Account Qualification
This skill helps you systematically qualify and tier accounts to focus your sales efforts on the highest-potential opportunities.
Objective
Identify, score, and prioritize accounts based on fit signals, buying indicators, and strategic value to maximize sales efficiency and win rates.
Account Tiering System
Tier 1: High Priority Accounts (HPA)
- Strong signal matches
- Excellent ICP fit
- Active buying indicators
- High strategic value
Action: Immediate, personalized outreach with research investment
Tier 2: Qualified Accounts
- Good signal matches
- Solid ICP fit
- Some buying indicators
- Good potential value
Action: Prioritized outreach with moderate personalization
Tier 3: Developing Accounts
- Partial signal matches
- Reasonable ICP fit
- Limited buying indicators
- Moderate potential
Action: Nurture sequences and monitoring
Tier 4: Low Priority / Disqualified
- Few or no signal matches
- Poor ICP fit
- No buying indicators
- Limited potential
Action: Deprioritize or remove from active pursuit
Signal Categories
Buying Intent Signals
Active Signals (High Value):
- Searching for solutions like yours
- Requesting demos or trials from competitors
- Attending relevant webinars or events
- Engaging with your content repeatedly
- Asking questions in industry forums
Passive Signals (Medium Value):
- Following competitors on social media
- Downloading industry reports
- Job postings indicating relevant needs
- Technology stack changes
Organizational Signals
Growth Indicators:
- Funding announcements
- Hiring sprees (especially in relevant departments)
- New office openings
- Revenue milestones
- Market expansion
Change Indicators:
- New leadership (especially in relevant roles)
- Mergers or acquisitions
- Strategic pivots announced
- Technology platform changes
- Vendor relationship changes
Fit Signals
Company Characteristics:
- Industry alignment
- Company size (employees, revenue)
- Geographic match
- Technology stack compatibility
- Business model fit
Timing Indicators:
- Fiscal year timing
- Budget cycles
- Contract renewal windows
- Regulatory deadlines
- Seasonal patterns
Qualification Criteria Framework
Must-Have Criteria (Disqualifying if absent)
Define absolute requirements:
- Minimum company size
- Required industry or vertical
- Geographic constraints
- Technology prerequisites
- Budget authority level
Fit Scoring Criteria
| Criteria | Weight | Score 1-5 |
|---|---|---|
| Industry match | 20% | |
| Company size | 15% | |
| Geographic fit | 10% | |
| Tech stack | 15% | |
| Budget potential | 20% | |
| Timing signals | 10% | |
| Engagement level | 10% |
Signal Scoring
| Signal Type | Points |
|---|---|
| Active buying intent | +10 |
| Recent funding | +8 |
| Leadership change | +7 |
| Job postings (relevant) | +5 |
| Technology change | +5 |
| Content engagement | +3 |
| Company growth | +3 |
| Passive interest | +1 |
Account Research Checklist
Company-Level Research
- Company website and about page
- Recent press releases
- Leadership team profiles
- Job postings (growth areas)
- Technology stack (BuiltWith, Wappalyzer)
- Funding history (Crunchbase, PitchBook)
- Financial performance (if public)
- Industry news and mentions
Signal Validation
- Verify signals are current (within 90 days)
- Confirm decision-maker presence
- Check for competing vendor relationships
- Assess timing and urgency
- Identify potential blockers
Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) Template
Firmographics
- Industry: [Primary and secondary verticals]
- Company Size: [Employee range]
- Revenue: [Revenue range]
- Geography: [Target regions]
- Growth Stage: [Startup, Growth, Enterprise]
Technographics
- Current Stack: [Technologies they likely use]
- Complementary Tools: [Solutions that work with yours]
- Competing Solutions: [Alternatives they might have]
Behavioral Indicators
- Buying Triggers: [Events that create urgency]
- Content Interests: [Topics they care about]
- Decision Process: [How they typically buy]
Negative Indicators
- Disqualifiers: [Immediate deal-breakers]
- Warning Signs: [Red flags to watch for]
- Poor Fit Patterns: [Characteristics of bad deals]
Account Scoring Output
Account Scorecard Template
## Account: [Company Name]
### Tier Assignment: [Tier 1/2/3/4]
### Fit Score: [X/100]
- Industry: [Score] - [Notes]
- Size: [Score] - [Notes]
- Geography: [Score] - [Notes]
- Tech Stack: [Score] - [Notes]
- Budget: [Score] - [Notes]
### Signal Score: [X points]
- [Signal 1]: +X points
- [Signal 2]: +X points
- [Signal 3]: +X points
### Qualification Status
- [ ] Meets must-have criteria
- [ ] Decision-maker identified
- [ ] Timing validated
- [ ] No blockers identified
### Recommended Action
[Specific next step based on tier and signals]
### Key Stakeholders to Target
1. [Name, Title] - [Why relevant]
2. [Name, Title] - [Why relevant]Output Format
When qualifying an account, produce:
- Tier Assignment: Which tier and why
- Fit Score: Detailed scoring breakdown
- Signal Summary: Active signals identified
- Qualification Status: Go/No-Go recommendation
- Recommended Action: Specific next steps
- Stakeholder Map: Key people to engage
Available Tools
When enabled, these MCP tools enhance qualification capabilities:
| Tool | What It Does | How to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Perplexity | Verify signals and find news | "Use Perplexity to check if [company] recently raised funding" |
| Exa | Search for company signals | "Search Exa for [company] new VP of Sales announcement" |
| Apify | Extract job postings data | "Use Apify to find [company]'s open sales positions" |
Note: Tools must be enabled in .mcp.json and API keys configured. See README for setup instructions.
Tool Usage Examples
"Use Perplexity to verify if Acme Corp announced a new CRO in the last 6 months"
"Search Exa for Acme Corp Series B funding announcement"
"Use Apify to scrape job postings from Acme Corp careers page"Cross-References
- Use
company-intelligencefor deeper research on qualified accounts - Feed qualified accounts to
prospect-researchfor stakeholder profiles - Inform
sales-orchestratoron account prioritization - Guide
multithread-outreachstrategy based on stakeholder map