Client Pre-Qualification Checklist
“How do we know if it is the right client for us?”
Agencies often complain about the clients they get. In the enthusiasm to get more clients, we often take on clients that aren’t always a great match for us. You need a mechanism to score your potential clients.
So, Here's a Client Pre-Qualification Checklist that you can use to score those potential clients.
You can assign each question a score from 1 to 5 (where 1 is a ’poor fit’ and 5 is an ‘excellent fit’) and tally up the total at the end to determine if the client is a good match for your agency.
This is a bit of a generic scoresheet so adjust it to reflect your agency and the clients you want to go after (eg industry, size, attitude, character, aspirations etc…)
Client Pre-Qualification Scoring Checklist
| Category | Question | Score (1-5) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Culture & Values Alignment | How well do the client’s core values align with ours? |
|
| Does the client have a collaborative mindset? | ||
| Is the client’s definition of success in line with what we can realistically achieve? | ||
| 2. Decision-Maker & Stakeholders | Are we speaking with the primary decision-maker and budget-holder? | |
| How streamlined is the client's decision-making process (e.g. few stakeholders, quick decisions)? | ||
| Will key stakeholders be appropriately involved throughout the project? | ||
| 3. Budget & Investment | Does the client have a clear and realistic budget for the project? | |
| Does the project fit within their overall marketing budget? | ||
| Is the client viewing this as a long-term partnership or just a one-off project? | ||
| 4. Timeline & Urgency | Is the client’s desired start date and timeline realistic? | |
| Does the client understand the timeline for seeing tangible results? | ||
| Are there any pressing deadlines that could cause us undue pressure? | ||
| 5. Growth Potential & Scalability | Does the client have clear long-term goals that we can contribute to? | |
| Is there potential for the account to grow over time (more services, higher spend, cross-sell, upsell)? | ||
| Is the client part of a larger organisation that may offer additional opportunities? | ||
| 6. Referrals & Networking Opportunities | Does the client have connections or other business units that could lead to referrals? | |
| Is the client open to introducing us to other departments or partners? | ||
| 7. Project Fit & Chemistry | Does the client’s vision of an ideal agency partner match with what we offer? | |
| Has the client had positive experiences with agencies in the past that suggest compatibility? | ||
| Does the client’s working style fit well with our team’s approach? | ||
| TOTAL SCORE | /100 |
Scoring Guide:
80-100: Excellent fit. The client sits well with your agency’s culture, expectations, and potential for long-term growth.
60-79: Good fit. The client is a solid match, but there may be a few areas to clarify or adjust.
40-59: Moderate fit. There are some concerns, and further discussion is needed before committing.
Below 40: Poor fit. The client may not be ideal for your agency, you should pass on the opportunty.
This scoring system provides a structured way to evaluate potential clients and ensures you’re selecting clients who are not only profitable but also match your agency’s values and long-term vision.