A small business owner uses a search engine to compare insurance plans for her employees. She doesn’t realize it, but she just entered the Acquisition Pipeline.

A technical engineer responds to an online survey about his changing software needs. He is already moving through the Acquisition Pipeline.

A young couple requests a brochure and uses it to help select a new cellular phone provider. They are nearing the end of the Acquisition Pipeline.

These examples represent three distinctly different scenarios, each with highly individual prospects in separate stages of the decision making process. But they all have a common thread, because each of the prospects is being moved along the Acquisition Pipeline on the way toward becoming a satisfied customer.

So what precisely defines the Acquisition Pipeline? How does this powerful conduit work? And above all, how can you leverage it to expand your customer base?

Bring in more revenue with less resources. That sounds like mission impossible. Unfortunately, it’s the mission statement of many businesses today.

This “more with less” mantra is particularly harsh on a B-to-B sales team. They understand that lead qualification is the key to optimizing their sales efforts. But how can the sales team possibly keep on top of lead volume with limited resources? The answer to that quandary can be found in the way your business defines and approaches qualified leads.

Remember, all B-to-B leads are not created equal. Some accelerate the sales process quickly into the express lane. Other leads wind slowly to a dead end. The key is to identify which B-to-B leads hold the most promise early on, and then maximize their profit potential.

Here’s how to do it.