Over the past few months, I’ve had countless conversations with clients about lead qualification—especially BANT. And frankly, the sentiment has often been negative. Many are quick to say “BANT is outdated” or “it’s no longer relevant.”
But here’s the truth: BANT is still the bare minimum. It may not be flashy, but if you can’t cover Budget, Authority, Need, and Timeline in a conversation, you haven’t qualified the lead. Simple as that.
Originally developed by IBM in the 1950s, BANT was designed to help sales teams prioritize their time and focus on prospects who are ready to buy. Despite being decades old, its core principles are still essential:
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Budget – Does the prospect have money set aside for a solution?
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Authority – Are you speaking to a decision maker?
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Need – Is there a real problem your product solves?
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Timeline – When do they plan to take action?
Now, picture this: You just finished a great 30-minute call with a prospect. Your manager asks:
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"Why do they need our product?"
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"Are they the final decision maker?"
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"How are they paying for it?"
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"What’s their timeline?"
If your answers are “I don’t know,” can you really say it was a productive call? Are you seriously considering putting this lead in your pipeline with a close date attached?
BANT isn’t everything—but it’s where qualification starts. It might feel clunky early in a conversation, but skipping it entirely will cost you later.
So how do you approach BANT without sounding scripted? What tactics have helped you make it feel natural? Let’s share some best practices.
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