Sales Lead Qualification Checklist: 7 Key Criteria for B2B Success

Unlocking B2B Sales Success: Stop Wasting Time on Unqualified Leads

For B2B businesses, a robust sales lead qualification checklist is crucial. It's the cornerstone of efficient, high-impact sales strategies. This checklist offers seven key criteria to identify ideal prospects and avoid wasted efforts. Learn how to pinpoint leads with genuine potential, allowing your team to focus on closing deals instead of chasing shadows. This actionable guide equips SaaS companies, tech startups, e-commerce brands pursuing B2B, and any business with a proven product-market fit to refine their lead qualification process. Whether you're outsourcing cold email campaigns or managing in-house sales, this checklist provides the framework for sustainable growth.

A strong sales lead qualification checklist ensures your sales team invests time in the right opportunities. Qualifying leads accurately helps you predict which prospects are most likely to convert into paying customers. This maximizes sales efficiency and drives revenue growth by concentrating resources on high-potential deals. By implementing the criteria outlined in this list, your business can significantly improve its conversion rates and overall sales performance. This translates directly to increased ROI and a more predictable sales pipeline.

This checklist covers the following essential aspects of lead qualification:

• Budget Assessment (BANT Framework): Does the lead have the financial resources to invest in your solution?

• Authority Identification: Are you engaging with the actual decision-maker?

• Needs Assessment and Pain Point Identification: Does your product/service address a specific pain point for the lead?

• Timeline and Urgency Evaluation: How quickly is the lead looking to implement a solution?

• Fit Assessment and Technical Requirements: Is your offering compatible with the lead's existing infrastructure and technical needs?

• Competitive Landscape Analysis: What other solutions are they considering?

• Stakeholder Engagement and Champion Development: Have you identified and nurtured a champion within the organization?

Applying these criteria helps build a streamlined, targeted sales process. This sales lead qualification checklist empowers your team to pursue high-quality leads and contributes directly to achieving your revenue goals. Let's explore each criterion in detail and transform your lead qualification approach.

1. Budget Assessment (BANT Framework)

Budget assessment is a critical component of the sales lead qualification checklist. It focuses on determining whether a prospect possesses the financial capacity to invest in your product or service. This involves confirming if they have a pre-allocated budget, the ability to secure necessary approvals, or if they recognize the purchase as a valuable investment aligned with their organizational goals. Effective budget assessment prevents wasted time pursuing leads who ultimately lack the resources to convert. A robust qualification process focusing on budget strengthens your sales pipeline and allows your team to prioritize high-potential opportunities.

Understanding the BANT Framework

The BANT framework provides a structured approach to budget assessment. BANT stands for Budget, Authority, Need, and Timeline. The "Budget" component within BANT emphasizes the importance of understanding a prospect's financial capacity early in the sales cycle. This helps determine whether their budget aligns with your pricing model and prevents pursuing leads unlikely to convert due to financial constraints. Learn more about...

Examples of Successful Implementation

Several industry leaders effectively utilize budget qualification within their sales processes:

• IBM: Uses budget qualification to target enterprise clients with substantial software budgets, often exceeding $100,000. This ensures their sales team focuses on prospects with the financial capacity to invest in their solutions.

• HubSpot: Qualifies marketing automation leads by verifying marketing budget allocation. This ensures that prospects have the resources to implement and utilize their platform effectively.

• Salesforce: Assesses CRM budget availability before conducting extensive product demos. This prioritizes leads with a genuine potential for conversion and optimizes resource allocation.

Actionable Tips for Budget Assessment

• Indirect Questioning: Instead of directly asking for a specific budget figure, use indirect questions like, "What's your current investment in similar solutions?" This approach encourages open dialogue and provides valuable insights into their spending priorities.

• Focus on ROI: Frame budget discussions around the return on investment (ROI) and the potential business impact of your product or service. Quantifiable benefits resonate more effectively than simply stating the price.

• Budget Ranges: Use ranges instead of asking for exact figures. This makes the prospect feel more comfortable sharing information and helps gauge their financial capacity.

• Approval Process: Understand their internal budget approval process and timeline. This allows you to anticipate potential delays and proactively manage expectations.

When and Why to Use Budget Assessment

Budget assessment is particularly important in B2B sales, especially for products or services with significant price tags. It is most effective during the initial stages of the sales process to qualify leads and prevent wasted effort on prospects who are unlikely to convert due to budget limitations. By incorporating budget assessment into your sales lead qualification checklist, you streamline your pipeline, improve sales efficiency, and increase your close rates. This allows you to focus on high-potential opportunities, optimizing your team's efforts and driving revenue growth. This is especially crucial for B2B companies with proven product-market fit, SaaS companies focused on scalable lead acquisition, tech startups, and e-commerce brands expanding into B2B. This also benefits businesses using pay-per-meeting models, as qualifying leads based on budget ensures a higher ROI on their marketing investments.

2. Authority Identification

Authority identification is a crucial element of the sales lead qualification checklist. It focuses on pinpointing the individual(s) wielding decision-making power within the prospect's organization. This involves identifying key stakeholders, influencers, and the ultimate decision-maker who can greenlight the purchase. Understanding the internal decision-making process is also essential. Effective authority identification prevents wasted time pitching to individuals lacking the authority to commit, significantly streamlining your sales cycle.

Understanding Decision-Making Structures

Identifying the decision-maker early in the sales process is paramount. This ensures you're directing your efforts toward the individual who ultimately controls the purchasing decision. Understanding the organizational hierarchy and the influence of different stakeholders is key to navigating complex B2B sales environments. Failing to engage the right authority figures can lead to stalled deals and wasted resources.

Examples of Successful Implementation

Several companies excel at identifying decision-makers within their target organizations:

• Oracle: Enterprise sales teams meticulously map C-suite decision-makers for major software implementations. This ensures they're engaging the individuals with the authority to approve large-scale investments.

• Microsoft Azure: Sales representatives proactively identify both IT and finance decision-makers, recognizing the dual influence of technical requirements and budgetary constraints.

• Workday: Implementation sales involve engaging HR, IT, and executive stakeholders, reflecting the multifaceted nature of HR software adoption.

Actionable Tips for Authority Identification

• Strategic Questioning: Ask questions like, "Who else would be involved in a decision like this?" to uncover key stakeholders and the ultimate decision-maker.

• Expand Your Reach: Request to present your solution to the broader decision-making team to ensure all relevant parties are informed and engaged.

• Internal Champions: Identify internal champions who can advocate for your product or service within the prospect's organization.

• Differentiate Roles: Clearly understand the difference between influencers (those who can impact the decision) and decision-makers (those with final approval authority).

When and Why to Use Authority Identification

Authority identification is essential in all B2B sales scenarios, particularly those involving complex products, services, or significant investments. It's most effective during the initial qualification stages. This practice prevents wasted effort on prospects where you haven't identified the individual empowered to commit to a purchase. Incorporating authority identification into your sales lead qualification checklist streamlines your pipeline. This prioritizes high-potential opportunities, optimizes sales team efforts, and drives revenue growth. This is particularly beneficial for SaaS companies, tech startups, and e-commerce brands expanding into B2B sales. It also proves invaluable for businesses using pay-per-meeting models by ensuring high-quality meetings with decision-makers. This approach ultimately maximizes ROI on marketing spend.

3. Need Assessment and Pain Point Identification

Need assessment and pain point identification are crucial elements of a robust sales lead qualification checklist. This process centers around understanding the prospect's specific business challenges, pain points, and requirements that your product or service can effectively address. It involves delving deeper than surface-level issues to quantify the impact of their current problems and establish a sense of urgency for finding a solution. Effectively identifying and understanding these needs allows you to tailor your sales approach and demonstrate the value of your offering in directly addressing their specific challenges.

Understanding Need Assessment

Need assessment goes beyond simply identifying a problem; it involves understanding the root cause, the impact it has on the business, and the potential consequences of not addressing it. This requires active listening, insightful questioning, and a genuine interest in understanding the prospect's unique situation. By uncovering the underlying reasons behind their challenges, you can position your product or service as a targeted solution that directly addresses their specific needs. Learn more about...

Examples of Successful Implementation

Several companies have successfully implemented need assessment and pain point identification in their sales processes:

• Slack: Identified communication inefficiencies and email overload within organizations, positioning their platform as a streamlined solution for team collaboration.

• DocuSign: Uncovered bottlenecks and compliance issues associated with paper-based processes, highlighting the efficiency and security benefits of their electronic signature solution.

• Zoom: Effectively qualified the need for remote work communication solutions during the pandemic, addressing the challenges of dispersed teams and virtual collaboration.

Actionable Tips for Need Assessment

• Use Open-Ended Questions: Instead of simply confirming a known problem, utilize open-ended questions like, "What are your biggest challenges in [area related to your product]?" to uncover hidden pain points and gain deeper insights.

• Quantify the Cost of Inaction: Help prospects understand the financial and operational implications of not addressing their challenges. This strengthens the case for your solution by highlighting the potential return on investment.

• Ask About Failed Attempts: Inquire about previous attempts to solve the problem. This reveals valuable information about their current situation and helps you tailor your approach to avoid similar pitfalls.

• Understand Both Technical and Business Needs: Consider both the technical requirements and the broader business objectives. This holistic approach ensures that your solution addresses the underlying problem and aligns with their overall goals.

When and Why to Use Need Assessment

Need assessment is essential in all B2B sales scenarios, particularly when dealing with complex solutions or considered purchases. It's most effective during the early stages of the sales process, allowing you to qualify leads based on their specific needs and tailor your messaging accordingly. By incorporating need assessment into your sales lead qualification checklist, you can prioritize qualified leads, improve sales effectiveness, and ultimately increase close rates. This is crucial for SaaS companies, tech startups, e-commerce brands expanding into B2B, and businesses using pay-per-meeting models. This ensures that your sales team focuses on prospects with a genuine need for your product or service, optimizing resource allocation and driving revenue growth.

4. Timeline and Urgency Evaluation

Timeline and urgency evaluation is a crucial element of the sales lead qualification checklist. It centers around understanding a prospect's implementation timeframe and the driving forces behind it. This involves identifying project deadlines, seasonal influences, regulatory requirements, or other time-sensitive business drivers. Accurately gauging a prospect's timeline allows you to prioritize leads, tailor your sales approach, and optimize resource allocation.

Understanding Timeline and Urgency in the Sales Process

Evaluating timeline and urgency helps determine if a prospect's needs align with your sales cycle. This prevents pursuing leads who may not be ready to buy within a reasonable timeframe. It allows your sales team to focus on opportunities with a higher probability of closing within the desired period. Understanding the urgency also provides insights into the prospect's pain points and motivations.

Examples of Successful Implementation

Several companies leverage timeline and urgency qualification effectively:

• Tax Software Companies: These companies prioritize leads approaching tax season deadlines, capitalizing on the inherent urgency.

• Compliance Software Providers: Sales are often driven by regulatory implementation dates, creating a time-sensitive need for solutions.

• HR Systems Vendors: These vendors align their sales efforts with annual enrollment periods, addressing a specific timeframe for client needs.

Actionable Tips for Evaluating Timeline and Urgency

• Consequence-Driven Questions: Ask questions like, "What happens if you don't solve this by [date]?" to understand the implications of inaction.

• Delay Analysis: Identify potential factors that could accelerate or slow down the prospect's decision-making process.

• Process Alignment: Adapt your sales process to the prospect's timeline to ensure a smooth and efficient experience.

• Urgency Drivers: Uncover the underlying reasons driving the prospect's timeline, such as competitive pressures or internal goals.

When and Why to Use Timeline and Urgency Evaluation

Timeline and urgency evaluation are vital in B2B sales, especially for solutions requiring significant implementation efforts. It's most effective during early sales stages to qualify leads and avoid pursuing prospects with misaligned timelines. This practice streamlines the sales pipeline, improves efficiency, and increases close rates. Focusing on prospects with a defined timeline optimizes your team's efforts and drives revenue growth. This is particularly valuable for B2B companies with established product-market fit, SaaS companies focusing on scalable lead acquisition, tech startups, and e-commerce brands expanding into B2B. It also benefits businesses using pay-per-meeting models, ensuring a higher ROI on marketing investments by targeting leads with immediate needs. Incorporating timeline and urgency assessment into your sales lead qualification checklist allows for strategic prioritization, maximizing your team's potential for success.

5. Fit Assessment and Technical Requirements

Fit assessment and technical requirements analysis are crucial components of a sales lead qualification checklist. This stage focuses on determining whether your product or service effectively addresses the prospect's specific needs and integrates seamlessly with their existing systems, processes, and organizational structure. Thorough fit assessment prevents wasted time pursuing leads where your solution isn't a practical match, regardless of budget or interest. This includes evaluating technical compatibility, operational feasibility, and even cultural alignment.

Understanding Fit and Technical Alignment

Evaluating fit goes beyond simply matching features to needs. It involves understanding the prospect's current technology stack, their data infrastructure, their security protocols, and their internal workflows. A comprehensive technical assessment identifies potential integration challenges early on, allowing you to proactively address concerns and propose effective solutions. This ensures a smooth implementation process and maximizes customer satisfaction.

Examples of Successful Implementation

Several leading companies prioritize fit assessment within their sales processes:

• Salesforce: Rigorously evaluates CRM integration requirements with a prospect’s existing systems to ensure data migration and system compatibility. This minimizes disruption and ensures smooth onboarding.

• Microsoft: Assesses Office 365 migration complexity and security requirements before proposing solutions. This allows them to tailor their offering and address potential security concerns proactively.

• SAP: Conducts extensive fit analysis for ERP implementations, considering the prospect’s business processes, organizational structure, and technical infrastructure. This comprehensive approach ensures successful integration and long-term value.

Actionable Tips for Fit Assessment

• Create detailed technical requirement checklists: Develop comprehensive checklists to systematically evaluate a prospect's technical environment and identify potential compatibility issues.

• Involve technical team members early: Engage technical experts early in the sales process to provide accurate assessments and address complex technical questions.

• Understand their current technology stack: Thoroughly research and document the prospect’s current software and hardware infrastructure to identify potential integration challenges.

• Be honest about limitations and workarounds: Transparency builds trust. If your solution doesn't perfectly align with their requirements, be upfront about limitations and propose practical workarounds. Learn more about...

When and Why to Use Fit Assessment

Fit assessment is particularly critical in B2B sales, especially for complex software solutions, enterprise-level products, and services requiring significant integration. It's most effective during the middle stages of the sales process after initial qualification. By incorporating fit assessment into your sales lead qualification checklist, you avoid pursuing leads where implementation is impractical, reduce churn due to incompatibility, and improve customer satisfaction. This focus on fit is essential for B2B companies with proven product-market fit, SaaS companies focused on scalable lead acquisition, tech startups, and e-commerce brands expanding into B2B. This also benefits businesses using pay-per-meeting models, as qualifying leads based on fit ensures productive meetings and increases the likelihood of conversion. Focusing on fit optimizes sales team efforts and contributes directly to sustainable revenue growth.

6. Competitive Landscape Analysis

Competitive landscape analysis is a crucial element of the sales lead qualification checklist. It centers on understanding the alternatives a prospect is considering, including competitors, in-house solutions, or simply maintaining their current status quo. This involves assessing your competitive position and the prospect's specific evaluation criteria. By understanding the competitive landscape, you can tailor your sales approach, highlight your unique value proposition, and address potential objections proactively. This ultimately increases your chances of converting qualified leads.

Understanding Competitive Analysis within Sales

Integrating competitive analysis into your sales process empowers your team to position your offering effectively. It goes beyond simply knowing your competitors; it's about understanding the prospect's needs, their perceived value of different solutions, and their decision-making criteria. This allows you to anticipate objections and tailor your messaging to resonate with their specific requirements. Effective competitive analysis transforms sales conversations from generic pitches into targeted, value-driven dialogues.

Examples of Successful Implementation

Several companies leverage competitive analysis to drive sales success:

• HubSpot: Effectively qualifies leads by understanding if they are evaluating marketing automation platforms like Marketo, Pardot, or other competitors. This allows them to tailor their presentations and highlight their strengths relative to alternatives.

• Slack: Successfully competed against Microsoft Teams in enterprise evaluations by focusing on their platform's open architecture and integration capabilities. This resonated with businesses seeking flexibility and customization.

• Zoom: Differentiated itself from WebEx, GoToMeeting, and Teams during its rapid growth by emphasizing its user-friendly interface and seamless video conferencing experience. This addressed the market's need for a simplified and reliable solution.

Actionable Tips for Competitive Analysis

• Direct Questioning: Ask questions like, "What other options are you considering?" to understand the competitive landscape from the prospect's perspective. This provides invaluable insights into their decision-making process.

• Evaluation Criteria: Understand their evaluation criteria and the weighting they assign to different factors, such as price, features, and support. This allows you to emphasize the aspects most important to them.

• Status Quo: Position your offering against maintaining their current status quo, not just against competitors. Highlight the potential improvements and cost savings they can achieve by adopting your solution. Learn more about...

• Competitive Intelligence: Use competitive intelligence tools and resources to gather information on your competitors' strengths and weaknesses. This allows you to position your product or service more effectively.

When and Why to Use Competitive Analysis

Competitive landscape analysis is crucial in any competitive market, particularly within B2B sales. It is most effective during the discovery and qualification stages of the sales process. By understanding the competitive landscape early on, you can focus your efforts on leads with a genuine potential for conversion. This saves time and resources by avoiding prospects already committed to a competitor or unwilling to change their current solution. Competitive analysis helps streamline your sales pipeline, improve conversion rates, and strengthens your position in the market. This is particularly important for SaaS companies focused on scalable lead acquisition, tech startups, and e-commerce brands expanding into B2B, ensuring a higher return on investment for their sales and marketing efforts. This also benefits businesses using pay-per-meeting models by maximizing the value of each qualified lead.

7. Stakeholder Engagement and Champion Development

Stakeholder engagement and champion development are crucial elements of a robust sales lead qualification checklist. This involves identifying all individuals involved in the purchasing decision and cultivating internal advocates who will promote your solution within their organization. Understanding each stakeholder's role, concerns, and influence level allows you to tailor your approach and effectively navigate the complexities of B2B sales. Effective stakeholder management significantly increases your chances of closing deals, especially in complex sales environments.

Understanding Stakeholder Dynamics and Champion Building

This process begins with mapping out all stakeholders, from end-users to C-suite executives. Determine their level of influence and their potential support or resistance to your product or service. Next, focus on identifying a potential champion – someone within the prospect's organization who understands the value of your solution and is willing to advocate for it internally. This champion can be invaluable in navigating internal politics, accelerating the sales process, and ultimately influencing the final decision. Learn more about...

Examples of Successful Implementation

Many companies effectively utilize stakeholder engagement and champion development in their sales processes:

• SAP: Engages multiple stakeholders in large enterprise software deals, ensuring buy-in from IT, finance, and business units. This comprehensive approach addresses everyone's concerns and fosters a collaborative decision-making process.

• DocuSign: Develops champions within legal and procurement departments to advocate for their e-signature solutions. These internal advocates streamline the adoption process and drive wider implementation within the organization.

• Adobe: Engages creative teams and marketing leaders as champions for their Creative Cloud suite, leveraging their influence to drive adoption across the organization.

Actionable Tips for Stakeholder Engagement and Champion Development

• Create Stakeholder Maps: Visualize stakeholder relationships, influence, and support levels. This helps tailor your communication and prioritize engagement efforts.

• Provide Champions with Tools: Equip your champions with resources like case studies, presentations, and ROI calculators to help them sell internally.

• Address Concerns Proactively: Identify and address each stakeholder's unique concerns, demonstrating that you understand their individual needs.

• Group Presentations: When possible, schedule group presentations to address all stakeholders simultaneously, fostering open communication and collaboration.

When and Why to Use Stakeholder Engagement and Champion Development

Stakeholder engagement and champion development are especially important in complex B2B sales with multiple decision-makers. This approach is most effective when dealing with enterprise-level deals, lengthy sales cycles, and solutions requiring significant organizational change. By incorporating these strategies into your sales lead qualification checklist, you'll increase your close rates by ensuring buy-in from all key players. This is especially relevant for SaaS companies focused on scalable lead acquisition, tech startups navigating complex sales environments, and e-commerce brands transitioning to B2B sales. Companies using pay-per-meeting models also benefit as qualified leads with engaged stakeholders yield a higher return on investment. By understanding and managing stakeholder dynamics, you can navigate the complexities of the sales process and increase your chances of success.

7-Point Sales Lead Qualification Comparison

Item	Implementation Complexity 🔄	Resource Requirements ⚡	Expected Outcomes 📊	Ideal Use Cases 💡	Key Advantages ⭐
Budget Assessment (BANT Framework)	Medium - requires financial insights	Moderate - involves finance access	Improved lead prioritization and forecast accuracy	Qualification of budget-ready prospects	Prevents wasting time, prioritizes leads
Authority Identification	High - mapping multiple stakeholders	High - needs stakeholder engagement	Higher close rates, reduced sales cycle length	Complex sales with multiple decision-makers	Speak to right people, avoid late surprises
Need Assessment and Pain Point Identification	High - deep discovery required	Moderate - involves detailed questioning	Strong business case, urgency creation	Complex problem-solving sales	Builds urgency, customizes solutions
Timeline and Urgency Evaluation	Medium - timeline tracking needed	Low to Moderate	Aligned sales process, better forecasting	Time-sensitive decisions	Prioritizes efforts, identifies acceleration opportunities
Fit Assessment and Technical Requirements	High - technical evaluation involved	High - technical expertise required	Prevents implementation failure, accurate scoping	Technical and integration-heavy deals	Reduces churn, manages expectations
Competitive Landscape Analysis	Medium - ongoing intelligence gathering	Moderate - market research needed	Stronger positioning, informed pricing	Competitive markets	Differentiates offering, identifies risks
Stakeholder Engagement and Champion Development	Very High - extensive stakeholder management	High - sustained engagement needed	Broader support, faster decisions, higher win rates	Enterprise and multi-department deals	Reduces single-point failure, builds advocacy

Elevate Your Sales Strategy: Implementing Your Lead Qualification Checklist

This comprehensive sales lead qualification checklist provides a robust framework for identifying and nurturing high-potential leads. By systematically evaluating prospects based on budget, authority, need, timeline, fit, competition, and stakeholder engagement, you can significantly improve your sales efficiency. Remember, not every lead is created equal. Focusing your efforts on qualified leads allows you to maximize your return on investment and drive sustainable growth.

Key Takeaways for B2B Lead Qualification

Let's recap the most crucial elements of a successful sales lead qualification process:

• Prioritize Need and Value Alignment: Don't just sell a product; solve a problem. Thoroughly understanding your prospect's pain points and aligning your solution with their specific needs is paramount.

• Focus on the Decision-Making Process: Identifying key stakeholders and understanding their influence is essential for navigating complex B2B sales cycles. Nurturing relationships with champions within the organization can significantly expedite the sales process.

• Adapt and Refine Your Approach: The B2B landscape is constantly evolving. Regularly review and adjust your sales lead qualification checklist to ensure it remains relevant and effective. Stay informed about market trends, competitor activities, and emerging customer needs.

Actionable Steps to Implement Your Checklist

Now that you have a clear understanding of the key components, let's discuss how to put this checklist into action:

1. Integrate the Checklist into Your CRM: Embed the qualification criteria directly into your CRM system to ensure consistent application across your sales team. This creates a standardized process for evaluating leads and tracking progress.

2. Train Your Sales Team: Provide comprehensive training on the checklist and emphasize the importance of accurate lead qualification. Role-playing scenarios can help your team effectively apply these concepts in real-world situations.

3. Track and Measure Results: Monitor key metrics such as conversion rates, sales cycle length, and customer lifetime value to assess the effectiveness of your lead qualification efforts. Data-driven insights will enable you to refine your process and optimize performance.

The Value of Effective Lead Qualification

Mastering the art of lead qualification is more than just a sales tactic; it's a strategic imperative. By focusing on qualified leads, you can:

• Increase Close Rates: Targeting prospects who are a good fit significantly improves your chances of closing deals.

• Shorten Sales Cycles: Qualified leads move through the sales pipeline more efficiently, reducing time wasted on unproductive pursuits.

• Improve Sales Forecasting: Accurate lead qualification enables more predictable revenue streams and improves sales forecasting accuracy.

• Boost Team Morale: Empowering your sales team with a robust qualification process leads to greater success and higher morale.

Achieving Sustainable B2B Sales Success

Effective sales lead qualification is a cornerstone of any successful B2B sales strategy. By implementing this checklist, you'll not only optimize your sales efforts but also build stronger customer relationships based on mutual value and understanding. Continuously refining your approach and adapting to market changes will ensure long-term, sustainable growth for your business.

Ready to supercharge your lead qualification and unlock the full potential of your B2B sales strategy? Fypion Marketing can help streamline your lead generation and qualification process, ensuring you connect with the right prospects at the right time. Visit Fypion Marketing to learn more about how we can help you achieve sustainable B2B sales success.