A short pre-agreement protocol for moving on quickly when a prospect has the right problem but no practical path to execution.
Low-fit opportunities are emotionally expensive.
They are often polite, interested, and financially unclear. You can keep the conversation professional without pretending they are a perfect fit.
The pre-agreement protocol
Use this sequence before proposals:
1. Clarify expected outcome and timeline
2. Confirm decision authority and communication pace
3. State your default operating constraints
4. Share two scenarios: full support or reduced-scope engagement
This keeps the path transparent and avoids the common trap of doing unpaid qualification work.
Turn decline into relationship behavior
When you decline, include a specific route for future contact:
- referral type
- warm colleague type
- relevant condition for return
That keeps the relationship useful and avoids burning a door for a later fit.
You do not protect only your margins by filtering opportunities. You protect your focus, which is your most scalable asset.
[Protect your focus](https://getconsultkit.com)
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