What is BANT?

BANT is a sales qualification framework that was originally developed by IBM. It helps sales teams qualify prospects and determine if they have a high chance of converting.

BANT is an acronym for:

Budget: What is the prospect’s budget? 

Authority: Do they have decision-making authority?

Needs: What are their business needs?

Timeline: When are they looking to make a purchase?

A prospect is considered viable if they meet at least three of the four criteria. However, if a prospect doesn’t meet the criteria, the sales rep can follow up later.

What makes the BANT sales qualification framework unique?

There are only so many hours in the day, which is why you want your sales team to focus on the most promising opportunities. This will help increase win rates and generate more sales. 

Here’s how the different components of the BANT framework help with sales qualification.

Budget: Can they afford your solution?

Money is an important factor in any purchasing decision. If something is outside your budget, you have to either forego it altogether or consider other options. The same is true for your prospects.

A prospect needs to have the available budget to be considered a buyer. They're likely not a good fit if they can’t afford your solution. By talking about pricing early on, a sales rep can determine whether to move on from a lead.

But don’t jump the gun too soon. 

A prospect may not have the budget now, but their circumstances could change. Likewise, if you can justify the value of your solution, you can overcome pricing objections and convince your prospects to buy.

Authority: Are they a decision-maker?

Purchasing decisions often involve multiple stakeholders — some are gatekeepers who are simply passing along information, while others have the final say.

Learning more about your prospects can help you determine if they have the authority to proceed with the next steps or if you need to get others involved. 

Even if a prospect isn’t a decision-maker, they likely have some influence within the organization, so don’t make them feel undervalued. Build trust with your point of contact, and you can even turn them into advocates for your company.

Needs: Does your solution address their needs?

The next step in the BANT framework is to understand your prospects’ needs. What challenges are they facing, and does your solution solve them? 

If not, you’d disqualify a prospect and move on. It’s better to prioritize those who actually need your solution because they’re more likely to derive value from it and turn into lifelong customers.

Timeline: When do they plan to make a purchase?

The last BANT component is the timeline. 

Prospects keen on making a purchase soon, have a higher sense of urgency. You can speed up the sales cycle and close more deals by prioritizing these leads.