are not up to the mark on quality, they will hamper future sales and profits. For any organization, that is a blow.

Marketing and sales are the gatekeepers of an organization’s success. These two teams are in charge of the qualifying questions.

As we know, there are a few methodologies that organizations should use to qualify the prospect.

Understanding the Key Sales Qualification Frameworks

First, let us touch on the basics. These frameworks are: –

What is BANT?

BANT is the most famous framework. It is a simple yet powerful concept developed by the sales team at IBM in the 50s. Sales teams can quickly identify if their lead meets the criteria. And it is easy to remember. For those who do not know, BANT stands for: –

1. B- Budget
2. A- Authority
3. N-Need
4. T-Time

It helps an SDR understand if: –

1. an organization can afford its product
2. the person they are speaking to has the authority needed to buy
3. the organization has a need
4. and if the requirement matches both organizations’ timeframes.

It is an exceptional and old qualifier, still used today and accepted by large organizations as a gold standard. All other qualifying frameworks are variations of BANT.

What is MEDDIC?

MEDDIC is a newer framework that adds more dimensions based on the BANT framework. It helps sales teams open up more possibilities for inquiry.

It stands for: –

1. M- Metrics.
2. E- Economic Buyer.
3. D-Decision Criteria
4. D- Decision Process
5. I- Identifying Pain
6. C- Champion

The MEDDIC framework goes a step beyond understanding the buyer with more depth. Essentially, it helps your SDR identify: –

1. The KPIs the buyer wants to meet and if your product can align with that vision.
2. Is the prospect you are talking to an economic buyer (or decision-maker)?
3. What are the make-or-break decision criteria for the buyer?
4. The decision process of the buyer and the people involved in the buying
5. A champion within the organization. Someone to vouch for you inside the target account.

MEDDIC offers a view into a different structure of asking questions. SDRs and Chief Sales Officers have realized the value of asking varied questions.

As the buying process becomes more complex, the need for such frameworks has become necessary.

What is NOTE?

Another effective yet simple framework is the NOTE. Coined by Sean Burke, this method takes on an empathetic role in selling.

It stands for: –

1. N – Need
2. O- Opportunity
3. T- Team
4. E- Effect

The NOTE framework helps SDRs by identifying-

1. If the buyer need our services at this point?
2. What are the potential opportunities and growth levers that your product will offer?
3. Who or which teams will be affected by the integration of the product?
4. What are the effects (economic) of this strategic partnership?

The NOTE framework presents a shift in the dynamic between SaaS organizations. Towards a more customer-centric approach. The market has been shifting towards the customer’s side for a while now.

And it will continue to do so as buyers self-direct themselves through the buying journey. Complexities are a norm in the SaaS market. The saturated snapshot of the current landscape has made the buyer cautious.

They cannot help but be overwhelmed by the choice. Frameworks are integral for SDR success. But what happens when the number of qualified leads drops, and sales teams find that MQLs will not go anywhere?

It is time for marketing to step up.

Marketing’s role in sales

High-quality content is said to be the biggest draw-in for a potential buyer. Yet, according to HubSpot’s 2024 sales report, SDRs have reported low-quality leads as their biggest problem.

MQLs are not up to the mark. Or the nurtured leads were not properly qualified before being handed into sales.

Marketing teams must improve their attribution if they see success. It means going beyond the basics and understanding the intent behind prospects’ behavior.

While CDPs and marketing automation tools have become beneficial in doing so. There are three things marketing teams must do:

1. Orchestrate buyer experiences to attract a relevant audience
2. Identify the behavior of most likely candidates by analyzing past behavior
3. Defining a lead with sales.

Sales and marketing alignment has been a buzzword for a long time. The two teams cannot work in silos anymore. It is expected of sales teams to listen to the buyer, and that has given them an edge over marketing.

Marketing teams must listen, too. And not just for sales but also for the buyer. When decision-makers interact on socials and on content, what do they look for?

For marketing teams, the best qualifier is their gated content and the rich history of data use. Data will reveal whether a buyer will qualify. Lead scoring can go a long way in helping marketing and sales align their goals together.

The main question here is: What matters?

Asking the right questions is crucial.

What are the right questions? Once marketing and sales teams have aligned and understood the buyer, they will have questions beyond the obvious.

The questions only come by enquiring into the industry they are selling to and learning everything possible about their ICPs.

One of the most important questions we have identified is: In their opinion, has their organization reached its potential?

It opens up all possibilities because every organization has room for further growth and improvement. And it lets you know where the organization is headed in terms of leadership and vision.

A potent indicator of growth.

With the right questions, SDRs can craft a personalized pitch for the right buyer and save time from the irrelevant ones.

On the other hand, marketing teams can craft market-resonating messages by asking the right questions and understanding the audience they are providing content.

Sales and Marketing is about listening.

BANT, MEDDIC, and NOTE are all designed to listen. The buyer has their needs and wants a remedy or risk-mitigating solution that will empower them to avoid risk in the market.

This need for growth can be fueled by marketing and sales teams listening to their ICPs and providing the right questions for them. By asking the right questions, marketing and sales teams will create intrigue in the buyers’ minds and help them break free of analysis paralysis.

By using the frameworks, sales, and marketing open up possibilities that go beyond the obvious.

Don’t let your reps fall behind. Spark your Digital Sales Transformation with the ultimate 3 best practices for skyrocketing revenue growth.

The last few years — particularly with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic — have seen a rapid rise in online shopping. An online marketplace also means more and more options are available to consumers, as physical location is no longer the crux of a business. With this change in medium comes changes in the priorities that shoppers have: in the digital age, customers value speed, transparency, and authenticity. This necessitates companies to proactively optimize the digital landscape and adopt sales technologies that ensure smoother customer experiences for them.

In addition to improving the logistics of sales and related processes, the need for digital sales technologies is to keep up with the rapid growth of the market and evolving customer psyches. Digital sales channels and the increasing use of data analytics have become the norm in today’s businesses. Conversely, businesses that are slow to pick up on these trends are more likely to lose out on leads as well as the benefits these technologies bring them.

Here, we take a look at three important aspects to consider while implementing digital sales technologies in your company.

1. Assess your current sales processes and find a focused solution

Digital channels can be used to improve various aspects of the sales process — such as market research, customer relationships, and data aggregation. There is an abundance of options that address each of these aspects individually or in an integrated manner.

While researching and choosing what technologies are likely to improve sales, companies must assess the specific areas within their current sales process that require improvement or optimization. Being informed about this will allow decision-makers to narrow down on tools that are functional, cost-effective, user-friendly, and employee-friendly. As a research tactic, companies can also assess tools and technologies used by competitors or companies with similar operations. 

2. Understand customer expectations and prioritize them

At the heart of any business operation is its customers. The advantage of digital channels is their agility and ease of access. Customers today are more digitally savvy than ever before and are likely to do some research before they settle on the brand of their choice. With countless options in the online market, they also value business interactions that are personalized, detailed, and quick. Digital sales technologies enable sales departments to keep up with these expectations.

They can be used to increase the efficiency of customer interactions. For example, customized chatbots can be set up to address client concerns swiftly. You can use analytics to understand customer expectations and pain points on a more specific level, allowing you to better anticipate the nature of interactions with them. This data can then be used to create automated response templates for more common queries/issues. It can also be used to create contingency plans for when sales executives need to manually address queries and issues that are more complex.

3. Focus on training and support for sales employees

Adapting to new technology can be overwhelming, so it’s essential that all personnel who will engage with it are trained properly.

Training and support can be provided to employees through comprehensive modules (off-site or online), additional reference material, demos from the vendors, etc. Beyond all this, it’s important to keep track of how well employees are actually adapting to newly introduced systems. This can be done through regular check-ins and feedback sessions.

By being proactive and involved throughout their training, companies can ensure that the transition process goes smoothly.

To sum up

To thrive in the global economy, it’s essential that companies adopt digital technologies that drive sales and ensure their relevance in the market. With the online world becoming increasingly fast-paced, this is unlikely to be a one-time effort. With each upgrade, companies must be considered in their approach to choosing the systems most suited for their operations and customer engagement. They must also invest in the right training and support so employees can successfully adapt to the new systems.