If you're tired of your sales reps wasting time on dead-end leads, you're in the right place. This guide is for anyone who wants to use tools—not just hope—to make sure the right prospects reach your team. We'll break down how to use Novocall to screen, qualify, and route leads so your sales folks only talk to the ones that matter. No hype, no fluff, and no hard sell.
Why Bother Qualifying Leads Before Sales Gets Involved?
Let’s be blunt: Most leads aren't ready to buy, and many never will be. If you connect every form fill or call to a salesperson, you’re asking for burned-out reps and wasted time. Qualifying leads early means:
- Your sales team spends time with real prospects, not tire-kickers.
- You get cleaner data and better pipeline forecasting.
- Customers get faster, more relevant responses.
Novocall is a tool that can help automate a lot of this. But just plugging it in won’t magically qualify leads. You need to set it up thoughtfully.
Step 1: Map Out What a Qualified Lead Actually Looks Like
Before you touch any software, get clear on what “qualified” means for your business. This is where most people mess up—don’t skip it.
Ask Yourself:
- What kind of companies or people do we actually want to talk to?
- What are the deal-breakers (budget, location, company size, etc.)?
- What info do sales reps need before a call?
Pro tip: Talk to your sales team. They’ll tell you what wastes their time.
Write down your criteria. Keep it simple—no need for a 10-page doc.
Step 2: Set Up Novocall’s Lead Capture Widget
Novocall’s core feature is a callback widget you put on your site or landing pages. Here’s how to get it working for lead qualification:
- Install the Widget: Follow Novocall’s onboarding to get the widget code on your site. It’s copy-paste stuff.
- Customize Appearance: Make sure it fits your brand, but don’t obsess. No one cares if your button is cornflower blue or navy.
- Configure Lead Form Fields: This is where qualification starts. Add fields that capture what you defined in Step 1. Don’t ask for info you won’t use.
Useful fields: - Name, phone, email (obvious) - Company name & website - Role or job title - Budget range - “What problem are you trying to solve?” (open text) - Drop-downs for company size, industry, etc.
What to ignore: Don’t add a dozen fields. Long forms kill conversions. Stick to the must-haves.
Step 3: Set Up Routing Rules to Filter and Qualify
Novocall’s routing features let you decide who gets connected and when. Here’s how to put them to work:
- Define Routing Logic: Based on form answers, decide who gets through.
- Example: Only connect leads from companies with 50+ employees to your sales team.
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Example: Route “student” job titles to an automated email, not a sales call.
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Set Up Filters in Novocall: Use their “Call Routing” or “Lead Qualification” rules. It’s usually a visual builder—no coding. Match form responses to actions.
- Connect qualified leads to sales reps.
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Send unqualified leads to a thank-you page or an automated email (or just ignore them).
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Assign Reps by Specialty: If you have reps for different industries or regions, set up rules so leads go to the right person.
What actually works: The simpler your logic, the less that breaks. Start basic, then refine as you learn.
Step 4: Use Pre-Call Questionnaires (But Don’t Overdo It)
Novocall lets you add pre-call questions—think of them as your bouncer at the door.
- Use yes/no or multiple-choice for deal-breakers.
- “Do you have a budget for this project?” Yes/No
- “Are you looking to buy in the next 3 months?” Yes/No
- Use open text for context, but don’t expect honest essays—people rush.
- If the answers don’t match your criteria, Novocall can block the call or redirect.
What to ignore: Don’t rely on “How did you hear about us?” for qualification. It’s useful for marketing, not sales.
Step 5: Automate Follow-Ups for Unqualified Leads
Don’t ghost people—just because someone isn’t a fit now doesn’t mean they never will be.
- Use Novocall’s integrations to add unqualified leads to your CRM or email list.
- Set up automatic emails (via your CRM or a tool like Mailchimp) to thank them and offer resources.
- Consider a “nurture” track: occasional emails, webinar invites, whatever fits.
But: Don’t overcomplicate this. If a lead is obviously a bad fit, don’t waste cycles.
Step 6: Test the Whole Flow Like a Real User
This is where most setups fall apart. Don’t trust that “it’s probably working.”
- Pretend you’re a lead and fill out your form with different answers.
- Make sure qualified leads actually reach a rep—fast.
- Check that unqualified leads don’t slip through.
- Try it on mobile and desktop.
Pro tip: Have someone not involved in setup test it. Fresh eyes catch dumb mistakes.
Step 7: Keep It Tidy—Review and Adjust Regularly
Your qualification rules shouldn’t be “set and forget.” Things change—markets, products, your ideal customer.
- Every month or two, pull data: Who’s getting through? Are reps happy with lead quality?
- Tweak your forms and routing. Drop any question no one uses.
- If sales says junk leads are getting through, tighten up. If no one’s coming through, loosen up.
What doesn’t work: Blindly trusting software to “optimize” for you. Human judgment > automation.
What Novocall Can (and Can’t) Do for Lead Qualification
Let’s keep it real:
Where Novocall shines: - Quick setup for call routing and qualification. - Decent integrations with CRMs and email tools. - Good for teams that want to talk to real buyers, not bots.
Where it falls short: - It won’t do deep research or guess intent—if you ask the wrong questions, it can’t fix that. - The UI can be a little clunky if you’re building lots of complex rules. - If your sales process is super nuanced, you’ll still need humans to review some leads.
Bottom line: It’s a filter, not a crystal ball. Set it up thoughtfully and it’ll save your team a ton of time.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Don’t Overthink It
The goal isn’t perfect automation—it’s a faster, cleaner path to real conversations. Start with the basics, see what works, and tweak as you go. Don’t get lost in endless “optimization.” The simpler your setup, the less that breaks and the more your sales team will thank you.
If you’re using Novocall to qualify leads, you’re already ahead of the game. Just remember: Tools help, but clear criteria and regular check-ins make all the difference. Now get out there and let your sales reps do what they do best—close real deals.