====================================================== CLIENT INTAKE QUESTIONNAIRE SoloStack — solostack.madethis.app Free resource. No signup required. ====================================================== Send this questionnaire before your discovery call. Review the answers before the call starts. Use it to score the client before you invest time in a proposal. ------------------------------------------------------ CATEGORY 1: PROJECT SCOPE (5 Questions) ------------------------------------------------------ 1. What is the deliverable, and how will you know the project is finished? WHY IT MATTERS: Clients who can't define "done" can't ever be satisfied. If they can't answer this specifically, the scope isn't real yet. GOOD ANSWER: "A 5-page website with a homepage, about page, services page, contact page, and a portfolio page. Done when it's live and approved." RED FLAG ANSWER: "Something modern and professional. I'll know it when I see it." ------ 2. What's specifically NOT included in this project — what are you handling yourself? WHY IT MATTERS: Clarifying exclusions upfront eliminates 80% of scope creep. Forces the client to think about division of labor before work begins. GOOD ANSWER: "We're handling copywriting internally. You just need to build the site." RED FLAG ANSWER: [No answer, or] "I thought that was included?" ------ 3. Have you worked with a freelancer on a project like this before? How did it go? WHY IT MATTERS: The most revealing question. Clients who blame every previous freelancer without any self-reflection are telling you what's coming. GOOD ANSWER: "Yes — it went well until the scope changed and we didn't handle that cleanly. This time I want to define everything upfront." RED FLAG ANSWER: "We've been through several freelancers. None of them understood what we needed." [No self-reflection, no specifics on what went wrong.] ------ 4. What format should all deliverables be in, and what software/tools do you use? WHY IT MATTERS: Format mismatches discovered after delivery add hours of rework. Getting this in writing protects you from "I needed it in X" surprises. GOOD ANSWER: "Everything in Figma, exported as PNG at 2x and as SVG." RED FLAG ANSWER: "Just the usual stuff." [Non-answer — follow up before continuing.] ------ 5. Are there any existing brand standards, guidelines, or style documents I should follow? WHY IT MATTERS: Brand guidelines that surface mid-project blow up timelines. Knowing upfront whether these exist is a time-budget input. GOOD ANSWER: "Yes — here's our brand guide. [Link or attachment]" RED FLAG ANSWER: "We don't have one yet but we have some ideas." [If this is a brand project, that's fine. Otherwise, expect preferences to evolve mid-project.] ------------------------------------------------------ CATEGORY 2: BUDGET & PAYMENT (5 Questions) ------------------------------------------------------ 6. What budget have you allocated for this project? WHY IT MATTERS: Avoids writing proposals for projects you can't price right. Clients who refuse to name a number are usually anchoring to your quote or have a number far below your rates. GOOD ANSWER: "We have $3,000–$5,000 set aside for this." RED FLAG ANSWER: "It depends on what you quote." or "We're flexible." [Push back: "Can you give me a ballpark to make sure we're in the same range?"] ------ 7. How does your company process invoices and payments? WHY IT MATTERS: "Finance handles it" with no further details is a late-payment warning sign. Knowing their process upfront helps you set realistic due dates. GOOD ANSWER: "We pay via ACH within 14 days. I have approval authority up to $10K." RED FLAG ANSWER: "Finance handles it — usually takes about 60 days." [If this doesn't fit your terms, say so now rather than after delivery.] ------ 8. Are you comfortable with a 50% deposit before work begins? WHY IT MATTERS: A client's response to this question is itself a qualification signal. Resistance to a deposit often predicts resistance to the final invoice. GOOD ANSWER: "Yes, that's standard. Just send over the contract." RED FLAG ANSWER: "We don't usually do that." or "Can we pay in full at the end?" [Explain your reasoning. If they still refuse: proceed with extreme caution or decline.] ------ 9. Who has approval authority to sign off on the contract and make payment? WHY IT MATTERS: Projects stall when the person you're talking to isn't the decision-maker. Knowing this upfront prevents "I need to run this by my boss" after you've already delivered. GOOD ANSWER: "That's me. I own the company / I have full authority." RED FLAG ANSWER: "My business partner / CEO / board has to approve." [Not disqualifying — but plan for longer approval cycles and confirm who signs the contract.] ------ 10. Are there any payment milestones you'd prefer — or do you need the full invoice at project end? WHY IT MATTERS: Milestone payments are often better for both parties on larger projects. Knowing their preference upfront lets you structure the proposal accordingly. GOOD ANSWER: "Milestones work for us — whatever structure you prefer." RED FLAG ANSWER: "We need everything invoiced at project end." [On projects over $2,000, this is a cash-flow risk. Push for at least a 50% deposit.] ------------------------------------------------------ CATEGORY 3: TIMELINE (5 Questions) ------------------------------------------------------ 11. What's your ideal launch/completion date? WHY IT MATTERS: Forces the client to commit to a date before you've created urgency by writing a proposal. Reveals whether their timeline is realistic. GOOD ANSWER: "End of Q2 — so about 8 weeks from now." RED FLAG ANSWER: "As soon as possible." or "Yesterday." [Not automatically disqualifying, but requires a rush fee conversation immediately.] ------ 12. What's driving that timeline — is there a specific event, launch, or deadline tied to it? WHY IT MATTERS: Distinguishes real deadlines from manufactured urgency. A real deadline (product launch, conference, investor meeting) is legitimate and worth planning around. Urgency with no explanation is often pressure tactics. GOOD ANSWER: "We're presenting to investors on [date]. The site needs to be live." RED FLAG ANSWER: "We just want to get it done quickly." [No urgency driver = no basis for a rush timeline. Quote your standard lead time.] ------ 13. What are your expected feedback turnaround times? WHY IT MATTERS: Your project timeline is only as fast as your client's feedback speed. If they need 5 days to respond to every round, a 3-week project becomes 6 weeks. GOOD ANSWER: "I can commit to 48-hour feedback turnaround on all rounds." RED FLAG ANSWER: "It depends — we're pretty busy." [Build a feedback delay clause into your contract: timeline extends automatically if feedback is delayed more than X business days.] ------ 14. Are there any dates when the key decision-makers will be unavailable? WHY IT MATTERS: A project that hits a 2-week vacation or a major company event mid-approval cycle can kill your timeline entirely. GOOD ANSWER: "I'm out the week of [date] — we can work around that." RED FLAG ANSWER: [No mention, then you find out mid-project that they're at a conference for 3 weeks.] — Ask this before, not after. ------ 15. How should I handle a situation where the project is at risk of missing the deadline? WHY IT MATTERS: Sets expectations for proactive communication. Also reveals whether the client will be a partner in problem-solving or will assign all blame. GOOD ANSWER: "Let me know as soon as you see a risk — we can adjust scope or timeline." RED FLAG ANSWER: "That's not an option — you need to make it work." [Inflexibility on timeline combined with scope complexity is a recipe for a disaster project.] ------------------------------------------------------ CATEGORY 4: DECISION-MAKING (5 Questions) ------------------------------------------------------ 16. Who will be reviewing and approving deliverables? WHY IT MATTERS: Multiple approvers = longer revision cycles and projects that die after delivery. You need to know who has final authority before starting. GOOD ANSWER: "Just me. I have final say." RED FLAG ANSWER: "Me, my business partner, and we'll probably get input from our marketing team." [Not disqualifying — but plan for multiple feedback rounds and confirm a single point of contact who consolidates feedback before sending it.] ------ 17. What does your feedback process look like — how do you prefer to give revisions? WHY IT MATTERS: Reveals how organized and specific their feedback will be. "I'll just know it when I see it" is the clearest signal you'll get for endless revision cycles. GOOD ANSWER: "I'll review against our brief and send back a consolidated list." RED FLAG ANSWER: "I'll know it when I see it." [Address this directly: "To keep things moving, I ask that feedback be consolidated and submitted as a single list per round."] ------ 18. Have you worked with a freelancer on a creative/technical project before? What worked well — and what didn't? WHY IT MATTERS: Their previous experience tells you what systems they have (or don't have) for working with freelancers. Clients who've burned through multiple freelancers and blame all of them are your highest risk category. GOOD ANSWER: "We've done this before and it worked well when we had a clear brief upfront. We didn't when we didn't — so we learned." RED FLAG ANSWER: "We've tried a few freelancers but they never really got our vision." [Multiple failed engagements with consistent blame = the common denominator is the client.] ------ 19. Are you open to being guided by my process and recommendations — or do you have a specific process you prefer? WHY IT MATTERS: Surfaces micromanagement tendencies and "the expert who hired you" archetypes before they show up mid-project. GOOD ANSWER: "We hired you because you're the expert. Guide us." RED FLAG ANSWER: "We have some strong opinions on how this should work." [Not disqualifying — but clarify your process upfront and get agreement in writing before starting.] ------ 20. What happens if we disagree on a direction or recommendation? WHY IT MATTERS: How a client answers this tells you everything about how they handle conflict. Defensiveness here is a predictor. GOOD ANSWER: "We talk it through. You're the expert and I trust your judgment, but I want to understand the reasoning." RED FLAG ANSWER: "I'm paying for it, so ultimately I decide." [True — but it means your professional judgment will be overridden whenever it conflicts with their preference. Document all overrides in writing.] ------------------------------------------------------ CATEGORY 5: WORKING STYLE (5 Questions) ------------------------------------------------------ 21. What's your preferred communication channel and response time? WHY IT MATTERS: Mismatched communication expectations are a top source of client frustration. Set the standard now. GOOD ANSWER: "Email is fine. I'm usually able to respond within a business day." RED FLAG ANSWER: "I prefer Slack so I can reach you quickly." [Real-time messaging invites constant interruption. Define response time expectations in your contract regardless of channel.] ------ 22. How often do you expect project updates? WHY IT MATTERS: Surfaces micromanagement expectations before you're in the project. Daily updates are usually a sign of anxiety, not a real process need. GOOD ANSWER: "Weekly updates work for me — just keep me posted on major milestones." RED FLAG ANSWER: "Daily check-ins are important to me." [Reframe: "I send structured weekly progress updates. If there's anything urgent, I'll flag it immediately — that's my process."] ------ 23. What does your ideal working relationship with a freelancer look like? WHY IT MATTERS: Reveals their mental model. "Partner" is healthy. "Employee" is a warning sign. "Best friend" (the relationship builder) is also worth noting. GOOD ANSWER: "You're the expert and I'm the client. Clear expectations, good communication, and excellent output." RED FLAG ANSWER: "I like to be really involved in the process." [Not disqualifying — but clarify what "involved" means before it becomes micromanagement.] ------ 24. Have you had a situation where a project ran over budget or over time? How did you handle it? WHY IT MATTERS: Tests their flexibility and accountability. Clients who blame freelancers entirely for overages are harder to work with when something unexpected happens. GOOD ANSWER: "Yes — we've learned to build in more buffer upfront." RED FLAG ANSWER: "Our last freelancer went over budget and we refused to pay extra." [Warning: they may expect you to absorb overages too.] ------ 25. Is there anything about how you work or about this project that would be helpful for me to know upfront? WHY IT MATTERS: Open-ended catch-all. Some clients will volunteer crucial information here — budget constraints, difficult stakeholders, previous failed attempts, etc. GOOD ANSWER: [Anything specific, honest, and useful.] RED FLAG ANSWER: "No, I think we covered it all." [Not a red flag on its own — but pair with your notes from the other 24 questions.] ------------------------------------------------------ HOW TO USE THIS QUESTIONNAIRE ------------------------------------------------------ STEP 1: Send before the discovery call. Include a note: "Before our call, it would be helpful if you could answer these questions. It helps me make sure the call is as productive as possible." STEP 2: Review answers before the call starts. Don't read answers for the first time while the client is talking. Score them against the RED FLAG signals above and note your concerns. STEP 3: Use it to score the client. Count yellow flags and red flags. Apply the scoring guide: 0–2 yellows, 0 reds → Proceed with standard contract 3–5 yellows OR 1 red → Proceed with caution (full deposit + tighter contract) 2+ reds → Decline or price for the risk Trust your gut alongside the score. If something feels off that didn't trigger a specific flag, that instinct is data too. ------------------------------------------------------ GET THE FULL SYSTEM ------------------------------------------------------ This questionnaire is a free download from SoloStack. For the full intake system, contract templates, and discovery call scripts: → solostack.madethis.app/products ====================================================== END OF DOCUMENT ======================================================