1. Powerful Sales Tactic: Disqualification
Michael Halper
Sales Prospecting 101

2. What is Disqualification
• To doubt or question the fit or potential to move
forward
• The exact opposite of trying to sell something to the
prospect.
• Examples:
– It sounds like you guys are doing pretty good over there.
– Maybe this is not the best time to make this purchase?
– Maybe this is something that you do not have time for
right now?
– This purchase might be more than what you need right
now.
• Also referred to as a “The Takeaway”

3. Three Potential Reactions
1. No reaction
2. Confirms disqualification
3. Challenges disqualification

4. The Power in Disqualification
The exact opposite of what 90% of other sales people do 100%
percent of the time
• Improve Rapport
• Improve Credibility
• Improve Quality of Leads
• Improve deal momentum
• Uncover new information
• Improve close rate

5. When to Disqualify
• Position #1 – Positive
– Prospect is clearly demonstrating interest
– Returning calls, providing information, verbally communicating interest
• Position #2 – Negative
– Prospect is demonstrating a lack of interest
– Not returning calls, not providing information, not available, verbally
communicating a lack of interest
• Position #3 – Neutral
– Prospect is indifferent or on the fence
– Prospect is not confirming lack of interest
– Optimum time for disqualifying

6. When to Not Use Disqualification
1. For impulse purchases
2. For transactional purchases

7. Demonstration
Scenario – Car shopper that has stalled
1.Option 1 – Do nothing
2.Option 2 – Sell more
3.Option 3 - Disqualify

8. Examples Explained
It sounds like you guys are doing pretty good over there.
• When to use
– No Pain
– Current arrangement is really good
• Potential answers:
– Yes, actually we are doing pretty good and probably don’t really anything.
– Well, we did not really discuss _________.

9. Examples Explained
Maybe this is not the best time to make this purchase?
• When to use
– No urgency
• Potential answers:
– Well, we probably will not do something this year.
– Yes, this is something that we need now.

10. Examples Explained
Maybe this is something that you do not have time for right now?
• When to use
– Not responding to calls, emails, voicemails, requests, etc.
• Potential answers:
– Yes, this is probably not a good time.
– No, we do have time and need to get this done.

11. Examples Explained
This might be more than what you need right now.
• When to use
– Not enough need or funding.
• Potential answers:
– Yes, it is probably overkill right now.
– No, this is what we are looking for.

12. A Slight Disqualification
• A quick statement to slightly disqualify the prospect
• Differs from full disqualification in two ways
1. Slightly softer in terms of doubt
2. You are not waiting for the prospect to respond
• Examples:
– I don’t know if you are a good fit or not.
– I don’t know if it makes sense to get together.
– I don’t know if you need what we provide.
– I don’t know if we can help you in the same way.
– I don’t know if you are the right person to speak with.
• Can decrease guardedness and create intrigue - great to use when cold calling or
general conversations

13. Key Takeaways
• Use disqualifying as a sales tactic when dealing with prospects that appear to have
stalled in terms of forward movement
• This can be extremely powerful creating rapport and trust with prospects
• This will help you to clean up your pipeline and get deals to move forward
• You can add a slight disqualification statements to decrease guardedness and create
intrigue

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