--- title: "Sales Prospecting Audit: Free 15-Question Scorecard" description: "Audit your outbound prospecting in 15 questions: a score for each pillar (data, tools, cadence, metrics, coaching), your maturity level, top 3 fixes and a PDF." url: https://skipcall.io/en/tools/sales-prospecting-audit language: en --- [Free tools](https://skipcall.io/en/tools) # Sales prospecting audit Fifteen questions about what your team actually does: data, tools, cadence, metrics and coaching. A score for each pillar, your maturity level, and the three fixes that will pay off most. 5 minutes, no sign-up About 5 minutes ## Fifteen questions, five pillars Answer for what has actually happened over the past month, not what’s planned. One click per answer, or keys 1 to 4. - Data Written ICP · Direct dials · Freshness and source - Tools Dialing mode · CRM logging · Caller ID - Cadence Protected call blocks · Call attempts · Sequence - Metrics Funnel rates · Targets · Cost per meeting - Coaching Call reviews · Talk track and objections · Onboarding Your answers stay in your browser. The tool sends nothing and stores nothing. How to check ## What is a sales prospecting audit? A sales prospecting audit is a review of how a team finds and reaches prospects: who it targets, with which tools, at what pace, what it measures and how it improves. It doesn’t grade people. It spots the missing practices, and the order to put them in place. This tool runs it in fifteen closed questions. Each answer describes something you can observe (a written ICP, call blocks on the calendar, a call scorecard) rather than a feeling like “are we good on the phone?” That’s what makes the result comparable quarter to quarter, and teammate to teammate. At a glance - Five pillars: data, tools, cadence, metrics, coaching. - Three questions per pillar, 0 to 3 points each. - Five maturity levels: ad hoc, emerging, structured, managed, optimized. - Three fixes ranked by impact × ease, each with three actions and a free tool. - Side-by-side comparison with a past audit, or with a teammate’s answers. ## The five pillars and fifteen criteria An outbound machine stands on five pillars. When one is missing, the others can’t make up for it: great tools don’t call a bad list any better, and numbers nobody uses don’t help anyone improve. 1. ### 1/5 Data Who you call and with which numbers: target accounts, direct dials, data freshness and source. - Q1 Written ICP Without a written ICP, every rep calls “their” prospects and no number compares from one rep to the next. It’s the first thing to check. - Q2 Direct dials A switchboard stretches every attempt and screens the call. Direct-dial coverage is often the first cap on how many conversations you get. “I don’t know” is an answer too: it means nobody tracks it. - Q3 Freshness and source People change jobs and numbers, so a list decays even when nobody touches it. Logging the source also lets you answer a prospect who asks where you got their number, and honor opt-outs. 2. ### 2/5 Tools How you call: dialing mode, CRM logging, the caller ID prospects see. - Q4 Dialing mode Time spent finding a number, dialing it and waiting is time without a conversation. The right mode depends on your volume and your connect rate. - Q5 CRM logging If it isn’t logged, it didn’t happen: no timely follow-up, no numbers, no clean handoff. And every manual entry eats selling time. - Q6 Caller ID A blocked, unknown or spam-flagged number drags pickup rates down, however good the rep is. 3. ### 3/5 Cadence When and how often: call blocks, attempts per prospect, sequences. - Q7 Protected call blocks Prospecting is the task that gets pushed back first. Blocked time, at the hours your prospects pick up, is the cheapest lever in this audit. - Q8 Call attempts Plenty of conversations happen after several tries. Quitting after one call wastes the list; pushing with no rule burns prospects. Stay within the calling rules that apply to the people you call. - Q9 Sequence A written sequence (calls, emails, messages, delays) makes the work repeatable and measurable. Without one, every rep invents their own and nothing compares. 4. ### 4/5 Metrics What you know about your results: funnel rates, targets, cost per meeting. - Q10 Funnel rates Without these rates you can’t tell whether the problem is the data (pickups), the pitch (conversation to meeting) or the volume. - Q11 Targets A dial count set with no link to your rates can’t tell you whether the meeting goal is reachable. Working back from pipeline makes the target fair and defensible. - Q12 Cost per meeting It’s the number that lets you compare a hire, a data source or a tool, and tells you whether outbound pays. 5. ### 5/5 Coaching How the team gets better: call reviews, a shared talk track, onboarding. - Q13 Call reviews Listening to calls is the most direct way to see why a rate moves. A shared scorecard keeps the feedback objective and followed up. - Q14 Talk track and objections A shared talk track (opener, questions, common objections) stops reps reinventing every call and lets you test one line against another. - Q15 Onboarding Every week of ramp costs salary without meetings. A written plan shortens ramp and makes the team less dependent on one person. ## The maturity framework: five levels The framework is a scorecard written by Skipcall from hands-on B2B phone prospecting. It borrows the logic of five-level maturity models, made popular in software development by CMM, now CMMI: you don’t jump from level 1 to level 4, and each level builds on the one before. It isn’t market data. It doesn’t say where the average company sits, and no market statistic goes into the score. It describes what you see at each level, so you know where you stand and what the next tier looks like. [CMMI Institute (ISACA), five-level maturity model](https://cmmiinstitute.com/) 1. Level 1 Ad hoc Prospecting depends on each rep’s energy. Results swing from month to month and nobody can explain why. 2. Level 2 Emerging The basics exist but don’t stick. A good month doesn’t reliably happen again. 3. Level 3 Structured Practices are written down and everyone follows them. Results become predictable. 4. Level 4 Managed Numbers drive decisions every week. You know why a month was good or bad. 5. Level 5 Optimized Every change is tested, measured, then rolled out. The machine keeps improving itself. **### Data pillar: the five levels** 1. 1 **Ad hoc.** No written ICP. Lists come from assorted exports with no known source or date. Most numbers are switchboards. 2. 2 **Emerging.** Everyone “knows” the ICP, but it isn’t written. Lists have a known source but were never verified; direct dials are scarce. 3. 3 **Structured.** Written ICP (industries, company sizes, titles). Source logged for every list, verified within the year, a solid share of direct dials. 4. 4 **Managed.** ICP reviewed against closed-won deals. Valid-number rate tracked per list, scheduled refreshes, opt-outs logged. 5. 5 **Optimized.** Every data source is judged on the conversations and meetings it produces, and the ICP moves with the numbers. **### Tools pillar: the five levels** 1. 1 **Ad hoc.** Numbers dialed by hand from a cell phone or a spreadsheet. Nothing gets logged after the call. Blocked or personal caller ID. 2. 2 **Emerging.** Click-to-dial, one call at a time. The CRM gets the outcome when someone remembers. One shared number, never checked. 3. 3 **Structured.** The list runs without retyping numbers. Outcome and notes logged on every call. Business numbers shown consistently. 4. 4 **Managed.** Dialing mode picked per list. Calls logged to the CRM automatically. Number reputation monitored. 5. 5 **Optimized.** Tools hand time back to conversations: log, summary and next task with no typing, and the team knows what each tool returns. **### Cadence pillar: the five levels** 1. 1 **Ad hoc.** Reps call when they have time. One try per prospect, then move on. Everyone has their own method. 2. 2 **Emerging.** A few call blocks that often get bumped. Two or three follow-ups with no rule. Known steps, nothing written. 3. 3 **Structured.** Daily call blocks on the calendar. A set number of attempts at varied times. A written sequence: channels, order, delays. 4. 4 **Managed.** Call blocks placed when your own data shows the most pickups. Sequences per segment, reviewed against results. 5. 5 **Optimized.** Cadence is tested: every change to timing, attempt count or channel order is measured before it’s rolled out. **### Metrics pillar: the five levels** 1. 1 **Ad hoc.** Nothing tracked: gut feel only. No activity target. 2. 2 **Emerging.** Dials and meetings get counted. The target is a daily dial count set once and never revisited. 3. 3 **Structured.** Funnel rates calculated regularly. Targets start from meetings. Cost per meeting calculated at least once. 4. 4 **Managed.** Weekly dashboard by rep and by segment. Targets built back from pipeline. Cost per meeting tracked every quarter. 5. 5 **Optimized.** Decisions on data, cadence and hiring are made on the numbers, and the team knows which lever moves which rate. **### Coaching pillar: the five levels** 1. 1 **Ad hoc.** Nobody listens to calls. Everyone wings it. New hires learn on the job. 2. 2 **Emerging.** Calls get reviewed when something goes wrong. A script exists but goes unused. New hires shadow a peer for a few days. 3. 3 **Structured.** Monthly call reviews with a scorecard. Up-to-date talk track and objection responses. Written onboarding plan. 4. 4 **Managed.** Weekly call reviews with one focus point carried from session to session. Talk track updated from reviewed calls. Ramp targets. 5. 5 **Optimized.** Coaching is routine: the best calls become training material, objection practice is regular, ramp time is measured. ### The target depends on team size - Just you: level 3 (structured) on four pillars, level 2 on coaching, which you do for yourself. - 2 to 5 people: level 3 across the board. - 6 people or more: level 4 (managed) across the board. With a manager and several reps, weekly numbers and regular call reviews become a must. ## How the score works 1. 1 ### Points per answer Each question has four answers, from least structured (0 points) to most structured (3 points). “Not applicable,” offered only for onboarding, takes the question out of the math without penalizing you. 2. 2 ### A score per pillar Points earned over points possible, out of 100. The pillar level follows five tiers: under 20, 20 to 39, 40 to 59, 60 to 84, 85 and up. With three questions, that’s 0 or 1 point for level 1; 2 or 3 for level 2; 4 or 5 for level 3; 6 or 7 for level 4; 8 or 9 for level 5. 3. 3 ### An overall level capped by the weakest link The overall score is the average of the five pillars. Its level can’t sit more than one tier above your weakest pillar: a team can’t be “managed” on an ad hoc list. 4. 4 ### Three fixes ranked by impact × ease Every question under 3 points is a candidate. Impact: missing points times the question’s weight (1 to 3), plus 25% when its pillar is below target. Ease: 1 (a quarter) to 3 (a few days). The top three make the cut, one per pillar whenever possible. | Question | Weight | Ease | | - | - | - | | Data · Written ICP | ●●● | ●●● | | Data · Direct dials | ●●● | ●●○ | | Data · Freshness and source | ●●○ | ●●○ | | Tools · Dialing mode | ●●● | ●●○ | | Tools · CRM logging | ●●○ | ●●○ | | Tools · Caller ID | ●●○ | ●●● | | Cadence · Protected call blocks | ●●● | ●●● | | Cadence · Call attempts | ●●● | ●●● | | Cadence · Sequence | ●●○ | ●●○ | | Metrics · Funnel rates | ●●● | ●●○ | | Metrics · Targets | ●●○ | ●●● | | Metrics · Cost per meeting | ●●○ | ●●● | | Coaching · Call reviews | ●●● | ●●○ | | Coaching · Talk track and objections | ●●○ | ●●● | | Coaching · Onboarding | ●○○ | ●○○ | Targets by team size: just you 3-3-3-3-2, 2 to 5 people 3-3-3-3-3, 6 to 20 4-4-4-4-4, over 20 4-4-4-4-4 (in pillar order). ## Getting the most out of the audit - ### Answer for the past month Not for what’s planned, or written in a doc nobody opens. A practice counts if it actually happened in the last four weeks. - ### Take it in pairs The manager on one side, a rep on the other, then paste one link into “Compare with another audit.” The answers that differ are often the first thing to fix. - ### One fix at a time Launch the first fix, measure it for a month, then move on. Three fixes in parallel rarely means three fixes finished. - ### Retake it every quarter Keep your audit link. Three months later, paste it into the comparison: the gap on each pillar shows what really changed. ## Common mistakes - ### Buying a tool to fix a data problem A faster dialer on a switchboard-heavy list mostly gets you more switchboards. If Data is your weakest pillar, start there. - ### Judging the team on dial count alone Volume is a means. Without pickup and meeting rates, you push activity without knowing where it leaks. - ### Writing a script nobody uses A script only exists if it’s revised from reviewed calls and drilled in practice. Otherwise it’s worth the same as “everyone wings it.” - ### Fixing everything at once Changing call times, lists and talk track in the same week makes it impossible to know what worked. One change at a time, measured. - ### Forgetting the rules Your list should be defensible: where each number came from, and how someone can opt out. See the box below. ## The rules to keep in mind In the US, the FTC’s Telemarketing Sales Rule exempts most business-to-business calls, but not calls selling nondurable office or cleaning supplies, and its bans on misrepresentation still apply to every B2B call. The exemption doesn’t cover everything else either: the FCC’s TCPA rules still restrict autodialed and prerecorded calls to cell phones, and state laws can add their own requirements. Calling consumers is a different regime: the National Do Not Call Registry, calling-hour limits and, in many states, stricter rules. Calling into Europe follows other rules: in France, for example, B2B phone prospecting rests on legitimate interest, with notice and an easy way to opt out. - [16 CFR § 310.6(b)(7), business-to-business exemption](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/16/310.6) - [47 CFR § 64.1200, TCPA rules](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/47/64.1200) - [CNIL (France), phone prospecting rules](https://cnil.fr/fr/prospection-commerciale-par-telephone-hors-automate-dappel-quelles-sont-les-regles) Checked November 6, 2026. Information, not legal advice. [Check a call with the compliance checker](https://skipcall.io/en/tools/cold-calling-compliance-checker) ## Go further The guides and tools that take each pillar further. - [How to improve SDR performance The diagnostic that finds the real bottleneck, rep by rep.](https://skipcall.io/en/blog/how-to-improve-sdr-performance) - [The SDR playbook Build a sales development team that hits quota.](https://skipcall.io/en/blog/sdr-playbook) - [The sales prospecting guide Cadence, follow-up and workflow for B2B teams.](https://skipcall.io/en/blog/sales-prospecting-guide) - [Cold call connect rate benchmarks Sourced connect rates to put your funnel numbers in context.](https://skipcall.io/en/blog/cold-call-connect-rate-benchmarks) - [Which Dialer Quiz Eight questions to choose between manual, power and parallel dialing.](https://skipcall.io/en/tools/which-dialer-quiz) - [Which Data Provider Quiz The phone data provider that fits your ICP and countries.](https://skipcall.io/en/tools/which-data-provider-quiz) ## How to check nothing leaves your browser Everything runs in your browser. Open your developer tools (Network tab) and answer the questions: no request goes out. Nothing is stored, not even in the browser. The share link only holds your answers, one digit from 0 to 3 per question, plus team size (two sets of digits when you compare two audits). No name, no company, no revenue figures. ## A calendar full of meetings starts with a call. [Get started now](https://app.skipcall.io/signup) [Book a demo](https://skipcall.io/en/demo) **No commitment** · Number live in 2 minutes ## Frequently asked questions **What is a sales prospecting audit?** It’s a review of how a team finds and reaches prospects. This one covers five pillars (data, tools, cadence, metrics, coaching) in fifteen questions about observable practices, and returns a score, a maturity level and three priority fixes. **Is the maturity framework a market average?** No. It’s a maturity scorecard written by Skipcall that describes what you see at each of five levels. No market statistic goes into the score. It shows where your practices stand and what the next tier looks like, not how you rank against other companies. **How long does the audit take?** About five minutes: fifteen single-answer questions plus team size. Results show up right after the last answer, and every answer stays editable. **How are the top three fixes chosen?** Every question under 3 points is a candidate. Missing points are multiplied by the question’s weight, boosted when its pillar is below target, then by how easy it is to put in place. The top three make the cut, one per pillar whenever possible. **Why is my overall level lower than my average?** Because the overall level can’t sit more than one tier above your weakest pillar. A team with great tools and an ad hoc list is still held back by the list. **Can I take the audit if I prospect alone?** Yes. Pick “Just me”: the target becomes level 3 on four pillars and level 2 on coaching. You can review your own call recordings, and mark onboarding as not applicable. **How do I get the PDF report?** Once you finish, click “PDF report”: your browser’s print dialog opens on a one-page report. Pick “Save as PDF.” Nothing is sent to a server. **How often should we retake the audit?** Once a quarter is enough. Keep your share link: next quarter, paste it into “Compare with another audit.” The radar overlays both audits, and a table shows the change on each pillar and which answers moved. **How is a prospecting audit different from a sales audit?** A sales audit covers the whole sales function: strategy, offer, pricing, account management, retention. A prospecting audit zooms in on new business: how the team picks, calls and turns new prospects into meetings. It’s shorter, and it ends with actions you can start next week. **Can a manager and a rep compare their answers?** Yes. Each person takes the audit and copies their link. One pastes the other’s link into “Compare with another audit,” and every question where your answers differ shows up. It’s often the best agenda for a team meeting.