BANT opportunity identification criteria

BANT opportunity identification criteria
Opportunities are identified by speaking to prospects or clients to determine their business and solution needs. The IBM guidance for opportunity identification is to use a standard approach called BANT. According to the guidance, an opportunity is considered validated if the prospect meets three of four of the BANT items. As a team, the iSR and sales representative may decide on an either tighter or looser form of BANT.

BANT stands for:

Budget	=	What is the prospect's budget?
Authority	=	Does the prospect have decision-making authority, or is she an influencer?
Need	=	What is the prospect's business need?
Time frame	=	In what time frame will the prospect be implementing a solution?

If the prospect does not meet the BANT criteria, the sales representative may choose to nurture the response by scheduling a follow-up with the prospect in a decided-on time frame.