Key Discovery Call Questions for E-commerce Google Ads Clients
Landing successful Google Ads management clients in the competitive e-commerce space requires more than just technical skill; it demands a deep understanding of their unique business challenges and opportunities. A well-structured discovery call is your most powerful tool for uncovering these crucial details, allowing you to tailor your strategy, set appropriate expectations, and, critically, align your pricing with the potential value you can deliver.
This article outlines essential discovery call questions Google Ads ecommerce agencies must ask to effectively qualify leads, build rapport, and gather the insights needed to craft winning proposals that resonate with profitability-focused e-commerce businesses.
Understanding Their E-commerce Business & Core Goals
Before discussing campaigns or keywords, you need to grasp the fundamentals of their business. This phase is about seeing the world through their eyes – understanding their market position, ideal customer, and overarching objectives.
Key Questions:
- What is your primary business model (e.g., direct-to-consumer, B2B e-commerce, marketplace)?
- Who is your ideal target customer, and what are their key pain points or desires?
- What are your top-selling product categories or specific products?
- What are your biggest business challenges or growth bottlenecks right now (beyond just marketing)?
- What are your overall business goals for the next 12-24 months (e.g., specific revenue targets, profitability goals, market share)?
- How does Google Ads fit into your broader marketing strategy and business vision?
- What is your average order value (AOV) and estimated customer lifetime value (LTV)? (Crucial metrics for profitability calculations)
- What are your typical gross margins on products/orders?
Evaluating Current Google Ads Performance & History
Gain insight into their past and present Google Ads efforts. This helps you understand what has been tried, what the results were, and identify potential quick wins or major challenges.
Key Questions:
- Can you walk me through your current Google Ads setup and strategy?
- Have you managed Google Ads internally, with another agency, or a combination?
- What were the results (positive and negative) of your previous Google Ads efforts?
- What did you like or dislike about working with previous agencies or internal teams?
- Do you have access to historical data in Google Ads and Google Analytics? Can you share access?
- What are your current key performance indicators (KPIs) for Google Ads (e.g., ROAS, CPA, Conversion Rate, Traffic Volume)?
- What tracking mechanisms do you currently have in place (e.g., conversion tracking, Google Tag Manager, analytics)? Is it accurate?
Assessing Operational Readiness & Conversion Potential
Google Ads success for e-commerce is heavily reliant on the website’s ability to convert traffic. Understanding their operational capabilities is also key to setting realistic expectations and identifying factors outside your direct control.
Key Questions:
- What is your website’s typical conversion rate? How does this vary by traffic source or device?
- What is the average site speed and mobile experience like for users?
- Are there any known friction points in your website’s user journey or checkout process?
- How do you handle customer service, returns, and exchanges? (Impacts reviews and brand perception)
- What is your current fulfillment and shipping process like? (Crucial for customer satisfaction and repeat business)
- How do you manage inventory? Are there frequent stock-outs or issues?
- Are you currently running any A/B tests or conversion rate optimization (CRO) efforts on your site?
Discussing Budget, Value, and Pricing Expectations
This is where you transition towards determining if the financial expectations align and how to structure a proposal that reflects the value you’ll create. Don’t just ask “What’s your budget?” – frame the discussion around investment and desired return.
Key Questions:
- What is your planned monthly Google Ads ad spend budget?
- How was this budget determined?
- What return on ad spend (ROAS) or cost per acquisition (CPA) targets are you aiming for?
- How do you view marketing spend – as a cost or an investment?
- Have you worked with agencies on a performance basis (e.g., percentage of spend, revenue share) or fixed fee before?
- What kind of results would make working together a clear success and provide a strong ROI?
- Based on our discussion about your goals and potential opportunities, how are you thinking about the investment required for expert management?
Understanding their perspective on budget and desired ROI is critical for developing a value-based pricing model rather than just cost-plus. Presenting different service tiers or optional add-ons (e.g., advanced tracking setup, landing page optimization consulting) allows clients to choose the level of investment that fits their goals. Tools like PricingLink (https://pricinglink.com) can be incredibly effective here, allowing you to create interactive pricing sheets where clients can select different ad spend tiers, management fee structures (percentage of spend, fixed fee, hybrid), and add-ons, seeing the total cost update live. This modern approach streamlines the pricing conversation and helps filter leads.
Qualifying the Fit and Next Steps
Use the call to ensure they are a good fit for your agency, not just whether you can help them. Qualify their timeline, decision-making process, and expectations for communication.
Key Questions:
- Who will be the main point of contact for Google Ads management?
- Who is involved in the final decision-making process?
- What is your desired timeline for selecting an agency and getting started?
- What are your expectations for communication and reporting?
- What does a successful agency partnership look like to you?
- Do you have any questions for me about our agency, process, or experience?
By the end of the call, you should have enough information to determine if they are a qualified lead, understand their needs deeply, and have the foundation for crafting a compelling proposal. For presenting that proposal, especially if it involves multiple service levels or optional services discovered during the call, a static PDF might fall short. While comprehensive proposal tools like PandaDoc (https://www.pandadoc.com) or Proposify (https://www.proposify.com) offer e-signatures and full contract features, if your primary need is to provide a dynamic, clear, and interactive way for clients to see and select pricing options, PricingLink (https://pricinglink.com) offers a laser-focused and affordable solution. It lets clients configure their service package, making the pricing transparent and easy to digest.
Conclusion
Mastering the discovery call is non-negotiable for e-commerce Google Ads agencies aiming for profitability and client success. It’s the bedrock for understanding their business, setting realistic expectations, and building a pricing structure that reflects the tangible value you’ll deliver.
Key Takeaways:
- Focus questions on the client’s business, not just their Google Ads account.
- Gather specific data points like AOV, LTV, and gross margins to understand their profitability.
- Frame budget discussions around ROI and investment, not just cost.
- Assess their operational readiness as it impacts campaign performance.
- Use discovery insights to tailor your service offering and pricing.
- Consider interactive tools to present complex pricing clearly based on client choices.
By asking the right discovery call questions Google Ads ecommerce clients will appreciate your thoroughness, and you’ll be equipped to build more accurate strategies and profitable pricing proposals. Leveraging technology to present these tailored solutions can further enhance the client experience and streamline your sales process.