Life coaches: running free discovery calls well
A free discovery call opens the door to coaching. How many to offer, how to limit no-shows, what to ask first and how to move on to a first session.
7 min read
A free discovery call works best as a short, clearly framed service with a limited number of slots each week. Say in its description what the call is for, who it's for and how you'll contact the person, place the slots where they don't disrupt paid sessions, and ask one or two questions in advance so the call starts with substance. At the end of the call, if you both want to continue, book the first session together before hanging up.
What the discovery call is for
A discovery call answers two questions: what does this person want to change, and are you the right coach to help? It isn't a free coaching session. If the call turns into a full session, the person gets what they came for without committing, and you spend your time without a clear next step.
Say this plainly in the service description: a short conversation to understand the request, explain how you work and decide together whether to continue. People who book then arrive with the right expectations.
Set it up as its own service
On Book, each type of session is a service with its own price and optional description, and you open slots for each at the length it takes. Create a "Discovery call" service without a price, since the price is optional, and give it a short, fixed length. The booking form asks for first name, last name, email and phone, so you have what you need to call or send a video link. Say in the description which one you'll use.
| Decision | Options | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Length | Short and fixed | Keeps it a conversation, not a session |
| Format | Phone or video | Say which, and who calls whom |
| Number per week | A limited number | Protects time for paid sessions |
| Placement | Specific times, e.g. early evening | People who work can take the call |
| Preparation | One or two questions in the booking note | The call starts with substance |
Limit and place the calls
Free calls can quietly take over a week. Decide how many you can hold alongside your paid sessions and open only that many slots, repeated weekly on the days you choose until an end date. When they're booked, the next available call is further out, which is also a signal about demand.
Place calls where they fit your energy and your clients' availability: an early evening block for people who work, or a morning slot between two sessions. Slots of different services can overlap and a booking on one doesn't block another service's slot at the same time, so keep discovery calls in their own periods rather than on top of paid session slots.
Prepare before the call
- In the description, invite the person to write in the optional booking note what they'd like to work on, in a sentence or two.
- Read it before the call and prepare one or two questions.
- If the request is clearly outside what you do, contact the person before the call and suggest another type of support.
- For clients in other countries, your page shows times in your business's time zone with its name; repeat the time when you confirm.
Reduce no-shows on free calls
A free booking is easy to forget. A few habits help: send a short personal message after the booking with the time and how you'll connect; send a reminder the day before, since Book doesn't send reminders; and say in the description how to cancel if plans change. When someone cancels, cancel the booking from your bookings list and the slot becomes available again for someone else.
If a person misses the call, a short, friendly message with your booking page link lets them book again without awkwardness.
From the call to the first session
If you both want to continue, don't end the call with "let me know". Agree on a first session and book it yourself from your calendar while you're still talking. If you work in regular sessions, you can book the first few the same way. Confirm the dates by message after the call. If they prefer to think, send your booking page link and let them choose.
You receive an email for each new booking, and the person receives a confirmation email for each booking, including the ones you make for them. Book doesn't take payments; say in your coaching service descriptions how sessions or programmes are paid.