First conversations with a new client can tell you a lot if you know what to pay attention to. Some clients come in already questioning your rates, asking for free samples, or describing their last freelancer in a way that raises questions. Others seem perfectly pleasant but give you a brief so vague you cannot even tell what they want. These small signals often become bigger problems once the project is running. What specific things do you watch for when talking to a potential client for the first time before you decide whether to take the job?