One of the biggest frustrations for web consultants and freelancers? Spending hours on sales calls with leads who can’t afford you, aren’t serious, or aren’t the right fit.
If you’ve ever felt drained by chasing bad leads or dealing with clients who haggle over pricing, the problem isn’t your sales skills, it’s your prequalification process.
Prequalifying leads properly saves you time, improves your close rate, and ensures you only work with clients who respect your expertise and can afford your services.
In this post, I’ll show you how to filter out bad leads upfront, so you only spend time talking to high-quality prospects who are actually ready to invest in your services.
Why Most Freelancers Waste Time on Bad Leads
Most web designers and agency owners make the mistake of trying to sell to everyone. They get excited when a prospect shows interest and immediately jump on a call, without checking if they’re a good fit first.
This leads to:
❌ Endless sales calls with people who ghost you.
❌ Clients who lowball your pricing or try to negotiate.
❌ Scope creep and misaligned expectations.
The solution? A structured prequalification process that filters out time-wasters before they ever get on a call.
The 3-Step Prequalification Process for Web Consultants
A simple but effective way to prequalify leads is to filter them through three checkpoints:
✅ Step 1: Define Your Ideal Client Criteria
✅ Step 2: Use a Prequalification Form to Filter Leads
✅ Step 3: Ask the Right Questions on the Initial Call
When you implement these steps, you’ll only spend time talking to serious buyers who actually need (and can afford) your services.
Step 1: Define Your Ideal Client Criteria
If you don’t have a clear picture of who your ideal client is, you’ll attract a mix of good and bad leads.
Ask yourself these questions:
💰 Budget: What’s the minimum investment required to work with you? ($5K? $10K+?)
📢 Industry: Do you specialize in a niche (real estate, coaches, eCommerce, SaaS)?
⚡ Urgency: Is this a business problem they need to solve now, or just a “nice to have”?
🧑💼 Decision Maker: Are you speaking with the business owner or someone who needs approval?
🚫 Red Flags to Watch For:
🔻 “I need a website but don’t really have a budget right now.”
🔻 “I just want something cheap to get started.”
🔻 “Can we work something out on pricing?”
If a prospect doesn’t meet your minimum criteria, it’s okay to politely decline the conversation instead of wasting time.
Step 2: Use a Prequalification Form to Filter Leads
A simple prequalification form before booking a call helps eliminate bad leads instantly.
Here’s what to include:
1️⃣ Basic Contact Info: Name, email, business name.
2️⃣ Project Scope: “What are you looking for help with?”
3️⃣ Budget Range: (Dropdown options: $5K-$10K, $10K-$20K, $20K+).
4️⃣ Business Goals: “What do you want this website to accomplish?”
5️⃣ Urgency: “When are you looking to start?” (Now, 30 days, 90 days).
💡 Pro Tip: If they select a budget below your minimum, redirect them to a DIY resource or lower-tier offer, don’t waste time on a call.
Step 3: Ask the Right Questions on the Initial Call
Even after filtering with a form, you still need to confirm if the lead is truly ready to invest.
Here are the must-ask questions on your sales call:
🔹 “What’s the main reason you’re looking to invest in this project now?”
🔹 “What’s your budget for this project?” (If they hesitate, they aren’t serious.)
🔹 “What impact would this website have on your business?”
🔹 “Who else is involved in making the final decision?”
🔹 “Have you worked with a web consultant before? If so, what was your experience?”
🚫 Red Flags on Calls:
❌ “I don’t really have a set budget in mind.”
❌ “I need to check with my partner/team.”
❌ “I just want to see what’s out there.”
If a lead isn’t ready, willing, and able to invest, don’t chase them. Instead, let them go and focus on better-qualified leads.
What to Do When a Lead Isn’t Qualified
Not every prospect will be the right fit, and that’s okay!
Here’s what to do with unqualified leads:
👉 If they can’t afford your services…
- Offer a DIY course or resource that helps them at their level.
- Suggest they come back when they’re financially ready.
👉 If they’re not serious or don’t know what they want…
- Let them go. Don’t waste energy on leads who aren’t committed.
👉 If they’re a great fit but just need time…
- Add them to an email list or retargeting campaign to stay top of mind.
Not every lead is ready today, but the right nurture process can bring them back when they are ready.
Protect Your Time, Work With Better Clients
The best web consultants don’t chase leads, they attract the right ones.
When you implement a strong prequalification system, you:
✔ Stop wasting time on price shoppers.
✔ Close more deals with high-quality clients.
✔ Eliminate frustration and grow your business predictably.
Your time is valuable. Use it wisely by working only with clients who see your worth and are ready to invest.
Ready to Grow Your Web Consulting Business?
If you’re looking to take the next step in growing your web consulting business, learn how at:
👉 http://join.webconsulting.com/
Your Turn:
What’s your biggest struggle with qualifying leads? Drop a comment below, I’d love to help!