Ask these before you quote so you price the real job, not the vague ask. Templates you adapt — not a course, and no income promises.
What does done look like? Ask for a concrete deliverable or outcome — not “make it better.”
Who decides, and who just advises? Find the single yes/no person before you write the proposal.
What have you already tried? Surfaces constraints, politics, and whether this is a rescue job.
Hard deadline vs soft wish? Get the real date and what happens if you miss it.
Budget range — even a rough band? If they won’t share a band, ask what they paid for the last similar project.
How to use in 5 minutes
Pick 3–5 questions for your next lead call or email.
Write their answers into your proposal scope.
Cap revisions and timeline from what you learned.
Want the full system? The Freelance Rate & Proposal Kit adds a rate calculator, proposal templates, 20 discovery questions, and a scope-creep checklist. Digital download — files emailed after Stripe checkout.