The other day I came across a blog post by Martha Retallick on FreelanceSwitch that I found absolutely amazing. Actually, nearly every post on FreelanceSwitch is amazing (I smell a Worthy Wednesday coming on!), but this one was particularly amazing because it’s something that freelance writers can use with all new clients to make their jobs a whole lot easier.

The post is called How to Extract the Facts with a Web Design Client Questionnaire, and our job is going to be to cross out Web Design and pencil in Freelance Writing. (We’re writers. We love to pencil in, amIright?)  

If you haven’t already read the post, go check it out. (Don’t forget to come back!) You’ll probably see where I’m coming from here. Basically this questionnaire allows you to gather the information you need to write a proposal or, if you’ve already landed the client, allow you to give them the deliverable they are seeking earlier in the process.

Now, I already have a list of questions I ask clients, but they are way more toward the practical end. I ask things like “In what format do you want your work delivered?” and “Should it be optimized for search engines?” But FreelanceSwitch’s questionnaire is probably even more valuable because it delves into your clients’ hearts and minds and goals and dreams and desires. What’s easier to change – some boldface here and there or the entire tone of the piece? Exactly.

Also, luckily for us, our version of the questionnaire is smaller because we don’t have all those technical things to deal with. And without further adieu, I give you a highly truncated version of Martha Retallick’s awesome questionnaire:

(For simplicity’s sake, I’ll substitute “web content” for “web site.” And I’m not copying the whole thing. It’s large and I’m not going to rehash Martha’s great work. This will get you started, though.)

1.)    Why do they want this web content? They could be getting a new site or they may have noticed their old content is confusing and riddled with typos. Or they might just like change. No matter what they want, this question is key in finding out what they expect you to deliver.

2.)    What will happen if you don’t have this web content? Ah, psychology. Chances are, if they are hiring a freelancer, they are worried about something. This is where you begin to find out what.  If they say, “I dunno, nothing I guess,” then they don’t really need you, do they?

3.)    Please describe your organization in a few sentences. We writers are often asked to do this for our clients, especially when it comes to web content, but the more you can get them to give you about their thoughts and beliefs about their organization, the better the chance you have to write something they identify with. Also, I’ve found that some people who are terrible writers are excellent talkers. This may be the point where you want to do a phone consultation.

4.)    What is there about you and your background that sets you apart for a special (niche) group of potential customers? Now we’re getting into more detail. If the client knows why they are special, you can subtly (or not-so-subtly) play it up in your copy.

5.)    What problems do your prospects have that your business solves? This question and the next two (which I won’t include here) are where you get her talking about her specialty. They may sound a bit alike, but from my journalism background, I know that a.) sometimes you have to ask questions in different ways to get the answer you need b.) sometimes it pays to just keep asking. Over and over again. They’ll tell you just to shut you up (which may or may not be a good tactic when dealing with clients).

6.)     Have you researched your online competition so you have an idea of what you do and don’t want on your site? What do you NOT want on your site in terms of text, content, etc.?  This is basically like giving yourself a cheat sheet. Check out the sites they love. Chances are they have some common elements. Then embrace them! The same goes for the sites they hate. 

This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive list of questions to ask clients. There are plenty of other good ones and, depending on the type of writing and the project, there could be many more. I recommend keeping a copy of Martha’s post handy, though, and referring to it before conferring with a client. Getting the facts up front will save you a lot of work in the long run.

For Further Reading:

The Freelance Writer’s Guide to Proposal Writing

The Freelance Writer’s Guide to Proposal Writing: Audience Edition