Ask what the prospect is trying to improve, why it matters now, and who is involved. Avoid collecting details that no owner will use.
Separate facts from guesses
Mark what the prospect said, what the assistant inferred, and what remains unknown. This prevents a polished summary from becoming false certainty.
Hand off the decision
Send need, timing, fit signals, risks, and suggested next step. The seller owns acceptance or disqualification.
Ask only useful questions
Tie each question to a handoff decision. Problem and outcome inform fit, timing reveals urgency, stakeholders reveal participation, and current process reveals risk. Record unknown when unanswered.
Make the summary auditable
Identify source and date and label interpretation separately. “Needs reporting before renewal” is a fact if stated; “high intent” is an inference. Send evidence, open questions, risks, and next action. Pilot lead qualification questions on a representative lead and a plausible poor-fit lead. For every question, identify the routing or discovery decision it informs and remove wording that merely satisfies curiosity.
Compare answers with the eventual seller assessment after the handoff. Revise questions that produce ambiguous or unverified claims, and keep qualification separate from promises the business has not approved.
