A discovery call has one job: to find out whether this project is worth taking before you invest hours in a proposal. Without a script, calls drift into friendly chat and end with no decision and no information.

Start with the client's goal, not their requested deliverable. Ask what success looks like and what problem the project solves. Clients often ask for a website when they really need more bookings, and that distinction changes your entire proposal.

Budget, timeline, and decision-maker questions feel awkward only when asked bluntly. Framed as planning questions, they are natural: have you set aside a budget range for this, when do you need it live, and who else signs off on the final version.

End every call with a clear next step and a date. A call that ends with I'll send something over is a call that stalls. One that ends with I'll send the proposal by Thursday and we'll review it Friday moves forward.