qualify
Qualify the close
Work backwards from ACV, map the buying committee, and parallel-path security and procurement before the pilot starts.
Start from the number you need
If you need a six-figure ACV, asking whether they are willing to try is the wrong first question. Ask whether they will buy at that price if you prove the result. A pilot that hits its criteria against the wrong commercial target still ends without the deal.
Multi-thread early
If you work through one champion and that person changes jobs, the pilot dies with them. Score the committee in writing (positive, negative, neutral) and treat case-study shoppers differently from early adopters.
| Role | Job in the deal | Fail mode if missing |
|---|---|---|
| Champion | Opens doors, drives calendar | Single-thread; deal dies when they leave |
| Economic buyer | Owns budget / signs | Loved it, no PO |
| Users | Live in the workflow | Adoption stalls; criteria miss |
| Procurement | PO path | Quarter slip after proof |
| Security / IT | Install and data access | Block at go-live |
In this phase
- Work backwards from ACVQualify whether a successful pilot leads to your target ACV.
- The champion is not the buying committeeMap champion, economic buyer, users, procurement, and security.
- Early adopter vs case-study shopperTell buyers who will go first from buyers who only want proof from someone else.
- Security and procurement in parallelStart security and procurement in week one.
Claims and patterns on this page are paraphrased from practitioner session notes and the Startup Bible (Pilots that convert). See Sources.
Continue the journey
- Find the right pilotHow to choose pilot customers, compelling events, and paid pilots that can convert into purchase orders.
- Set the termsScope the pilot like an MVP, write measurable success criteria, price it, and lock an agreement with a path to a PO.
- The champion is not the buying committeeMap champion, economic buyer, users, procurement, and security.