The most important button on a consultant's website is usually the one that asks for a first conversation. A discovery call, a short meeting to see whether you can help, is often how new work starts. A poorly written request either scares people off with too many questions or produces messages that tell you nothing.
This guide explains how to invite that first conversation and what to ask for before it.
Explain what the call is for
Say clearly what the first conversation covers. It might be a look at the client's current position, a discussion of whether your approach fits, and an honest answer about whether you're the right person. Saying that the call doesn't commit anyone to work makes it easier for a client to say yes.
Give the length of the call and whether it's free. Those two details answer the questions most people have before they request one.
Ask for the right details in the request
Keep the request short but useful. Ask for the client's name and a phone or email address, the kind of business they run, the problem they want help with in a line or two, and the timing they're working to. A budget range is useful if you use one, but you can leave it optional so people don't feel they're being screened.
A request that describes the problem lets you prepare, and it helps the client think through what they actually want.
Be honest about who you're not for
Say which kinds of client you don't work with, or which problems you don't handle. A short line on the page can stop an unsuitable request before it starts, and it shows the client that you know your limits.
Set expectations after the request
Say when the client can expect a reply, and what happens next. If you reply by email with a time, say so. If the next step is a proposal, explain roughly what it includes. A client who knows the next step is far more likely to follow it.
Don't turn the call into a sales pitch on the page
The page should invite the conversation, not replace it. Keep case studies, detailed methods and long explanations for the call, or for a document you send after it. The page's job is to make the first step easy, not to close the sale.
Quick checklist
- Say what the first conversation covers, and how long it lasts.
- State whether the call is free, and that it doesn't commit the client to anything.
- Ask for the name, contact details, the kind of business, the problem and the timing.
- Make any budget question optional.
- Say who you are not the right fit for.
- Explain what happens after the request, and when the client can expect a reply.
What to do next
The consultant websites page shows how a request section usually sits alongside the problem list and the approach. A business website is the right base for your consultancy, and the business websites page explains how one is laid out. Write the request form last, after you've decided what the first call should achieve.