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Hey everyone! It's Hailey here, and today I want to take you on a journey back to my very first freelance sales call.

Trust me, you won't want to miss this story because it's packed with lessons that could change the way you approach your own sales conversations.

Picture this: I was sitting in my Subaru Forester, a yellow legal pad on my lap, palms sweating like crazy.

My house was a chaotic mess, filled with moving boxes, a hyperactive puppy, and my husband inside, wrapping up the final preparations for our big move.

In that moment, my car became my sanctuary, the only quiet space where I could make this crucial phone call.

I had absolutely no context going into this call—just a name and a phone number from a friend's referral.

No research on her business, no preparation whatsoever.

When she mentioned needing SEO blog posts, I froze.

I had some marketing experience, but SEO? That was a whole new world for me.

In a moment of panic, I blurted out, "I've never done this before, but I'm willing to do them at a discounted rate while I learn.

" And then there was silence.

I held my breath, waiting for her response.

Finally, she said, "Yeah, okay, we can try that.

" Somehow, against all odds, she hired me.

We ended up working together for three years, and she became a huge advocate for my services, referring me to her network of entrepreneurs.

But after that first call, I realized I needed a better approach for future conversations.

So, I bought a sales call template that covered all the traditional tactics—creating scarcity, using aggressive closing techniques, overcoming objections before they even came up, and pushing for a same-day decision.

Now, don't get me wrong—there's nothing inherently wrong with these approaches.

They can work.

But when I tried implementing them on my next call, I felt like I was pretending to be someone I wasn't.

It was too scripted, too aggressive, and just not me.

Over the past five years, I've learned a lot, and my approach to sales calls has transformed completely.

My main goal now is to build trust through genuine connection.

It's really not rocket science.

I listen, show that I understand, and remember what they say.

I've been called the "best question asker" more times than I can count.

The power in a sales call doesn't come from what I say—it comes from what I ask.

I want to know what business goals are driving their content needs, who their ideal customer profile is, and what's currently working or not in their strategy.

I take notes, ask thoughtful follow-ups, and genuinely try to understand how my solutions can make a difference for them.

If our conversation sparks any content ideas, I share them right then and there.

I don't hold back, thinking I should save it for when they hire me.

I might suggest a content angle they haven't considered or highlight a unique story they could tell.

Some might say I'm giving away too much, but honestly, being helpful—whether they hire me or not—always comes back around in some way.

I keep my service options crystal clear: two core options with specific deliverables, exactly what I need from them, when they can expect things from me, and the price range.

This clarity helps avoid the fumbling I used to do when I offered too many different things.

Talking about money still isn't my favorite thing, but having clear packages has made it much easier.

When it comes to closing the call, I break from traditional sales advice.

I never pressure for a same-call decision or use fake scarcity tactics.

If I need time to put together a custom quote, I'm honest about that.

For clients who seem like a great fit, I'll do a quick story-mining exercise in the last few minutes to give them a taste of my interviewing skills and end things on a high note.

I wrap up the call with clear next steps, like sending over a proposal by tomorrow and allowing them a week to review it.

I also lead with integrity, even if it costs me the sale.

If someone isn't quite ready for my content investment, I let them know.

I've even referred potential clients to other marketers if I thought they'd be a better fit.

Good business is about being helpful, and this approach builds a reputation that creates long-term sustainability.

People remember when you put their interests first.

The most powerful shift in my sales approach happened before I even got on the phone.

I stopped trying to convince people about the value of good content.

Now, I only get on calls with those who are already solution-aware—they know they need professional content help; they just need to figure out if I'm the right person for the job.

By qualifying leads before calls, I focus my energy on connecting with potential clients who already value what