How we scope a project in two calls
Two 45-minute calls usually beat a 12-page proposal. The structure that makes that work.
Most studios send a 12-page proposal. Most clients sign one. We've moved to two calls and a one-page summary. Conversion went up. Onboarding got faster.
Call one: the actual problem
We don't talk about deliverables. We ask what success looks like in six months. We ask what's going wrong now. We ask who has a strong opinion about this project on the client side.
This call is mostly listening. We leave with a sentence describing what the client actually needs, which is often different from the brief.
Between calls
We write a one-page document. Goal. Scope. What's in. What's out. Estimated timeline range. Estimated investment range. We share it the same day or the next morning.
Call two: the trade-offs
We walk through the document. Where the client wants to add scope, we describe the cost. Where the client wants to cut scope, we describe what they lose. We end with a clear yes-no.
Why this works
Twelve-page proposals signal effort. They don't signal understanding. The one-pager signals understanding. Clients sign understanding faster than they sign effort.