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Why Offer Discovery Calls to Potential Clients?

When we start as freelancers, we must constantly seek new business opportunities. What can you do to ensure you find engaging customers and projects? Before sending your contract of service, why not take the time to offer a discovery call to potential clients? Believe us; providing a free meeting has several advantages. Let us see them more closely. <h3>What is a discovery call?</h3> A discovery call is a free meeting between a business, like a freelancer, and a potential client. It happens at the beginning of the business relationship. The discovery call lets us learn more about the client, its values, and needs. On the other hand,  freelancers can also benefit from this opportunity to present themselves, answer questions, explain how they work, and discuss their products and services. More and more freelancers offer discovery calls to potential clients even if they are not actively <a href="https://www.momenteo.com/blog/5-ways-to-find-new-contracts" target="_blank">looking for new contracts</a>. It is a tool you should pay attention to. <h3>Why offer discovery calls?</h3> If you own a business, you are likely busy. Nevertheless, here are five reasons why you should take the time to offer discovery calls. It allows you to understand the needs better The first advantage of discovery calls is that it is a golden opportunity to learn more about your potential customers' needs. You can customize your offer and encore to meet all their criteria by understanding what they need better. It allows you to see if it is an interesting project Similarly, by letting your potential client present their ideas and project, you can see if it is something that could interest you or be capable of doing. You can also ask questions to understand what the person wants. It allows you to see if you want to work with this person Moreover, a discovery call lets you learn more about your potential clients. If the person is late, constantly interrupts you, or wants to lower your rate, it could mean you will not enjoy working for them. Discovery calls can help you avoid bad clients. It allows you to show that you care about providing great service If your potential client is looking for a professional, a discovery call can make a huge difference, especially if they are getting many quotes. Discussing with them and answering their questions will show that you care about providing the best service possible. It is not all freelancers who offer these meetings. It allows you to discuss your work terms Finally, a discovery call is the perfect moment to discuss your rate and work terms. You may need some time to <a href="https://www.momenteo.com/blog/how-to-come-up-with-a-winning-quote" target="_blank">come up with a quote</a>, but you can benefit from this opportunity to discuss your price and packages, and your schedule and delays. <h3>How to manage discovery calls effectively</h3> How does it work now that you know more about the benefits of offering discovery calls to potential clients? Let us give you a few tips on managing these meetings effectively. Use an appointment management tool First, we strongly recommend you use an appointment management tool to help you with your discovery calls. Besides automating the process, your potential client will only need to choose a date and time and book their meeting without you having to do a thing. Among the most known tools are Calendly, GoRendezVous, and Google Agenda. Add a link to your website or social media networks Why not add a booking link directly to your website or social media pages to ease the appointment process? This way, if a potential client discovers one of your pages and wants to contact you, they will be able to do it easily. Send a small form to fill up If you fear having nothing to say during the discovery call, here is a small tip: When they book an appointment, ask your potential client to answer a few questions. It will help find discussion topics and better determine their needs before the meeting. Set a time limit for the discovery call As mentioned above, you may not have much time to discuss with potential clients. Here is another little tip: When you use an appointment management tool, you can set a time limit for the meeting. Planning a two-hour call is unnecessary; you can provide a free discovery meeting of 20 or 30 minutes. Send a summary email Finally, remember to write a summary email after your discovery call. Thank your potential clients for their time, and come back on the key elements of your meeting. You can also say when they should expect your quote or if you want to proceed with the project or not. Whatever your decision, be polite and professional. We never know the future, and you may meet this potential client again. In conclusion, discovery calls are an interesting tool to help you <a href="https://www.momenteo.com/blog/how-to-convince-potential-customers-to-choose-you" target="_blank">convince potential clients</a> to work with you if you are a freelancer. Besides having the opportunity to answer all questions, you will have the chance to see if it is a relevant project or a respectful collaborator. Whatever the services you offer, remember to add a link directly to your website and keep some time for these meetings.

Ariane