The verdict in three sentences
A referral partner who sends every contact to the agency crushes their closing rate and burns their credibility. The BANT grid (budget, authority, need, timing) scores a lead out of 100 points in 3 minutes and sorts it hot / warm / cold. A hot lead converts at 45 %, a cold one at 4 %: prioritising the right contacts multiplies referral income with no extra effort.
The BANT grid adapted to referrals
Four criteria, each scored out of 25 points. Total out of 100.
| Criterion | Key question | 25 pts if… |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | Do they have a web budget? | Budget ≥ 250,000 FCFA confirmed |
| Authority | Are we talking to the boss? | Contact = final decision-maker |
| Need | Is the need real? | Explicit pain (no site, losing clients) |
| Timing | When do they want to launch? | Within 30 days |
A lead ticking all 4 criteria fully scores 100: a hot lead to send first. A lead under 40 is cold — to nurture, not to hand over yet.
Scoring and closing rates 2026
Lead temperature drives signing probability. 2026 orders of magnitude.
| BANT score | Temperature | Closing rate | Referral action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80-100 | Hot | 45 % | Send immediately |
| 55-79 | Warm | 18 % | Send + follow up |
| 30-54 | Cold | 4 % | Nurture before sending |
| < 30 | Unqualified | < 1 % | Do not send |
Sending 10 hot leads beats 50 cold ones: 10 × 45 % = 4.5 sales, versus 50 × 4 % = 2 sales for five times the noise and wasted agency time.
Prioritisation and referral income
Scoring directly changes income. Comparison on 20 leads/month, 500,000 FCFA basket, 15 % commission (75,000 FCFA/sale).
| Strategy | Leads sent | Estimated sales | Monthly commission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Send everything (cold mix) | 20 | ~2 | 150,000 FCFA |
| Filter hot + warm | 10 | ~3.5 | 262,500 FCFA |
| Hot only | 6 | ~2.7 | 202,500 FCFA |
Filtering hot + warm maximises income while preserving the agency relationship, which receives quality contacts and signs faster. It's a virtuous circle: a partner who sends hot leads gets priority on the best commissions.
Mini case study
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Ousmane, a referral partner in Lagos, collects 20 contacts/month through his network. Before, he sent everything: 2 sales/month, and the agency complained about quality.
- He applies BANT and scores each lead out of 100.
- He only forwards the 10 hot/warm ones (score ≥ 55).
- Result: 3.5 sales/month instead of 2, i.e. 262,500 FCFA in commission instead of 150,000.
- Bonus: the agency, thrilled with quality, hands him institutional leads at 8 % on 5,000,000 FCFA tickets (400,000 FCFA/sale).
Scoring earned him +75 % income without a single extra contact.
FAQ
What is the BANT grid?
Budget, Authority, Need, Timing. Each criterion is scored out of 25 points, for a total out of 100 that sorts the lead hot, warm or cold.
What closing rate by temperature?
A hot lead (80-100) converts at 45 %, a warm one at 18 %, a cold one at 4 %. Prioritising hot maximises income.
Should I forward all my leads?
No. Sending a lead below 30/100 (< 1 % closing) wastes agency time and damages your referral credibility.
How long to score a lead?
About 3 minutes with the BANT grid: four questions, a score, a decision (send, nurture or drop).
Does scoring really increase income?
Yes: filtering hot + warm takes 20 raw leads (2 sales, 150,000 FCFA) to 10 qualified leads (3.5 sales, 262,500 FCFA), i.e. +75 %.
Let's talk about your project. Join the referral programme, we provide the scoring grid and the best commissions (up to 15 % + 5 % recurring). WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
