Asking The Right Questions: BANT Frameworks And Beyond.

Strategies are based on asking the right questions. Any successful business leader understands that inquiry in the right direction opens channels for a positive outcome.

But, framing the correct questions can be challenging, as is the norm for strategy. There are a lot of considerations a business and its teams must understand to enquire in the right direction. For SaaS companies that mainly work on a B2B model, asking the right question means the difference between success and failure.

After all, lead generation is anticipating problems (questions) of potential buyers and presenting solutions for them. And a major roadblock for most teams is prospects that go nowhere.

Why does this occur?

There is a good chance that the leads your teams are chasing might be losing points in the qualifying round.

Here, the value of asking the right questions is apparent. From marketing to sales teams, your campaigns should be designed to qualify your leads and push them through the sales funnel.

Frameworks such as BANT, MEDDIC, and ANUM help sales teams qualify their prospects. And it is necessary to implement them to help sales teams close more deals.

But there is a caveat: sales prospects also go beyond these basic frameworks to tailor their pitch for the prospect.

And that begins by listening.

BANT and other frameworks that help sales teams close more deals.

Qualifiers are vital for a lead generation strategy to work. A rich sales pipeline is based on the quality of leads generated.

But all leads are not the same. While some leads may be window shopping, others might not be relevant at all. MQLs can be generated in quantity, but if they are not up to the mark on quality, they will hamper future sales and profits. For any organization, that is a blow.

Marketing and sales are the gatekeepers of an organization’s success. These two teams are in charge of the qualifying questions.

As we know, there are a few methodologies that organizations should use to qualify the prospect.

First, let us touch on the basics. These frameworks are: –

What is BANT?

BANT is the most famous framework. It is a simple yet powerful concept developed by the sales team at IBM in the 50s. Sales teams can quickly identify if their lead meets the criteria. And it is easy to remember. For those who do not know, BANT stands for: –

1. B- Budget
2. A- Authority
3. N-Need
4. T-Time

It helps an SDR understand if: –

1. an organization can afford its product
2. the person they are speaking to has the authority needed to buy
3. the organization has a need
4. and if the requirement matches both organizations’ timeframes.

It is an exceptional and old qualifier, still used today and accepted by large organizations as a gold standard. All other qualifying frameworks are variations of BANT.

What is MEDDIC?

MEDDIC is a newer framework that adds more dimensions based on the BANT framework. It helps sales teams open up more possibilities for inquiry.

It stands for: –

1. M- Metrics.
2. E- Economic Buyer.
3. D-Decision Criteria
4. D- Decision Process
5. I- Identifying Pain
6. C- Champion

The MEDDIC framework goes a step beyond understanding the buyer with more depth. Essentially, it helps your SDR identify: –

1. The KPIs the buyer wants to meet and if your product can align with that vision.
2. Is the prospect you are talking to an economic buyer (or decision-maker)?
3. What are the make-or-break decision criteria for the buyer?
4. The decision process of the buyer and the people involved in the buying
5. A champion within the organization. Someone to vouch for you inside the target account.

MEDDIC offers a view into a different structure of asking questions. SDRs and Chief Sales Officers have realized the value of asking varied questions.

As the buying process becomes more complex, the need for such frameworks has become necessary.

What is NOTE?

Another effective yet simple framework is the NOTE. Coined by Sean Burke, this method takes on an empathetic role in selling.

It stands for: –

1. N – Need
2. O- Opportunity
3. T- Team
4. E- Effect

The NOTE framework helps SDRs by identifying-

1. If the buyer need our services at this point?
2. What are the potential opportunities and growth levers that your product will offer?
3. Who or which teams will be affected by the integration of the product?
4. What are the effects (economic) of this strategic partnership?

The NOTE framework presents a shift in the dynamic between SaaS organizations. Towards a more customer-centric approach. The market has been shifting towards the customer’s side for a while now.

And it will continue to do so as buyers self-direct themselves through the buying journey. Complexities are a norm in the SaaS market. The saturated snapshot of the current landscape has made the buyer cautious.

They cannot help but be overwhelmed by the choice. Frameworks are integral for SDR success. But what happens when the number of qualified leads drops, and sales teams find that MQLs will not go anywhere?

It is time for marketing to step up.

Marketing’s role in sales

High-quality content is said to be the biggest draw-in for a potential buyer. Yet, according to HubSpot’s 2024 sales report, SDRs have reported low-quality leads as their biggest problem.

MQLs are not up to the mark. Or the nurtured leads were not properly qualified before being handed into sales.

Marketing teams must improve their attribution if they see success. It means going beyond the basics and understanding the intent behind prospects’ behavior.

While CDPs and marketing automation tools have become beneficial in doing so. There are three things marketing teams must do:

1. Orchestrate buyer experiences to attract a relevant audience
2. Identify the behavior of most likely candidates by analyzing past behavior
3. Defining a lead with sales.

Sales and marketing alignment has been a buzzword for a long time. The two teams cannot work in silos anymore. It is expected of sales teams to listen to the buyer, and that has given them an edge over marketing.

Marketing teams must listen, too. And not just for sales but also for the buyer. When decision-makers interact on socials and on content, what do they look for?

For marketing teams, the best qualifier is their gated content and the rich history of data use. Data will reveal whether a buyer will qualify. Lead scoring can go a long way in helping marketing and sales align their goals together.

The main question here is: What matters?

Asking the right questions is crucial.

What are the right questions? Once marketing and sales teams have aligned and understood the buyer, they will have questions beyond the obvious.

The questions only come by enquiring into the industry they are selling to and learning everything possible about their ICPs.

One of the most important questions we have identified is: In their opinion, has their organization reached its potential?

It opens up all possibilities because every organization has room for further growth and improvement. And it lets you know where the organization is headed in terms of leadership and vision.

A potent indicator of growth.

With the right questions, SDRs can craft a personalized pitch for the right buyer and save time from the irrelevant ones.

On the other hand, marketing teams can craft market-resonating messages by asking the right questions and understanding the audience they are providing content.

Sales and Marketing is about listening.

BANT, MEDDIC, and NOTE are all designed to listen. The buyer has their needs and wants a remedy or risk-mitigating solution that will empower them to avoid risk in the market.

This need for growth can be fueled by marketing and sales teams listening to their ICPs and providing the right questions for them. By asking the right questions, marketing and sales teams will create intrigue in the buyers’ minds and help them break free of analysis paralysis.

By using the frameworks, sales, and marketing open up possibilities that go beyond the obvious.