Score freelance leads in a spreadsheet before they reach your calendar.
A lead scoring spreadsheet is the fastest way to stop treating every enquiry like an equal opportunity. Copy this simple model into Google Sheets, score each client intake response, and decide who gets a call.
Fast answer: use six 0–2 scoring columns: service fit, budget, timeline, authority, scope clarity, and readiness. A 9–12 score is hot, 6–8 is warm, and anything below 6 should not automatically get a discovery call.
The spreadsheet columns to create
| Column | What it measures | Score guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Lead name | The person or company enquiring. | Text only. |
| Service fit | Whether the request matches work you actually want. | 2 = core offer, 1 = adjacent, 0 = poor fit. |
| Budget fit | Whether the stated range can support the project. | 2 = meets minimum, 1 = unclear/close, 0 = below minimum. |
| Timeline fit | Whether the deadline is realistic and worth prioritizing. | 2 = realistic, 1 = flexible/unclear, 0 = panic or no timeline. |
| Decision maker | Whether you are speaking with the person who can say yes. | 2 = decision maker, 1 = influencer, 0 = unknown committee. |
| Scope clarity | Whether the result, deliverables, and constraints are clear. | 2 = clear, 1 = partly clear, 0 = vague/sprawling. |
| Readiness | Whether the lead is ready to take the next step now. | 2 = ready this week, 1 = needs detail, 0 = browsing. |
| Scope risk flag | Whether the enquiry contains red flags like unlimited revisions or unclear ownership. | Yes/No. A Yes should change the response even if the score is decent. |
Google Sheets formulas
Adjust column letters if your sheet uses a different order.
How to route each tier
✓ Hot: 9–12 points
Send a short personal reply and your booking link. Mention one detail from their intake answer so the email does not feel automated.
! Warm: 6–8 points
Do not book immediately. Ask the one question that would change the decision: budget, deadline, scope, owner, or goal.
! Risk: any score + scope flag
Reply with boundaries before the call. Define what is included, what is not, and how changes are estimated.
Cold: under 6 points
Send a polite decline, a useful resource, or a paid audit option if they need help clarifying the brief.
Turn the spreadsheet into a system
The spreadsheet tells you who is worth a call. The full Client Intake Autopilot Pack gives you the intake questions, scorecard, discovery agenda, email scripts, scope boundary checklist, automation recipes, and 7-day setup plan.
Get the €4.50 Freelance Lead Scoring Spreadsheet Kit with formulas, scoring rules, intake questions, and reply scripts.