Glossary
BANT (Budget, Authority, Need, Timing)
A classic four-part lead qualification framework.
Definition
BANT stands for Budget, Authority, Need, Timing — a lead qualification framework originally from IBM. A lead is BANT-qualified if they have budget, decision-making authority, a defined need your product solves, and timing to act in a relevant window.
Why it matters
BANT is fast and easy to teach, which is why most SDR teams still use a version of it. Critics argue it overweights budget early; modern teams often run BANT with timing and need first, budget last.
More terms
ICP (Ideal Customer Profile)
The exact firmographic, persona and trigger combination of the accounts most likely to buy from you.
SDR (Sales Development Representative)
The role responsible for prospecting and booking qualified meetings for closers.
BDR (Business Development Representative)
An outbound prospecting role, often used interchangeably with SDR.
MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead)
A lead that has shown enough interest in your marketing to be worth a sales follow-up.
SQL (Sales Qualified Lead)
A lead that sales has accepted and confirmed is worth working toward a deal.
SAL (Sales Accepted Lead)
The intermediate step between MQL and SQL where sales accepts ownership.
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