If you’re in B2B sales, you know chasing unqualified leads is a massive time suck. The dream is simple: spend more time on deals that might actually close. Automating lead qualification is supposed to help, but most “solutions” are either too basic or take forever to set up. This guide is for sales teams and marketers who want a clear, practical path to automating lead qualification using Chatfuel—without wading through hype or endless tutorials.
Let’s cut the fluff and get you set up.
Why bother automating lead qualification?
Manually sorting through inbound leads is a drag. Some are tire kickers, some don’t have budget, and some just aren’t a fit. Automating qualification means:
- More time talking to leads that matter
- Faster response times (bots don’t sleep)
- Less risk of letting hot leads slip through the cracks
But—let’s be real—automation is only as good as the questions you ask and the data you collect. Garbage in, garbage out.
Step 1: Get clear on your qualification criteria
Before you even log in to Chatfuel, do this. Automation can’t fix unclear goals.
Ask yourself: - What makes a lead “qualified” for your sales team? - Company size? - Job title? - Budget? - Industry? - Decision-making authority? - What’s a dealbreaker? (e.g., “We don’t sell to companies under 50 employees.”)
Pro tip: Don’t overcomplicate this. Start with 3-5 must-have criteria. You can always add more later.
Step 2: Map your lead qualification flow
You need a basic outline before you start building bots.
Sketch this out: 1. Greeting: Welcome message and quick context (no one likes talking to a robot that dodges the point). 2. Ask qualification questions: One at a time, in plain English. Don’t make it a quiz. 3. Branching logic: If a lead doesn’t qualify, end politely. If they do, hand off to a human or collect more info. 4. Handoff or scheduling: Set up a call, send to CRM, or notify sales.
Don’t bother with:
- Endless “engagement” questions. Respect people’s time.
- Gimmicky games or quizzes. B2B leads aren’t here for fun.
Step 3: Set up your Chatfuel account
If you haven’t already, sign up at Chatfuel. The free plan is fine for testing, but you’ll want a paid plan if you need integrations or higher volume.
Connect your chatbot to your preferred channel: - Facebook Messenger is the default, but Chatfuel also supports Instagram and WhatsApp. - For website chat, you’ll need Chatfuel’s web chat widget (paid plans only).
Heads up:
You’ll need admin access to your business’s Facebook/Instagram/WhatsApp to connect.
Step 4: Build your lead qualification chatbot
Let’s break it down:
4.1. Create a New Bot
- In Chatfuel, click “Create from scratch” (ignore the generic templates—they’re rarely a fit for B2B).
- Name it something obvious, like “Lead Qualifier.”
4.2. Set Up the Welcome Message
- Keep it short and clear.
- “Hi, I’m here to help see if we’re a fit. Quick questions—it’ll take less than a minute.”
4.3. Add Qualification Questions
- Use “User Input” blocks for each question.
- Save each response as a user attribute (e.g.,
company_size,job_title,budget). - Use multiple choice or quick reply buttons whenever possible (less typing = higher completion rate).
Example: - “Roughly how many employees does your company have?” - [1-10] [11-50] [51-200] [201+]
Tip:
Don’t ask for sensitive info (like phone numbers) until someone is qualified. Otherwise, people drop off.
4.4. Branch Based on Responses
- Use “Go To Block” logic to branch. For example, if “company_size” is less than 50, send a polite “not a fit” message and end.
- If a lead qualifies, move to the next question or the handoff.
4.5. Collect Contact Info (After Qualifying)
- Only after a lead is qualified, ask for name, email, phone, or LinkedIn.
- Be upfront about how you’ll use their info. (People are wary of spam.)
4.6. Notify Your Sales Team
- Use Chatfuel’s “Send Email” plugin or connect to a tool like Slack, Gmail, or your CRM using Zapier or Make (formerly Integromat).
- Include all user attributes in the notification for context.
What to skip:
- Don’t try to replace your CRM with Chatfuel. Use it to collect and route info, not manage deals.
Step 5: Integrate with your sales stack
You want qualified leads to show up where your team actually works.
Options: - Email notifications: Fast, easy, works for most teams. - CRM integration: Via Zapier, Make, or native integrations (if available). - Calendar scheduling: Tools like Calendly or Google Calendar links can be sent after qualification.
Warning:
Integrations can get finicky. Test with dummy data. Don’t trust a Zap until you’ve seen it work three times in a row.
Step 6: Test, tweak, and launch
- Run through the flow as a user.
- Try to “break” the bot (give unexpected answers).
- Make sure disqualified leads are handled politely.
- Check notifications land in the right place, and all info is captured.
- Ask a teammate (who hasn’t seen the flow) to try it.
What usually goes wrong: - Overly long bots—leads drop off halfway through. - Forgetting to save user responses as attributes. - Notifications missing key info.
Step 7: Monitor and improve
- Track how many people start vs. finish the flow.
- Are you qualifying too few (too strict) or too many (too loose)?
- Where do people drop off?
- Adjust questions, wording, and logic as you learn.
Don’t chase perfection:
Your first version won’t be perfect. That’s normal. Make small tweaks every week instead of a giant overhaul every quarter.
What works (and what doesn’t)
Works well: - Quick, clear qualification questions - Multiple choice answers - Routing qualified leads instantly to sales
Doesn’t work: - Asking for too much info up front - Making people type long answers - Treating bot as a “set and forget” solution
Ignore the hype:
AI isn’t going to close deals for you. Use bots to filter and route leads—leave the real conversations to your team.
Keep it simple and keep iterating
Automating lead qualification with Chatfuel isn’t rocket science, but it’s easy to let things get bloated or over-designed. Start simple: three questions, clear handoff, polite “no thanks” for unqualified leads. Tweak as you go. You’ll save your sales team hours and make sure you’re spending time where it counts.
Don’t overthink it—just get a basic version live, watch how real leads interact, and improve from there. The real value is in freeing up your team, not chasing the latest automation trend.