How to qualify leads in chat: questions and scripts that work
A good qualifying chat feels like a helpful person who is curious about your situation, not a form with a typing indicator. This guide shows how the agent does it, with scripts from our free AI Lead Qualification Playbook.
The pattern
- Open without pressure. Offer help, not a sales pitch.
- Find the need. Ask what brought them and what is in the way.
- Check fit softly. Budget, timing and who decides, asked as helpful questions.
- Offer the next step. A meeting if it is a fit, an answer or a follow-up email if not.
The agent keeps a running intent score. High scorers are flagged hot in your dashboard, and the visitor is offered a time to talk right in the chat.
Five scripts to start with
Script 1: A calm welcome
“Welcome to [Business Name]. I can help you find the right next step. Are you looking into something specific today, or would you like me to ask a couple of questions and point you in the right direction?”
Script 9: The current situation
“What does this look like in your business right now?”
It invites a description of the present, which is usually more useful than a list of features they think they want.
Script 8: What brought them
“What brought you to us today?” If vague: “That’s fine. If you had to name one thing you were hoping to sort out, what would it be?”
Script 33: “I’m just browsing”
Take the pressure off, give one useful pointer, and leave the door open. Do not push for a meeting.
Script 40: “Is this a bot? I want a person”
Be honest that it is an AI and offer a real way to reach the team: a callback request or a booked time.
The playbook has 50 scripts like these, a scoring guide, scripts by business type and an email follow-up sequence.
Set it up in AI Leads Agent
- Write your qualifying questions in Agent, one per line.
- Describe what a good lead looks like so the score means something for your business.
- Set your meeting link so the agent can offer times.
- Check the first conversations, then tune the wording.