You know your craft. The client call is the hard part: the quick small talk, the budget question, saying no to "just a small extra", telling a client about a delay, or not catching what they said. This workbook gives you the exact phrases for each moment and makes you practise them out loud until they're automatic.

What's inside

• Workbook PDF, 28 pages (A4 and US Letter, same content), 8 units:

1 Before the call · 2 Opening the call · 3 Discovery questions · 4 Understanding and buying time · 5 Price and scope · 6 Updates and delays · 7 Feedback, revisions and problems · 8 Closing and following up

• Each unit has:

– a phrase bank of 8–10 phrases, each with when and why to use it

– "watch out" notes on habits that confuse international clients (for example "do the needful", "I have a doubt", "I will revert")

– 3 exercises: choose the better sentence, gap fill with a word box, and put in order or rewrite

– a speaking task to record on your phone, plus note lines

• 12 role-play calls in a separate card file (logo for a bakery, slow online shop, weekly video editing, a late website, "I don't like the colours", scope creep, late payment and more). Freelancer briefs and hidden client briefs are on separate pages, so a friend, a tutor or an AI chat assistant can play the client. Each client brief hides one fact you only find by asking the right question.

• 8 message templates: call summary, written quote, scope change, early delay notice, asking for missing input, payment reminders (friendly, then firm), saying no politely, and asking for feedback. Also included as editable DOCX and TXT.

• A numbers, dates and spelling page (13 vs 30, 03/04, time zones, the NATO alphabet for email addresses), a 30-term freelance glossary, a before/after self-check and a progress tracker.

• Tutor notes for 45–60 minute lessons, and a full answer key.

Who it's for

Designers, developers, writers, virtual assistants, video editors, marketers and translators working with international clients, at about CEFR A2+ to B2. Tutors and trainers can use it in paid lessons (commercial licence included).

How to use

One unit every two or three days: read the phrases aloud, do the exercises, then the speaking task. Start the role-play calls after Unit 3. Print at 100%, or write on the PDFs in any annotation app.

Notes

Original text. All names, companies and situations are fictional. No audio is included. Not affiliated with any freelance marketplace; if you work through a platform, keep communication and payment inside it and follow its rules. Font: Atkinson Hyperlegible (SIL OFL). Digital download; nothing is shipped.