Discover their obstacles

Now that the prospect has relayed information about their company and oriented you within their business, it’s time to dive deeper into the project – specifically, the obstacles they are facing.

Make a smooth but obvious transition into your desire to discuss the project. Below are some examples:‍

What can you tell me about your upcoming copywriting needs?

Tell me, what was going on that led you to seek out a copywriter for this project?

So what goal are you hoping to achieve with this project?

Choose a transition question above or go create your own.

Then, dig deeper into the specifics. These questions are the ones that truly set you up as the expert service provider – so don’t shy away from them!‍

Such questions depend on many factors but could be related to:

Their hiring process

• Have you hired other copywriters in the past? 

• How many people do you have to bring in to achieve your desired results?

• Would it be alright if I asked if the decision for this rests ultimately with you?

• Have you ever worked with an agency like ours before?

What they’ve already tried

• What seems to be working well? Why?

• Is there anything you’d like me to do differently to support you?

• Is this a new offer? 

Their current process

• Could you tell me a little about your current process?

• Has it had traffic pushed to this page before?

• Would you need me to work hands-on with any additional members of the team?

• How satisfied are you with X?

The obstacles they face

• What’s your biggest challenge as it relates to X?

• What will prevent you from achieving your top priorities?

• Why is it a priority today?

• Why hasn’t it been addressed before?

Writing-specific deliverables

• What type of research could you already supply? Customer interviews, surveys, metrics, etc.?

• What type of guidelines could you already supply? Brand guides, style guides, past examples, etc.?

• Are there subject matter experts available to answer any questions that may arise?

In your workbook, write down the questions you’d like to ask on your upcoming call.

Note: Ask, Listen, Speak, Repeat. Phrases like “What I heard was…” and “It sounds like you’re looking for…” show that you’re actively listening. Although, simply repeating back a key term, such as “landing page optimization, got it!” can help them feel heard. ‍

In this step, you added color and expertise to your discovery call script. You learned the importance of asking the right questions which is an extremely important foundation for foreshadowing any outcomes you can deliver.