Tools & templates
Client Screening Checklist
A checklist for qualifying freelance clients before discovery turns into unpaid consulting or bad-fit work.
When to use this
- A lead looks promising and you want to qualify before scoping.
- You keep talking to the wrong buyers.
- Discovery calls create work but not good deals.
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Qualify before you commit scarce time.
Offer fit
Decision path
Urgency and scope posture
Risk and behavior
Next step
How to use this checklist
Use this during or right after discovery. The value is early filtering: qualify before you spend proposal energy, not after you already built unpaid scope in your head.
- If the lead is low-fit, give a clear no.
- If uncertainty is high but the opportunity looks real, sell a smaller paid phase.
- If fit, urgency, and process are solid, move to a full proposal.
Use with
FAQ
Can I use this if I am early and need work?
Yes. Weak pipeline is exactly when bad-fit work does the most damage.
How to customize
- Add a few deal-breakers specific to your niche.
- Adjust the next-step options to match your real sales process.
Common pitfalls
- Treating interest as fit.
- Continuing to scope after process risk is already obvious.
Related Codex pages
Read the explanation
Use the tool with the context, not in isolation.
Read Codex: Client Signaling ScreeningRead the explanation
Use the tool with the context, not in isolation.
Read Codex: Find Clients Without AudienceLoading comments…
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