Chapter 5-6 · Before you invest time
Qualifying & Positioning
The 16-point checklist, score bands, disqualifiers and the positioning framework.
8 min read · 4 quiz questions
Not every customer who likes Poetry will become a successful customer. Qualify before you invest significant time in demonstrations and proposals.
Open the Opportunity Scorecard
The full 16-point checklist as a live scoring tool, with the verdict band and recommended next step.
| Score | Verdict | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 12-16 ticks | Excellent opportunity | Proceed immediately. |
| 8-11 ticks | Good opportunity | Continue discovery and validate business priorities. |
| 4-7 ticks | Possible opportunity | Focus on education before progressing. |
| 0-3 ticks | Low priority | Keep building the relationship, don't invest heavily yet. |
Disqualifiers: be cautious if the customer says
- "We only have one recruiter."
- "We're only replacing our ATS."
- "Recruitment isn't a strategic priority."
- "We're looking for the cheapest option."
- "We don't want recruiters changing how they work."
Before you book a demo, confirm YES to all of these
- Do I understand the customer's biggest recruiting challenge?
- Can I explain how Poetry solves it?
- Have I identified the right stakeholders?
- Do I know what success looks like?
- Can I tailor the demonstration?
The positioning framework: every conversation, same structure
- 1
Customer challenge
"It sounds like recruiters are preparing differently and there's no consistent way of sharing best practice."
- 2
Business impact
"That creates inconsistent hiring manager experiences and makes onboarding harder."
- 3
Bridge
"This is exactly the type of challenge Poetry was built to solve."
- 4
How Poetry helps
"Poetry automatically creates a Job Workspace containing the research, preparation and assets needed for that vacancy."
- 5
Reinforce the value
"The result is less preparation time, more consistency and better hiring conversations."
Key point
Never start with features
Start with the customer's challenge. Position outcomes before features, every single time.
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