Turn the market list into a sequence of decisions
First apply hard disqualifiers. Then group remaining accounts by problem hypothesis and buying conditions. Within a cohort, consider evidence freshness, stakeholder coverage and the team's ability to support a buying decision. Do not use expected contract value alone; large accounts can require disproportionate effort or unsupported scope.
Preserve unknowns separately from weak fit. An account with missing data may deserve research; an account with confirmed incompatibility should be rejected. Make the prioritization reproducible so the next researcher does not rebuild it from intuition.
| Decision | Evidence to use | What changes next |
|---|---|---|
| Exclude | Known incompatibility or unsuitable economics | Reject with a reason and avoid repeated research |
| Research | Plausible fit but missing key evidence | Resolve the smallest decision-changing uncertainty |
| Work now | Clear fit, reachable roles and a relevant validation question | Assign a seller and a bounded next action |
Work through the decision
Illustrative queue: Account A is large but requires an unsupported integration. Account B is smaller, matches the operating condition and has a reachable project owner. Account C may fit but its product documentation is outdated.
Reject A unless the product boundary changes; work B with a neutral question; research C before sequencing it. This is a decision queue, not a forecast. Keep the rules visible so the team can challenge a ranking when new evidence arrives.
The largest accounts always rise to the top
High theoretical value can attract effort away from accounts the team can actually win and serve. Include adoption burden and capacity. Where estimates are speculative, show ranges or unknowns rather than making a precise score appear authoritative.
A concrete next step
Classify the next twenty accounts as reject, research or work now. Review the decisions with a seller and retain the evidence that changes a classification.
Sources and research notes
- Clay partner programsCompany program description
- Bessemer: 10 laws of cloudInvestor operating guidance
Primary sources reviewed October 6, 2026. The operating recommendations and worked scenarios are Daavid’s analysis. Illustrative numbers are assumptions, not measured client results. Company marks identify sources and prior experience; they do not imply a customer relationship or endorsement.
Schematic