Want More Freelance Writing Jobs? Nail the Client Meeting

As much as I’d love for clients to read my portfolio, look at my samples, and immediately say, “Perfect — you’re hired,” that’s not always what happens.

Sometimes they want a meeting first.

And honestly? I understand why.

Clients want to know you’re a real human, someone they’ll enjoy working with, and someone who runs their business professionally.

The funny part is that these meetings feel nothing like the job interviews I had years ago.

Back then, I sat across from an employer who controlled the entire room.

Now, I run a business, and I get to walk into these conversations with far more confidence and control.

But that doesn’t mean clients aren’t evaluating me.

They absolutely are.

They want to know how I work, how I think, whether I communicate clearly, and whether I’ll make their life easier, or harder.

And the more prepared you are, the easier these conversations become.

What Clients Are Really Evaluating During a Meeting

Research shows that nearly 90% of skilled freelancers and clients agree that clients want professionals with specialized skills and expertise, and that includes confidence in how you communicate and collaborate.

When a potential client gets on a call with me, they’ve already seen my portfolio.

They already know I can write.

What they don’t know is what it’s like to actually work with me.

So that meeting becomes their opportunity to see if we genuinely fit.

I’ve had clients tell me that they booked the call because they wanted to check if I really understood B2B writing, if I had a system, or if I was going to disappear mid-project.

And after writing for brands like Walmart, GoDaddy, Wordtune, and dozens of SaaS companies, I can tell you this: clients care far more about how you work than you think.

And after 10+ years freelancing? I’ve learned that being prepared for certain questions makes all the difference.

6 Questions Freelance Writers Should Expect (and How I Answer Them)

Below are the questions that come up again and again, and how I’ve personally handled them with real clients over the years.

1. “What is Your Writing Process Like?”

Clients ask this because they don’t see your behind-the-scenes world.

They want reassurance that your writing process isn’t chaotic.

When I first started freelance writing, I remember telling a client that I “outline and research before drafting.”

It wasn’t a bad answer, but it didn’t actually help them understand anything.

Over the years, my answer has become much clearer and more grounded in real experience.

For example, when I write long-form B2B content for SaaS brands, I always explain that I start by reviewing their topic, scanning any assets they’ve already created, and outlining based on gaps in their existing content.

I’ll sometimes give the example of the first article I wrote for OptinMonster, how I outlined based on their past posts, added new research, and then layered in my own experience as someone who used the tool myself.

I also let them know that I can tap into my network for some SME content they might need like quotes or an interview.

This type of information makes my rate more acceptable for them!

2. “Do You Need a Brief?”

This question always makes me smile because I’ve seen every version of a brief you can imagine.

When I wrote for clients like Walmart or Wordtune, some of the briefs were so detailed that I barely had to research anything.

Other clients sent me nothing more than a keyword and a loose headline, and I had to build the entire structure myself.

So when a prospective client asks whether I need a brief, I always turn it back to them and ask, “What kind of brief do you typically provide?”

This does two things:

It tells them I’m flexible
It helps me understand what they expect from me

And then I share a personal example.

I might explain how one of my long-term SaaS clients preferred two-sentence briefs because they trusted my expertise, while another client sent me style guides longer than the article itself.

I completed both kinds of projects successfully — which immediately reassures the person I’m talking to.

And yes, clients often ask about generative AI now.

My honest answer is that I don’t use AI for writing my drafts.

At most, I’ll use it to help me source examples, to kickstart ideas for a list, or help me with writer’s block but every word in the final piece is mine.

The clients who work with me appreciate that transparency.

3. “How Do You Structure Agreements?”

This one almost always comes up, and the client usually wants to know three things:

How I price
Whether I require long-term commitments
Whether turnaround time is negotiable

I’m transparent that most of my work is ad hoc and that this type of agreement fits in my life but I’m open to bi-weekly content.

I don’t require monthly retainers, clients send assignments whenever they have them.

For example, I’ve had SEO client who hired me strictly on an as-needed basis whenever they had a SaaS client needing content.

No minimums, no recurring package — just project-based work.

I also explain that I typically give new assignments a 7–10-day turnaround.

And I’m very honest here: I never put that turnaround time in my contracts because I don’t want to be locked into it if multiple projects land at once.

This honesty is what helps me land long-term clients.

They know exactly what to expect.

4. “How Do You Stay Organized?”

I remember one client asking me this and thinking, “Does it matter?”

But for them, it did because disorganized freelance writers miss deadlines.

I now answer this question confidently because I’ve developed a system that works for the volume of clients I handle.

For example, I keep every client’s onboarding details stored on a GSheet. I include their style guides, voice preferences, example posts, and linked resources as well as their rates (because each client have different rates).

Before I send a draft, I recheck their style guide because every client is different.

And yes — I have an in-depth editing process that helps me turn in error-free and easy-to-read content for clients.

*I share this process in my course Writeto1k.

5. “How Do You Handle Revisions?”

This is a big one because it reveals your boundaries.

When I wrote for a large SaaS company early in my career, I handled far too many revision rounds because I didn’t have clear boundaries yet.

That experience taught me how quickly revisions can spiral.

Now I’m clear and calm when explaining my process.

I tell clients I’m happy to revise anything they need, it’s their content.

But I also clarify that I include one round of revisions per deliverable and that I turn around revisions within two business days.

Then I explain my system: I make a duplicate of the original draft, implement revisions in the copy, highlight changes, then merge everything back into a clean file.

Clients always appreciate that level of clarity because it shows I’m methodical, not scrambling.

6. “What is Your Rate?”

Ah yes, the question I wish came first, not last.

I learned early on that clients either agree to my rate instantly or they don’t.

There’s rarely a middle ground.

So now, I’m always ready with a clear number or range depending on the scope.

One personal example I often share is how I now send my rates before the meeting if I’m unsure whether a client is a fit.

It saves both of us time, and the clients who continue to the meeting are already aligned with my pricing. Those are the clients who become long-term partners.