qualify
Work backwards from ACV
Qualify whether a successful pilot leads to your target ACV.
The first question to ask
If the objective is a $100K annual license, the first qualification question is commercial: assuming the proof works, who buys, at what price, and through what approval path?
$100K target walkthrough (fictional)
Work the number before you plan the pilot calendar.
A successful pilot at the wrong price
If you hit soft criteria while the buyer expects a cheap subscription, you lose. Align the pilot price and the phase-two price with an ACV story finance will underwrite.
Practical checks
Confirm access to the economic buyer, check budget timing against the compelling event, and make sure the success metrics map to cost, risk, or revenue.
Claims and patterns on this page are paraphrased from practitioner session notes and the Startup Bible (Pilots that convert). See Sources.