Disqualification Handling
Processes leads that didn't pass ICP qualification. Instead of ignoring them, this composite handles each category appropriately: polite rejection, referral request, or nurture routing. No inbound lead should feel ghosted.
When to Auto-Load
Load this composite when:
- User says "handle the disqualified leads", "draft rejection emails", "what do we do with the ones that didn't qualify?"
inbound-lead-qualificationhas completed and disqualified/near-miss leads need handling- User has a list of leads that don't fit and wants appropriate responses
Architecture
[Disqualified Leads] → Step 1: Categorize → Step 2: Draft Responses → Step 3: Route to Destination
↓ ↓ ↓
4 handling categories Tailored email per type Nurture/CRM/archive
Step 0: Configuration (Once Per Client)
On first run, establish response preferences.
{
"sender_name": "",
"sender_title": "",
"company_name": "",
"tone": "warm-professional | casual-friendly | formal",
"nurture_sequence_tool": "Smartlead | HubSpot | Mailchimp | CSV export | none",
"referral_incentive": "none | mention mutual value | offer resource",
"include_resource_link": true,
"resource_url": "",
"resource_description": "",
"feedback_survey_url": "",
"do_not_contact_list": "Supabase | CSV | none"
}
On subsequent runs: Load config silently.
Step 1: Categorize Disqualified Leads
Input
Leads from inbound-lead-qualification with sub-verdicts. Categorize each into one of four handling paths:
Category 1: Right Company, Wrong Person → REFERRAL REQUEST
Trigger: mismatch_type = right_company_wrong_person
- The company fits ICP but the person who came inbound isn't a buyer/champion/user
- Example: A marketing intern at a perfect-fit company downloaded a whitepaper
- Goal: Get an introduction to the right person at that company
Identify the referral target:
- Using the ICP's buyer personas, determine who at this company we SHOULD be talking to
- If enrichment data or CRM has other contacts at the company, note them (but still ask for the intro — warmer than cold outreach)
Category 2: Close But Not Quite → NURTURE (FUTURE FIT)
Trigger: sub_verdict = near_miss_nurture OR score 30-49 without a referral opportunity
- Company is almost ICP but not today — too small, too early stage, wrong geography (but expanding), missing a key requirement that might change
- Example: A 15-person startup that's clearly growing fast but below your 50-employee minimum
- Goal: Stay on their radar. When they hit the threshold, you're top of mind.
Category 3: Clearly Outside ICP → POLITE DECLINE
Trigger: sub_verdict = disqualified_polite OR score < 30
- Not a fit now and unlikely to become one
- Example: A freelancer, a student, a company in an excluded industry
- Goal: Decline gracefully. Don't burn bridges — they might refer someone, post about you, or their situation might change unexpectedly.
Category 4: Special Flags → ROUTE DIFFERENTLY
Trigger: sub_verdict = disqualified_competitor OR pipeline_status = existing_customer
- Competitor employee: Do NOT send a rejection email. Log for competitive intelligence. No outreach.
- Existing customer: Do NOT treat as disqualified. Route to customer success / account management. May be an upsell or support need.
Output
Each lead tagged with: handling_category, handling_action, referral_target_persona (for Category 1)
Step 2: Draft Responses
Category 1 Response: Referral Request Email
Objective: Thank them, subtly indicate they may not be the right person, and ask for an introduction — without making them feel dismissed.
Structure:
- Thank them for their interest (reference what they did — demo request, download, etc.)
- Acknowledge their role — show you understand what they do
- Pivot to the right person — frame it as "wanting to make sure the right person gets the most value"
- Make the ask easy — provide a specific persona/title to connect you with
- Offer something in return — a resource relevant to THEIR role (not just the buyer's)
Template framework:
Subject: Thanks for checking us out, [First Name]
Hi [First Name],
Thanks for [downloading our guide on X / requesting a demo / signing up for the trial].
[One sentence connecting their action to a genuine insight — "it's a great resource for
understanding Y."]
I took a look at [Company] — [one sentence showing you understand the company].
Given what [Product] does, I think [target persona title, e.g., "your VP of Engineering"
or "whoever leads infrastructure decisions"] would get the most out of a conversation
with us.
Would you be open to making an introduction? Happy to send you a quick blurb you
can forward, so it's zero effort on your end.
[If resource_link configured: "In the meantime, here's [resource] that might be
useful for [something relevant to THEIR role]."]
Thanks,
[Sender Name]
Rules:
- Never say "you're not the right person" or "you don't have buying authority"
- Never use the word "unfortunately" or "however"
- Frame the referral as maximizing value, not correcting a mistake
- Keep it under 120 words
- If you know the specific name of the right person (from enrichment/CRM), mention them: "I think [Name] on your [team] would find this valuable"
Category 2 Response: Nurture Warm-Down Email
Objective: Keep the relationship warm without false promises. Position yourself as a future resource.
Structure:
- Thank them for their interest
- Be honest (but tactful) about fit — don't say "you're disqualified", say "given where [Company] is today, the timing might not be perfect"
- Offer genuine value — share a resource relevant to their current stage/situation
- Leave the door open — invite them to reach out when circumstances change
- No hard CTA — this is a soft touch, not a sales push
Template framework:
Subject: [First Name] — thanks for your interest in [Product]
Hi [First Name],
Thanks for [action they took]. I looked into [Company] and really like
[genuine compliment — what they're building, their growth, their approach].
Based on where [Company] is right now, I think [honest reason the timing
isn't right, framed positively — e.g., "you'd get the most value from us
once your team scales past X" or "this tends to be most impactful after Y
milestone"].
In the meantime, [here's a resource / I'd recommend / you might find this useful] —
[brief description of why it's relevant to them NOW, not just to your product].
I'll keep an eye on [Company] — would love to reconnect when the timing
is better. Feel free to reach out anytime.
Best,
[Sender Name]
Rules:
- Never say "disqualified", "not a fit", "don't meet our criteria"
- Frame timing as the issue, not them — "not yet" beats "not ever"
- The shared resource should be genuinely useful to them at their current stage, not just a product pitch
- Keep it under 100 words
- Warm but not overly familiar
Category 3 Response: Polite Decline Email
Objective: Decline gracefully while leaving a positive impression of your brand.
Structure:
- Thank them for their interest
- Brief honest explanation — keep it high-level ("we specialize in X and it sounds like you need Y")
- Redirect if possible — suggest an alternative tool/service if you know one
- Close warmly
Template framework:
Subject: Thanks for reaching out, [First Name]
Hi [First Name],
Thanks for your interest in [Product]. I appreciate you taking the time to
[action they took].
We're focused specifically on [your niche/ICP in plain language], and it
sounds like [their situation — framed neutrally, not critically] might be
a different use case from what we're built for.
[If you know an alternati