# Signal Quality Ladder

Use this ladder to separate polite market noise from commercial intent before scaling North America spend.

| Level | Signal | What It Means | Evidence To Capture |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Polite Interest | "Interesting, send more info." | Source, role, context, requested follow-up |
| 2 | Specific Engagement | They ask detailed questions. | Use case, workflow, constraints, objections |
| 3 | Time Commitment | They agree to a serious next step. | Meeting date, attendees, agenda, decision role |
| 4 | Economic Signal | Budget, timeline, procurement, or pilot scope appears. | Budget owner, timing, scope, success criteria |
| 5 | Conversion | They pay, sign, pilot, or introduce decision makers. | Agreement, pilot plan, purchase step, referral |

Leadership question: Which signals are strong enough to justify more spend, and which still need validation?