Mastering disqualification in your outbound strategy

Especially in the outbound process.

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In a world where sending unlimited volume isn’t an option, disqualifying leads before they even enter the sales cycle is critical.

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Heavy disqualification helps us:

• Reduce send volume and stay within our inbox limits
• Reduce follow up time on those who will never buy
• Increase responses from those more likely to engage (and eventually buy)

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Here are the 4 kinds of disqualification that I do to keep my focus where it counts:

1. Channel Disqualification
   • If someone isn’t active on LinkedIn → I’ll reach out by email
   • If their email isn’t verified → LinkedIn it is
   • 🕵️ Hot tip: Not everyone is active on LinkedIn. Before I even reach out, I check their posts, connection count, and recent activity. If they’re a ghost on LinkedIn, it’s a CLEAR sign to shift to email instead.

2. Tooling Disqualification
   • When someone’s tech stack isn’t compatible with ours, i.e. If they’re lacking a CRM or relevant software, they’ll have a hard time getting value from what we offer
   • 🕵️ Hot tip: You can look for clues in their LinkedIn job descriptions, company sites, or even job postings to figure what software they use.
3. Team Disqualification
   • Not every lead has the right structure in place – if an organization doesn’t have roles aligned with specific pain points or implementation needs, it’s a pass
   • 🕵️ Hot tip: Check out their LinkedIn company profile to get an idea of team structure and department sizes. If I see they’re missing key players, it’s usually best to move on. Better to know early than to get stuck chasing someone who can’t drive things forward.
4. Culture Disqualification
   • This is often tricker to spot, but if they don’t have a culture that embraces change, I won’t prioritize them
   • 🕵️ Hot tip: Culture can make or break a fit. Companies that embrace innovation tend to have fast promotions, new leadership hires, or a strong growth focus—signals they’re ready for change. If I spot them using AI tools or adopting new tech, it’s a good indicator that they’re ready for fresh ideas!