Supporting guide
Qualifying the Prospect
Qualifying the prospect means both sides agree out loud that there is a real problem, it is worth money, and the person in the room decides.
This guide to qualifying the prospect, published by Tim Kilroy, uses his five-stage agency sales funnel. It explains what counts as qualified, how to find the stage where your deals leak, and why counting your own activity as the prospect's intent hides the real problem.
Published by Tim KilroyLast updated:
How do I know if an agency prospect is qualified?
A prospect is qualified when you can name the problem in their words, you both agree it is worth money to solve, and they are the person who decides. If any one of those is missing, the prospect is still interested, not qualified.
The qualified stage, defined
Definition
Qualified, in the Agency Playbook Journal
A qualified prospect is one where both sides have agreed out loud that there is a real problem, it is worth money, and the prospect is the one who decides.
This definition comes from Tim Kilroy's five-stage agency funnel, where every stage counts only when the prospect did something observable. Half of all funnel inflation in agencies comes from counting your own activity as their intent: you sent a proposal, so it feels like progress, even if they never opened it.
The five stages of an agency sales funnel
| Stage | What it means | Counts when |
|---|---|---|
| Aware | They know you exist | They could name you unprompted |
| Interested | They raised a hand | They took an action, not when you sent something |
| Qualified | A real, valuable problem and the decider | You can name the problem in their words |
| Proposed | Scope, price, and outcome are in writing | They opened it, not when you hit send |
| Closed | The deal is done | There is a signature |
How to find the stage where deals leak
Pull the last 90 days
Ninety days reflects the agency you have now, not the one you used to have.
Count each stage honestly
Record how many prospects entered each of the five stages. Do not round up.
Calculate stage-to-stage conversion
Aware to interested, interested to qualified, qualified to proposed, proposed to closed.
Fix the weakest conversion first
Pick one constraint per quarter rather than buying more leads.
It takes about twenty minutes and a spreadsheet. If qualification is the leak, start with the agency discovery call playbook.
Why pipeline discipline matters
- of agencies describe their sales pipeline as "very healthy" (SparkToro State of Digital Agencies, 2025).
- 14%
- Source: Haus Advisors, Marketing Agency Industry Statistics
- of agencies say their growth engine is not strong enough (RSW/US 2025 Agency Survey).
- 93%
- Source: Haus Advisors, Marketing Agency Industry Statistics
Qualification is where the agency positioning playbook pays off: a clear position attracts prospects who already fit.
Common questions
What does qualifying the prospect mean?
Qualifying the prospect means confirming there is a real problem, it is worth money, and the person you are talking to is the one who decides. In Tim Kilroy’s five-stage agency funnel, a prospect only counts as qualified when both sides have agreed to that out loud and you can name the problem in the prospect’s own words.
What are the stages of an agency sales funnel?
Tim Kilroy’s agency sales funnel has five stages: Aware, Interested, Qualified, Proposed, and Closed. Each stage counts only when the prospect did something observable, such as taking an action, opening the proposal, or signing. Counting your own activity as their intent inflates the funnel and hides the stage where deals actually leak.
How do I find where my agency sales funnel leaks?
Run a leak test. Pull the last 90 days, count how many prospects entered each of the five stages, and calculate the conversion from each stage to the next. The weakest conversion is the stage to fix first. It takes about twenty minutes and a spreadsheet, and it keeps you from buying more leads when the real leak is further down.
Why do prospects ghost agencies after the discovery call?
Prospects often go quiet because the call was a pitch with a question stapled to the end. When an agency talks about its process and case studies before understanding the business, it offers the generic version, which sounds like every other agency. Then a proposal goes out and the prospect disappears. Deeper understanding on the call is the fix.
Should I hire a salesperson or build a sales process first?
Build the process first. Tim Kilroy’s agency sales playbook argues that most founders do not have a sales problem but a missing process: what they know about selling is trapped in their heads. A first sales hire without a documented process, qualification rules, and a discovery structure is left winging it, so define those before day one.
Want help applying this to your agency?
Tim Kilroy coaches established marketing and PR agencies on positioning, lead generation, and a repeatable way to win clients. Reach out through his contact page.
Contact Tim Kilroy