How to Convert and Book a Sales-Qualified Lead in Salesforce

Learn the step-by-step process to convert a lead and book a sales-qualified lead in Salesforce, ensuring you receive credit for the SQL you generate.

17 Oct 2024 By Yuval Karmi

In this guide, we'll learn how to convert a lead and book a sales-qualified lead in Salesforce.

You need to complete this process to generate opportunities with all relevant information, and ensure that you receive credit for your efforts.

We'll cover the steps to open a lead, convert it, and manage related contacts and opportunities. Additionally, we'll discuss how to properly book the SQL by completing necessary fields and sending calendar invites.

Let's get started

Once you book a meeting, it's time to convert the lead and set up an opportunity in Salesforce, as well as complete calendaring actions.

Converting a lead is the simplest way to create an opportunity with all relevant information in our Salesforce system. As an SDR, this process ensures you receive credit for the sales-qualified lead (SQL) you generate.

Here are the steps to convert a lead and book a sales-qualified lead:

Step #1: From the "Leads" tab our Salesforce instance, locate your lead. In this case, "Bertha Boxer" — From the "Leads" tab our Salesforce instance, locate your lead. In this case, "Bertha Boxer"

Step #2: Next, we'll qualify the lead. Click on the little arrow at the top right hand side — Next, we'll qualify the lead. Click on the little arrow at the top right hand side

Step #3: Click on "Convert" — Click on "Convert"

Unless we have an existing account for this lead, leave "Create New Account" we leave "Create New" selected for Account, Contact, and Opportunity.

Step #4: Leave as "Create New" — Leave as "Create New"

For opportunities, we use the format "Name of Company - Month/Year" It's important we keep this format across the board to make sure we can easily track opportunities when we review them during our weekly standup meeting.

The Account Executive will update this name once they take over the opportunity.

Step #5: Fill in the format "Name of Company - Month/Year" — Fill in the format **"Name of Company - Month/Year"**

Step #6: Click on "Convert" — Click on "Convert"

Step #7: Next, navigate to the newly created opportunity by clicking on it — Next, navigate to the newly created opportunity by clicking on it

All contacts related to the deal, whether through email, calendar invites, phone calls, texts, links, or messages, must be added to the opportunity. You need to do this to get compensated for the lead.

In this case, we spoke with someone one the phone and agreed on a date and time for the meeting with the AE, so we'll create an event in Salesforce.

Step #8: Click on "New Event" — Click on "New Event"

Step #9: Type "Meeting with [AE Name]" — Type "Meeting with [AE Name]"

Step #10: Click on "Save" — Click on "Save"

Lastly, move the opportunity to the qualification stage for the AE.

This sets the AE up to fill in in the qualification meeting notes, qualified date, pain, persona, interest, and the discovery meeting date fields.

Keep those fields in mind - you'll learn more about them when you go through AE training yourselves.

Step #11: Click on "Qualification" — Click on "Qualification"

Step #12: Click on "Mark as Current Stage" — Click on "Mark as Current Stage"

Congratulations, you've created a sales-qualified lead and earned $125!