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How to Deal With Enquiries and Avoid Timewasters

Learn how to deal with vague enquiries and turn free calls into paid consultations (with real life examples from my own business).

Something that can quickly eat into your time as a freelancer is calls and meetings that don't go anywhere.

You can spend hours chatting to "potential clients" only to end up with nothing to show for it.

You invest time trying to turn an enquiry into a sale only to get ghosted or haggled down on price.

It's frustrating.

But there is a way to avoid it. Or at least to minimise it.

I'm going to share few examples of the type of enquiry you might get and my tips for dealing with it. Then I'm going to share some real examples of enquiries I've had in my business that have turned into paid consultations rather than free calls.

How to deal with price enquiries

"Can you give me an idea of your pricing for X?"

"Can you send me your rates for Y?"

"How much do you charge for Z?"

If you get an enquiry like this, don't rush into giving a figure too quickly (even if your prices are fixed).

By jumping straight into the subject of pricing, you could put the prospect off before getting the chance to demonstrate the value you offer.

Worse still, if you send a price without knowing anything about the prospect or their requirement, you could end up committing yourself to something you don't want to do.

So when you get an enquiry like this, slow things down and do a bit of factfinding before you get to the price.

Get more information about the project and what it entails. Or find out a little more about them and their business. Are they the right fit? What are their objectives? Do they even need what you offer?

Don't rush to close the sale - make sure you can help (and want to help) before you take the conversation to the next stage and commit to a price.

How to deal with "potential opportunities"

"I might have an opportunity for you"

"I've got a brilliant opportunity for you"

"I've got something you might be interested in"

Ever had a cryptic message like this?

Me too.

And while it's tempting to call the person straight away to find out more, you should be wary of these types of enquiry.

Very occasionally, these opportunities turn out to be good opportunities and the cryptic nature of the message is simply down to the sender being in a rush.

But more often, these "potential opportunities" turn out to be an idea that isn't fully developed or someone in need of a freebie.

The first of these is very common - especially if you are a designer, developer, copywriter or marketer of some sort. The sender has had a "brilliant idea" for a product or service or business and the want help bringing it to life.

Sometimes they are so excited about the idea, they think you'll just help them for free because it's such a good idea. Other times they have every intention of paying but they haven't quite nailed down what they need. And they want to run it past you so you can help them determine the best way to turn this idea into reality. In other words, they want your expertise for free.

Even if it's a great idea and you help them come up with a plan, they might not necessarily have a big enough budget. Or other things might take priority. Or they come up with another new idea and this "opportunity" goes off the boil.

And in the case where people just want a freebie, the "opportunity" they are offering might be for "exposure" or a cut of future profits or the chance of future work. Unfortunately, exposure, hypothetical money, and the promise of future work won't pay this month's bills.

So what should you do when you get this kind of enquiry?

You can be direct: "Is this a paid opportunity?"

Or if you aren't that confident, go with something like: "Sounds interesting - can you send me some details?"

If they tell you they've got a great idea and need your help, ask them if the idea is still a work in progress or if it is something they are definitely ready to move forward with.

If it's the first, tell them to get back in touch when they have something more concrete. And if they want to "pick your brains", charge them for your time (unless they are a really good friend who you don't mind helping out).

If they tell you they have an opportunity that will give you good exposure, do some digging into what that exposure looks like. If it's them posting about you to their seven followers, tell them thanks for the offer but exposure doesn't pay your mortgage.

Whatever you do, don't rush into a call where you spend hours talking about an "opportunity" that never goes anywhere.

How to deal with "can you give me a call" enquiries

"I'm looking for help with my website copy. Can you give me a call on..."

"I'm looking for a new accountant. Are you free for a call tomorrow?"

"I need a virtual assistant. Can you give me a call next week sometime."

"I'm interested in your services. Can we arrange a call to discuss in more detail"

When you get an enquiry like this, it's tempting to jump straight on a call. Resist that temptation. Slow things down and do some factfinding.

Can you help them?

Do you want to help them?

If the answer to either is no, it's better that you find out before you waste their time and yours.

Asking one or two questions can help you determine whether a call will be a good use of time and how likely it is to actually turn into business.

"Before we arrange a call, can I ask..."

"Do you have a timescale for this project?"

"Have you got a brief for this project?"

"Do you have a budget in place for this or are you just making general enquiries?"

"What are your reasons for making the switch?"

"Have you thought about what you're hoping to achieve by doing this?"

A simple question or two can make all the difference.

Real life examples

I know it sounds simple, but you can filter out so many timewasters, and even get paid for your time, just by asking a few questions before rushing into a call or meeting.

To show you how it works, here are some real-life examples of enquiries I've dealt with in my own business (names and numbers removed):

Example one:

Potential client: "Hi Lisa, You have been recommended to me by (name of friend). Can you please give me a call on your return from the sun? My number is (XXXXXXX). I need help with my website and organic SM posts. Thanks."

Me: "Hi (name), Thanks for connecting - always good to be recommended! Before we jump on a call, it would be good to get a bit more detail from you. What stage are you at with your website (have you got a web designer on board yet)? Also, do you have a budget and timescales in mind?"

Outcome: He sent me some details about his situation, and I realised website copy wasn't going to solve the problem, so we arranged a paid strategy call instead. We reviewed his website copy, made a few changes and came up with a lead magnet to help him build his email list. I also gave him an easy strategy for using social media to generate enquires.

Example two:

Potential client: Hi Lisa, great to connect! I would like to find out more about your services. Would it be possible to set up a zoom? Thanks

Me: Hi (name), Thanks for connecting. Before we jump on a call, it would be good to know whether you had something specific in mind that you need help with?

Potential client: Hi Lisa, I would like help on newsletter, nurturing emails, social media and general messaging/communication to prospects.

Me: Thanks (name). Are you looking to learn more about how to create these yourself in-house or do you want to outsource your content?

Outcome: This client went on to book a consultation call and sign up for my 12-week mentoring programme.

Example three:

Potential client: Hi Lisa, do you have time tomorrow afternoon for a call? My number is (XXXXXX)

Me: Steady on - we've only just met 😉What is it you want to chat about?

Potential client: Ok understood - you're from Leeds 😄 I am setting up a UK subsidiary of (XXXXX). Maybe you can help with our UK-facing web content?

Me: Do you have a timescale in mind for this, or is it something you're thinking about for the future?

Outcome: The client ended up booking a (paid) copy planning call where we built a brief and action plan for his website. I provided a quote for me to write the copy, and the quote was accepted - invoice paid upfront.

All three of these examples resulted in paid calls (rather than me rushing into a free call).

Of course, not all conversations end that way. I also have plenty of examples where it's turned out I can't help the person, or they just don't respond to my questions (which tells me they aren't really that invested in working with me).

Either way, a few simple questions can help you filter out the timewasters and make sure you're only giving your time to people you can help and want to help.

Get support with enquiry management

My one-to-one mentoring programmes are designed to help you fix the gaps in your marketing and sales process. I can teach you how to turn free calls into paid consultations and as part of my service, I offer email and WhatsApp support. If an enquiry comes in and you aren't sure how to respond, I'll help you draft a response.