Once you start consistently sending proposals, it’s only a matter of time before potential clients will ask to hop on a call. Yes, the dreaded discovery call.

Can I be really honest here for a second? Even after four years of freelancing, I don’t really like doing discovery calls.

I wish I were more evolved than this, but I’m not. It just goes to show that no matter how much you love what you do, there will always be about 20% that you dread no matter what.

I get nervous before every single call, and worry I’ll say the wrong thing or embarrass myself. If I had it my way, I would only ever communicate with clients over email.

But if I never did discovery calls, I would have missed out on some of my very best clients. And discovery calls are a great way to start building a relationship with clients in a way that you just can’t do over email.

7 tips to nail your next discovery call

I don’t know if I’ll ever like doing discovery calls, but I’ve found that preparing for them makes it easier.

Here are seven ways you can nail your next discovery call:

1. Prepare ahead of time

If you want your discovery calls to go well then you must prepare ahead of time.

Look at the client’s website and make sure you understand what it is they do.

If they have a blog, read through some of their blog posts to get a sense for their writing style. And most importantly, come up with a list of questions to ask during the call.

Thoughtful questions show the client that you’re engaged and interested in finding ways to help them. Here are some questions that I like to ask during calls:

What is the goal of your blog?
What are your editorial guidelines?
Who is your target audience?
How are you currently utilizing SEO on your website?
Who are some of your competitors?

2. Prepare an overview of your background

Over the years, I’ve learned that every discovery call is pretty much the same. The client will tell you about their project, and then they’ll ask you to tell them about your background.

I used to freeze everytime a client would ask me to talk about myself. I would nervously stumble over my words, and hope I didn’t sound completely incompetent.

Then one day, I had a very obvious revelation - I can just come up with something ahead of time. I know that every single client is going to ask that question, so why should I ever be unprepared and unsure of what to say?

Here is a sample overview you could use:

“I work mostly with B2B companies and digital marketing companies that outsource their blog posts to me. I primarily write blog posts and website copy. I also can help businesses manage the content they have and work on their strategy for future content.”

3. Be prepared to do a video call

Unless the client asks for your phone number and specifically says they’ll call you, I would assume you’re going to be on video. So you should prepare for that scenario ahead of time.

Make sure you’re showered and that you look nice. Find a neutral, uncluttered background and make sure you have somewhere quiet where you can talk. And for the love of God, don’t use one of those awful Zoom virtual backgrounds!

And most of all, don’t lie and tell the client that your video camera is broken and that you can only do audio. That’s just lazy and unprofessional.

4. Make it all about the client

Whenever I find myself getting really nervous about a discovery call then I know I’m making it all about me.

I don’t want to look stupid, I don’t want to be put on the spot, I wish they would just hire me over email.

I, I, I.

But discovery calls are about the client and how you can help them. So ask them about their goals and pain points, and really listen to their response. Not only will this make you less nervous, but it’ll massively increase your odds of landing the job.

5. Focus on value over price

A lot of freelancers try to compete on price, and this is always a mistake. Unless you’re working for free (which I don’t recommend!) then there’s always going to be someone out there who charges less than you.

And good clients aren’t trying to save money -- they know hiring a qualified freelancer costs more. They’re interested in the value you bring to the table and how hiring you will make their life easier.

This could be things like:

Auditing their content for SEO
Identifying any gaps in their current content strategy
Industry-specific knowledge and experience that you have
Doing in-depth research
Providing royalty-free stock photos
Writing edited and error-free blog posts

6. Ask about the next steps

Toward the end of every call I like to ask, “Okay, what should our next steps be?” The client may be ready to hire you right then and there, or they may want to talk to some other freelancers first.

Either way, this is an easy way to wrap up the call and move them toward the next step, which is hiring you. And once you get off the call, you should send a follow-up email.

In your email, thank the client for taking the time to meet with you, and recap everything you talked about on the call. You can also include a few writing samples that you didn’t send in your original proposal.

7. Don’t get discouraged if they don’t hire you

And finally, don’t get discouraged if the client doesn’t end up hiring you.

The call was not a waste because you met someone new and gained valuable experience.

Go connect with that person on LinkedIn, and make sure to keep in touch with them.

You never know what will happen in the future.

The person they did hire could end up not working out and the client may be in the market for a new freelancer in a few months. If you made a good impression on the call, and make a point to keep in touch, you’ll be top of mind when they’re looking to hire again.

The bottom line on discovery calls

Discovery calls are nerve-wracking, but they are necessary if you want to land high-paying freelance writing clients. And if you prepare ahead of time, you can go into every call feeling confident and ready to provide value.

If you liked this blog post, then you definitely need to check out my free webinar, How to Use Upwork as a Freelance Writer. This webinar is full of encouraging and practical advice to help you grow your freelance writer business.

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