Running Effective Website Copywriting Discovery Calls
For website copywriting service owners, the initial discovery call is more than just a casual chat—it’s the foundation for a successful project and accurate pricing. Getting it right means understanding your client’s business deeply, scoping the project precisely, and setting clear expectations.
Mastering your copywriting discovery call questions is crucial. This article will guide you through asking the right questions to uncover essential information, scope projects effectively, and align your services with client value, ultimately leading to more profitable engagements.
Why the Discovery Call is Non-Negotiable for Copywriting Projects
Before you can write a single word or even provide an accurate quote, you need to understand the client’s world. A well-structured discovery call serves several critical purposes:
- Uncovering True Needs: Clients often request specific copy, but a good call reveals the underlying business problem or goal they’re trying to solve (e.g., “increase leads,” “reduce bounce rate,” “improve conversions”). Your copy is the solution to that problem.
- Accurate Scoping: Website copywriting can range from a few core pages to dozens of landing pages, product descriptions, and blog posts. You need to define the exact deliverables, required research, stakeholder involvement, and technical constraints.
- Assessing Fit: Not every client is the right fit. The call helps you determine if their project aligns with your expertise, if they have realistic expectations, and if they are a good cultural fit for a productive working relationship.
- Gathering Pricing Intelligence: Information about their budget, decision-making process, and perceived value of the outcome directly informs your pricing strategy. This moves you away from guesswork towards value-based or accurately scoped project pricing.
Essential Copywriting Discovery Call Questions to Ask
Prepare a list of key copywriting discovery call questions beforehand, but be ready to deviate and dig deeper based on their answers. Here’s a structured approach covering critical areas:
Questions About Their Business & Goals
Start broad to understand their context:
- Tell me about your business. What do you do, who do you serve, and what’s your unique value proposition?
- What are your primary business goals for the next 6-12 months?
- What specific challenges are you currently facing that led you to seek website copywriting services now?
- How does your website currently support (or hinder) these goals?
- Who are your main competitors, and what do you think of their online presence/messaging?
Questions About the Project Scope & Details
Drill down into the specifics of the copywriting work:
- Which specific pages need copywriting (e.g., Home, About, Services, Product, Contact, Blog)?
- Are these new pages or revisions of existing ones?
- Do you have an existing sitemap or wireframes? Can you share them?
- What’s the typical word count expectation per page, or are you looking for value-driven content regardless of word count?
- What research materials can you provide (e.g., existing content, customer data, market research)?
- Will I have access to subject matter experts if needed?
- What is the desired tone and voice for the website?
- What is your Call to Action (CTA) strategy?
- Will you need metadata (titles, descriptions) written for SEO?
Questions About Target Audience & Messaging
Understanding who you’re writing for is paramount:
- Describe your ideal customer or target audience in detail (demographics, psychographics, pain points, desires).
- What is the single most important message you want visitors to take away from your website?
- What are the common objections or questions prospective customers have?
Questions About Desired Outcomes & Value
Connect the copy to tangible results:
- What does success look like for this website copywriting project in practical terms (e.g., increase in leads, higher conversion rate on a specific page, better time on site)?
- How will you measure the success of the new copy?
- What is the potential value of achieving these outcomes for your business (e.g., an extra lead is worth $X, a customer is worth $Y over their lifetime)? This is critical for value-based pricing discussions.
Questions About Budget & Timeline
Address the practicalities early:
- Do you have a specific budget allocated for this website copywriting project?
- What is your desired timeline for completing the copywriting and launching the new website?
- Who is involved in the decision-making process, and what is your typical approval process like?
By asking these copywriting discovery call questions, you gather the necessary intelligence to scope accurately, identify the true value of the project for the client, and build a solid foundation for your proposal and pricing.
Beyond Questions: Listening and Clarifying
Asking questions is only half the battle. Listen actively to the client’s responses. Pay attention to their language, their frustrations, and their aspirations. What are they not saying that might be important?
- Paraphrase and Summarize: Repeat back what you’ve heard to confirm your understanding. “So, if I understand correctly, your primary goal is to increase qualified leads by 15% in Q3, and you believe updated service pages with stronger CTAs are key to that?”
- Ask Follow-up Questions: Don’t be afraid to dig deeper. If they mention a challenge, ask for a specific example.
- Identify Pain Points: What are their biggest frustrations with their current website or messaging? Solving these pain points is where the value lies.
- Assess Enthusiasm and Readiness: How engaged are they in the conversation? Do they seem prepared to invest the necessary resources (time, budget, information) to make the project successful?
This deeper level of listening ensures you capture the nuance needed to write compelling copy and price your services based on the impact you’ll make, not just the word count.
Translating Discovery Insights into Pricing
The information gathered from your copywriting discovery call questions is the bedrock of your pricing strategy. Instead of pulling a number out of thin air or relying solely on a per-word or per-hour rate, you can now build a price based on:
- Scope Complexity: The number and type of pages, required research, client input needed, and technical constraints.
- Value to the Client: What is achieving their stated goals (more leads, higher conversions) worth to them? This is crucial for value-based pricing.
- Estimated Time Investment: Your internal estimate of the hours required, used as a baseline or for cost calculation, not necessarily what you charge the client.
- Risk and Headaches: Is this a straightforward project, or does it involve multiple stakeholders, complex subject matter, or tight deadlines?
Structuring your pricing presentation based on these factors makes it easier for the client to see the value. Consider offering tiered packages (e.g., Basic Website Package, Growth Website Package with more pages/features, Premium Conversion-Focused Package) based on the scope discussed.
When it comes time to present your pricing, moving beyond static PDFs can significantly improve the client experience. Tools like PricingLink (https://pricinglink.com) allow you to create interactive pricing links where clients can see different packages, add-ons (like blog posts, email sequences, or extra revision rounds), and optional services clearly presented with live price updates as they make selections. This level of transparency and configurability helps clients understand what they’re paying for and can increase the average deal value.
Note: PricingLink focuses specifically on the interactive pricing presentation step. For full proposal documents that include contracts and e-signatures, you’ll need dedicated proposal software like PandaDoc (https://www.pandadoc.com) or Proposify (https://www.proposify.com). However, if your primary need is a modern, clear way for clients to interact with complex pricing options for your copywriting packages, PricingLink offers a powerful, focused, and affordable solution.
Conclusion
- Deep Understanding: Use discovery calls to uncover the client’s real business problems and goals, not just their request for copy.
- Targeted Questions: Prepare and ask key copywriting discovery call questions covering business, scope, audience, outcomes, and logistics.
- Active Listening: Pay close attention, clarify understanding, and identify pain points.
- Value-Based Pricing: Leverage gathered information to price based on scope, value, and complexity, rather than just hours or word count.
- Clear Presentation: Present your pricing options clearly, potentially using interactive tools like PricingLink to enhance client understanding and decision-making.
Mastering your discovery call process is an investment that pays dividends. By asking the right copywriting discovery call questions and truly listening to the answers, you not only increase your chances of landing the project but also ensure it’s the right project at the right price. This leads to smoother execution, happier clients, and ultimately, a more profitable and sustainable website copywriting business.