You're managing high-potential leads in your sales territory. How do you determine which ones to prioritize?

One of the biggest mistakes I see companies making is not having a lead scoring model in place. Even if your inbound funnel volume is low, you should still score leads in order to prioritize them properly and track and test your assumptions around ICP and personas. If you have a larger volume of leads, it is even more critical to score the leads to ensure that you engage at the right time and at the right level of engagement.

To prioritize high-potential leads, use lead scoring. This method assigns numerical values to leads based on criteria like demographics, engagement, and behavior. Leads with higher scores indicate a greater likelihood of conversion, so focus on them first. Additionally, regularly review and adjust scoring criteria to ensure you're always targeting the most promising opportunities.

I recently posted about it, the thing is that you need to create a lead scoring system that includes ICP fit plus intention level plus engagement level. When you combine this with lifecycle stage you will know which leads are ready for sales to start approaching them depending on the stage of the customer journey they are with you.

To prioritize high-potential leads in your sales territory, follow these steps: 1) Score leads using a 1-10 scale based on factors like deal size, urgency, and fit with your product, 2) Evaluate engagement levels, prioritizing leads with the most recent interactions, 3) Focus on top 20% of leads that contribute to 80% of potential revenue, 4) Review lead sources to prioritize those with higher conversion rates, and 5) Reassess weekly to adjust focus as lead statuses change. This approach ensures you allocate time to the most promising opportunities.

As a Retail Business Mentor, I assisted a customer through the BANT framework: Budget: We determined if the leads had adequate finances for our services. Authority: We determined if the contacts had decision-making authority. Need: We determined if the leads had a true need for our solutions. Timing: We determined if their purchasing timeframe was consistent with our products. This strategy condensed their sales efforts, concentrating on prospects who are most likely to convert.

To prioritize high-potential leads, I evaluate them based on: - Urgency: Immediacy of need and timeline for purchase - Fit: Alignment with our solution and potential impact - Value: Potential revenue and growth opportunity - Engagement: Level of interaction and responsiveness - Decision-making authority: Lead's role in the purchasing process By assessing these factors, I focus on leads with a strong fit, high value and decision-making authority and nurture them through targeted outreach, personalized content and strategic conversations to maximize conversion potential.