How A Free Consultation Can Save You Money
Written by Deb Dorchak - September 22, 2011 1 Comment
Attracting new clients often means giving away free stuff. People want to know what they’re getting, if it’s quality and if it meshes with their vision. Giving away things like small ebooks, trial workshops and programs and every kind of swag you can imagine is a sure way to get attention.
“Free” is a bit of a misnomer on this, since the production of the give-away items is anything but free for the business owner. Each year, businesses spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on the materials and services to create them.
Even if a business decides to create the freebie in house, it still costs them the time to do it.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at one of the most common freebies: the Consultation.
Who Is The Free Consultation Really For?
If you were asked who the free consultation is for, what would you say? On the surface, the easy answer is “For the client.” and you’d be right. But you’d also be right if you said it was for you, the business owner, too.
A free consultation is a chance for you to get to know a potential client as much as it is for the client to get to know you. Both parties are meeting to see if the other is a good match. Not many business owners look at the consultation in that light. The moment you do, you’ll realize you’re under no obligation to take the client on if you don’t mesh with them. You can say no, and so can they.
Why In The World Would You Say No?
Glad you asked. Nobody wants to turn away business. After all, you wanted to attract new clients, didn’t you? Now you have one sitting across the desk from you.
But…something doesn’t feel quite right. You’re seeing red flags popping up right and left. Maybe you’ve run into this type of problem client before and dread working with another one. They say they want your highest level package, the whole enchilada and the prospect of a big sale has your mouth watering. Still, a part of you is cringing because you know the whole thing is going to be a total nightmare.
Newsflash: You don’t have to agree to work with anyone you don’t feel right about. Chances are, if your instincts are telling you this client isn’t one of your people, you’re probably right.
How You Save Money (And Your Sanity)
No matter what your personal financial situation may be, never take on a client out of desperation. So many start-ups are so afraid they won’t have enough money at the end of the month to pay the bills. It’s very scary, I know. Been there done that. But you know what happens when you do that? You start to do ANYTHING just to get even the tiniest amount of money it. You end up stepping over dollars to pick up dimes.
The client has you right where they want you. They will smell the desperation and bargain you down to almost nothing. You’ll give them a cut rate well below what you want and in turn, that client will want even more as the project gets underway. Before you know it, you’re putting in far more time and effort to please this individual and keep them. The scope and budget for the project is way out of whack and you end up losing money on the deal.
Listen: IT’S NOT WORTH IT!
Stay true to your ideal client no matter what. You have an ideal client in mind for a reason: You like working with that kind of person. They “get” you and you “get” them. It works. It’s effortless. It’s a pleasure. You look forward to getting up in the morning to work with them. The project comes to life without a hitch and may even get done ahead of schedule. You’re having fun, your ideal client is having fun and chances are, you’re both probably planning out the next project!
What We Do
We learned a long time ago consultations are a must. None of our clients are hired without one. We want to get to know them as much as possible before a contract is drawn up. We want to know what they expect, if they’re clear on their needs or need help defining that, if what they’re asking for is really right for them and if it isn’t, how open are they to our advice for what we see may suit them better?
Wendi and I are both very intuitive people. When we get a hunch or see a red flag, we pay attention. 99% of the time, we both see and feel the same things at the same time. We’ll talk it over and if we both decide an individual isn’t a fit, we’ll gently decline or refer them to someone who is.
This is working from experience, not desperation. Desperation will cost you in so many ways in the long run. Take the time to envision your ideal client. Be specific. Know what it is you’re looking for, even if you have to start by defining what you don’t want.
And if you need help with this, contact us, we’d love to give you a free consultation.
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