AI SDR Qualifying
Automatically classify inbound leads into qualification buckets using AI. Get human-readable reasoning and recommended next actions for every submission.
Overview
The AI SDR Qualifying node acts like an intelligent sales development rep. Instead of using rigid rules or point-based scoring, it analyzes each lead holistically and classifies them into meaningful qualification buckets with clear reasoning.
What makes it different
Assigns leads to qualification buckets instead of numeric scores. Sales knows exactly what action to take.
Every classification comes with clear explanations your team can understand and trust.
How to Use
- 1Add the SDR Agent node
In your workflow, click "Add Node" and select "SDR Agent" from the AI Processing category.
- 2Connect it after enrichment (recommended)
For best results, place the SDR Agent after a Clay enrichment node so the AI has company data to analyze.
- 3Define your ICP
Write a description of your ideal customer profile. Be specific about company size, industry, and characteristics you're looking for.
- 4Add disqualifiers (optional)
List lead types that should be automatically excluded, like students, freelancers, competitors, or job seekers.
- 5Use the outputs downstream
Access classification results via template variables like {{agent.bucket}}, {{agent.reasoning}}, and {{agent.recommended_action}}.
Configuration
ICP Description (Required)
A free-text description of your ideal customer profile. The AI uses this to evaluate fit.
"B2B SaaS companies doing $1M–$50M ARR with internal marketing teams that actively run paid ads."
Disqualifiers (Optional)
Binary exclusions the AI should treat as hard stops. Leads matching these are automatically disqualified.
Qualification Buckets
The AI classifies each lead into one of five default buckets. You can customize bucket names, but the intent should remain the same.
High-Intent ICP Match
Strong match to ICP with clear buying authority and/or intent signals. Likely in an active evaluation or purchasing phase.
- Company size aligns with ICP
- Relevant senior job title
- Active paid ads or growth signals
- Clear problem statement or urgency
Immediate SDR outreach (high priority)
Good ICP, Low/Medium Intent
Matches ICP well but no strong urgency or buying signal yet.
- Right company and role
- Weak or ambiguous timing
- Research-oriented behavior
Personalized follow-up, light qualification, short nurture sequence
Potential Future Fit
Not a fit today, but strategically valuable long-term.
- Too small today but growing
- Early-stage team
- Adjacent use case
Long-term nurture, educational content, periodic re-evaluation
Wrong ICP
Legitimate business, but fundamentally not a target customer.
- Wrong industry
- Wrong business model
- Wrong customer type
Do not route to sales. Optional polite response or redirect.
Disqualified
Explicitly excluded lead type.
- Matches a disqualifier
- Spam-like submission
- Competitor or job seeker
No outreach. Silent drop or auto-response.
Output Variables
Access the AI's classification results using these template variables in downstream nodes.
| Variable | Description |
|---|---|
| {{agent.bucket}} | The assigned qualification bucket (e.g., "High-Intent ICP Match") |
| {{agent.confidence}} | Confidence score from 0.0 to 1.0 |
| {{agent.reasoning}} | Array of reasons explaining the classification |
| {{agent.risks_or_unknowns}} | Any uncertainties or missing information |
| {{agent.recommended_action}} | Suggested next step (e.g., "Immediate SDR outreach") |
Best Practices
- Be specific in your ICP description — the more context, the better the AI can classify leads
- Use enrichment data from Clay before the SDR Agent for richer classification
- Route high-intent leads to immediate notifications (Slack, email) and CRM creation
- Use a Filter node after SDR Agent to branch based on bucket (e.g., only send "High-Intent" to Salesforce)
- Review classification results periodically to refine your ICP description
Example Workflow
A typical lead qualification workflow using the SDR Agent:
Router conditions:
• High-Intent ICP Match → Slack notification + HubSpot
• Good ICP → Email nurture sequence
• Potential Future Fit → Add to long-term list
• Wrong ICP / Disqualified → No action
Next Steps
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