5 questions to qualify a lead on WhatsApp (with lines you can copy)
By Madhur Tyagi · · 7 min read
In short
Five questions tell you if a WhatsApp lead is a buyer: what they want done, by when, the budget range, who else decides, and why they are looking now. Ask one or two per message, share your price range early, and save each question as a quick reply.
Why trust this: written by Madhur Tyagi, founder of The Human Algorithm. 8+ years in performance marketing, 25+ brands since 2017.
Jump to the copy paste WhatsApp scripts ↓
Picture Rohan. He runs a home interiors studio in Hyderabad, and most of his projects start at ₹4 lakh.
About 40 people message him on WhatsApp each week. His team replies to every one, sends the catalogue and books site visits. Most visits go nowhere.
Rohan is made up. The wasted hours are real for many Indian businesses, so here are five questions that sort buyers from browsers, kindly.
Five questions tell you if a WhatsApp lead is ready to buy. What do they want done? By when? What budget range are they working with? Who else decides? And why are they looking now?
Most businesses ask none of them. They send the catalogue, the price list and a "let me know". Then the team spends its week on people who were just browsing. Qualifying is about knowing where to spend your time, and helping each lead get the right next step.
This guide gives you the five questions with lines to copy, what each answer tells you, and how to set them up on WhatsApp in ten minutes.
Key takeawayQualifying means knowing where to spend your time.
I have spent 8+ years in performance marketing, with 25+ brands since 2017. Again and again, the businesses that close well know, within a few messages, which leads to call.
The 5 question method, October 2026
Up next You know qualifying is about your time. Next: why so many leads go nowhere, seen through one studio's week.
Why do so many WhatsApp leads go nowhere?
Because nobody asks what the lead wants before sending the catalogue and booking a visit. Browsers and buyers get the same time, so real buyers wait.
Picture Rohan's Thursday. Priya messages: "Hi, interested in interiors." His team sends a 30 page catalogue and asks for a site visit. Priya agrees, because it is free. The designer drives 40 minutes. Priya says she is moving next year and wanted ideas.
Nobody did anything wrong. Nobody asked a question either. The team treated every message as a buyer, so the real buyers waited in the queue behind the browsers.
From hello to the right next step
The 5 questions, in the order buyers think
- 1Whatquestion 1What do you want to get done?
- 2Whenquestion 2This month, in three months, or later?
- 3How muchquestion 3Share your range, then ask if it is close.
- 4Whoquestion 4Will anyone else be part of the decision?
- 5Why nowquestion 5What made you start looking now?
The five questions below follow the order a buyer thinks in: what, when, how much, who and why now. Ask them in that order, one or two at a time.
Up next Question 1 replaces the catalogue as your opening reply.
1. What do they want to get done?
Ask it in your opening reply, with two or three options. The answer tells you if the job fits what you sell.
Rohan's team skipped this. They sent the full catalogue to everyone.
Why it matters: "Interested in interiors" could mean one wardrobe or a full 3 BHK. The answer tells you if the job fits what you sell, and it shows the lead you are listening.
From our own reviews: Of 25 Indian brand and coach funnels The Human Algorithm reviewed on a phone between 22 and 25 October 2026, 4 had a WhatsApp button that opened with a blank line, just "Hi", or a line about a different course. In each case, the team had to start by asking what the person wanted.
Do this: Thank them and ask one open question. "Thanks for reaching out, Priya. What are you looking to get done? A full home, a kitchen, or a few rooms?" Giving options makes it easy to answer on a phone.
Up next You know what they want. Next: the timing question that shows how warm they are.
2. When do they want it done?
Ask with three simple choices: this month, in three months, or later. The answer tells you how warm the lead is and when to follow up.
Priya's honest answer would have been "next year".
Why it matters: Timing tells you how warm the lead is. Someone who needs it before a move in six weeks is a buyer today. Someone thinking about next year needs a light touch now and a reminder later.
Do this: Ask with simple choices. "When would you like it done? This month, in the next three months, or later this year?" Tag the answer so you know who to follow up and when.
The same new lead
Before
Hi, interested in interiors.11:02 AM
Hi! Please see our catalogue (30 pages). When can we visit your site?11:30 AM
Saturday is fine.
(Visit done. “We are moving next year.”)
After
Hi, interested in interiors.11:02 AM
Thanks for reaching out, Priya. What are you looking to get done? A full home, a kitchen, or a few rooms?11:04 AM
Full 3 BHK, but we move next year.11:10 AM
Lovely. I will send a few ideas now and check in with you in March. Does that work?
Up next You know when. Next: the budget question, asked in a way that feels fair.
3. What budget range are they working with?
Share your own price range, then ask if it is close to theirs. It feels fair, and it filters kindly.
Most founders feel awkward asking this, so they never do.
Why it matters: A ₹4 lakh studio and a ₹60,000 budget is a mismatch that no amount of follow up will fix. Asking early saves both sides time.
Do this: Share your range before you ask theirs. It feels fair, and it filters kindly. "Most full home projects with us are between ₹4 lakh and ₹8 lakh. Is that close to what you had in mind?" If they are far below, point them to a smaller package or a free guide. Never ask for card or bank details in the chat. Meta's policy says businesses should not ask people to share full card numbers or financial account numbers on WhatsApp.
Up next Budget is clear. Next: who else has a say before you pitch.
4. Who else is part of the decision?
Ask if anyone else decides, and offer to include them. Many big buys in India are family decisions.
Rohan's designer once gave a full pitch to a husband whose wife made the final call. She never saw it.
Why it matters: Big buys in India are often family decisions. If the real decision maker is not in the conversation, your strongest pitch reaches the wrong person.
Do this: Ask gently and make it easy to include them. "Will anyone else be part of the decision? Happy to add them to the call, or send a short summary they can read." Then make sure your next step reaches everyone who decides.
A catalogue answers a question nobody asked. One good question starts the conversation that sells.
Up next Everyone who decides is in. Next: the question that shows real intent.
5. Why are they looking now?
Ask what made them start looking now. A clear reason and a near date mean the lead is ready for a call.
This is the question that shows real intent.
Why it matters: People rarely act without a trigger. A new flat, a wedding, a launch, a bad experience with someone else. The trigger tells you how urgent it is and what to talk about on the call.
Do this: Ask it with warmth. "What made you start looking now?" Listen to the answer and use their words in your next message. A buyer with a clear reason and a near date is ready for a call. A buyer with neither gets your helpful free content and a check in later.
| Answer you get | What it tells you | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Clear job, this month, budget fits | Ready to buy | Offer a call or visit today |
| Clear job, but later this year | Warm, not urgent | Label later, check in on their date |
| Budget far below your range | Not a fit right now | A smaller package or a free guide |
| Someone else decides | The pitch needs that person | Add them to the call or send a summary |
| No reason, no date | Browsing | Helpful free content, check in later |
A framework by The Human Algorithm.
Key takeawayWhat, when, how much, who and why now. One or two at a time, in that order.
Up next All five are asked. Next: what changed for Rohan, and how many hours you could get back.
What changed for Rohan?
His team now spends its week on ready buyers, and nobody is ignored.
Rohan saved the five questions as quick replies on the WhatsApp Business app. His team types "/" in a chat and picks the next one, then edits the name and sends.
Each lead now gets a label: ready, later or not a fit. Site visits go to the ready ones. The later ones get a check in on the date they named. The ones who are not a fit get a kind reply and a free guide.
Nobody is ignored. The difference is that the designers now spend their week with people who know what they want, by when, and roughly what it costs.
Key takeawayNobody ignored. Your team's week goes to people who are ready.
How do you ask the 5 questions on WhatsApp? Copy paste scripts
Here are the 5 questions as ready messages. Save each one as a quick reply and send one or two at a time. Each comes in English and Hinglish. Change the words in [brackets], tap Copy, then paste it into WhatsApp.
What do they want done?
Thanks for reaching out, [name]. What are you looking to get done? [option 1], [option 2] or [option 3]?
Message ke liye thank you, [name]. Aap kya karwana chahte hain? [option 1], [option 2] ya [option 3]?
By when?
When would you like it done? This month, in the next three months, or later this year?
Yeh kab tak chahiye? Isi mahine, agle teen mahine mein, ya is saal thoda baad mein?
What budget range?
Most [project type] projects with us are between [low] and [high]. Is that close to what you had in mind?
Humare zyada tar [project type] projects [low] se [high] ke beech hote hain. Kya yeh aapke budget ke aas paas hai?
Who else decides?
Will anyone else be part of the decision? Happy to add them to the call, or send a short summary they can read.
Decision mein koi aur bhi shaamil hai? Unhe call pe add kar sakte hain, ya ek chhota summary bhej dete hain jo woh padh sakein.
Why now?
What made you start looking now?
Abhi dekhna kyun shuru kiya? Koi khaas wajah?
Send the Hinglish version to buyers who write to you in Hinglish. Save the ones you use most as quick replies in WhatsApp Business.
How many hours go to leads who were never going to buy?
Every hour your team spends on a browser is an hour a ready buyer waits in the queue.
Often more than you think. Put your own numbers in the calculator below.
Use last month's numbers. The highlighted line is time your team could give to real buyers instead.
The 5 questions in one place
| Question | Line to copy | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What | What are you looking to get done? A full home, a kitchen, or a few rooms? | Options are easy to answer on a phone |
| 2. When | When would you like it done? This month, in three months, or later? | Shows how warm the lead is |
| 3. How much | Most projects with us are between ₹4 lakh and ₹8 lakh. Is that close to what you had in mind? | Sharing your range up front feels fair |
| 4. Who | Will anyone else be part of the decision? Happy to add them. | Your pitch reaches everyone who decides |
| 5. Why now | What made you start looking now? | The trigger shows urgency and the angle |
A framework by The Human Algorithm. Change the words in the examples to your business.
Score your lead qualifying on the 5 checks
0/100
Qualify score
Tick what is true for your business today
Each tick updates your score. Use your real numbers from last month.
Useful? Send it to your team or keep the checklist.
Opens WhatsApp with the link ready. You choose who gets it. Save gives you a one page checklist to print or keep as a PDF.
What should you remember?
- Five questions qualify a WhatsApp lead: what, when, how much, who and why now.
- Ask one or two per message, so it feels like a chat, not a form.
- Share your price range before you ask about their budget.
- Include everyone who decides before you pitch.
- Save the questions as quick replies and label every lead: ready, later or not a fit.
- Never ask for card or bank details in the chat.
Sources
- Original data: The Human Algorithm's own reviews of 25 Indian brand and coach funnels (15 coaches, 10 D2C brands), each walked on a phone from the live ad to the page between 22 and 25 October 2026. Counts are taken from the review notes, where every leak is written as seen on the live page. Brand names are not shared.
- WhatsApp Help Center: How to use quick replies (read 25 October 2026: save a message with a shortcut, then type "/" in a chat to pick it, edit and send.)
- WhatsApp Help Center: How to use labels (read 25 October 2026: create labels and apply them to chats in the WhatsApp Business app.)
- WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy (read 25 October 2026: no full card or financial account numbers in chat, respect every opt out.)
- The question order and the ready, later and not a fit labels are a framework by The Human Algorithm, from Madhur Tyagi's own client work since 2017.
Rohan, Priya and their numbers are made up to show the method. They are illustrations, not real data. WhatsApp changes its features from time to time, so check the pages above.
Questions people ask
What questions should I ask to qualify a lead on WhatsApp?
Ask five: what they want done, when they want it, what budget range they have, who else decides, and why they are looking now. Ask one or two per message, in that order.
Is it rude to ask a lead about their budget?
Not if you share your own range before you ask. "Most projects with us are between ₹4 lakh and ₹8 lakh. Is that close to what you had in mind?" feels fair and saves both sides time.
How many messages should qualifying take on WhatsApp?
Usually three or four short messages, with one or two questions in each. If a lead goes quiet halfway, follow up once with the next question rather than starting again.
What should I do with leads who are not ready yet?
Label them as later, note the date they gave, and check in then. Send one useful free resource in the meantime. A lead who is not ready today can be a buyer in three months.
How do I save time asking the same questions every day?
Save each question as a quick reply in the WhatsApp Business app. Type "/" in a chat, pick the question, change the name and send. Use labels to sort leads into ready, later and not a fit.
Know a founder whose team chases every lead the same way? Send them this.
Opens WhatsApp with the link ready. You choose who gets it.
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