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.
A good lead is not merely someone who likes your work. A good lead has a real problem, a clear owner, a workable decision path, enough budget, respect for boundaries, and a next step that does not require you to donate strategy.
The three outcomes
- Clear no: if the lead is low-fit, behavior is poor, or the business case is weak.
- Paid first phase: if uncertainty is high but the opportunity looks real.
- Full proposal: if fit, urgency, authority, and process are solid.
What each section is testing
- Offer fit: Does this buyer match the kind of work you can do well and profitably?
- Decision path: Can you identify who decides, signs, pays, and gives feedback?
- Urgency: Is there a real reason to act now, or is this curiosity dressed as a project?
- Risk and behavior: Does discovery already show respect, clarity, and workable communication?
- Next step: Is the next action a real commitment or a vague continuation?
Decision rules after discovery
Move forward when
- Problem and outcome are specific.
- Decision-maker or sponsor is known.
- Timeline and constraints are credible.
- Payment path is visible.
- The client accepts boundaries.
Slow down when
- They cannot explain why now.
- They ask for detailed strategy before commitment.
- They avoid budget and decision questions.
- They resist scope boundaries.
- Every answer creates more unpaid work.
Follow-up templates
Keep follow-up short. Discovery should convert to a next action, not a long essay.
Paid first phase: “Based on what we covered, the cleanest next step is a short diagnostic before a full implementation quote. I can map the current state, risks, and phase-one scope for [fee] by [date].”
Clear no: “I do not think I am the right fit for this version of the project. The main gap is [reason]. I would rather say that clearly than force a bad scope.”
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. The checklist does not mean rejecting everything. It means choosing a smaller paid step when the full project is too risky.
Should I ask about budget directly?
Yes, but frame it around fit and options. “What range have you planned for this?” or “Should I design a small first phase or a full rollout?” reveals buying posture without turning the call into a fight.
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