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Test Pilot Part 01

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The question is asked of us all, "How much is too much when giving away free services?" I remember the first client I had, it seemed like every time we met and they would change their minds, I was giving them something new for free that we had not previously agreed upon. So when is enough enough?

You may see that a lot of freelancers offer free time-constrained consultations. If so, you have probably asked yourself if you should do the same. There is no right or wrong answer that I can give you. This is something you will have to determine for yourself. I have met designers that will never meet a client without a consultation fee being paid first, and I have personally met with clients for free in order to get their business. I see the latter happening more frequently with new designers than with those who have established a clientele.

So without any further delay, below are what I consider Advantages and Disadvantages of free consultations.

Advantages

People love free stuff. If your competition is charging for a consultation and you aren't, and you have a solid portfolio to show the prospective client, there's a good chance they will meet with the person who is willing to consult with them for free before they meet with one they have to pay. At the very least, it's a pretty good way to get your foot in the door. An option for this is setting the time constraints like I mentioned above. This way, you don't feel like you are giving away too much of your time for free. To stay competitive, you should always try to find out what the competition is doing and match their offer or make a better one.

Talking face-to-face with a client vs. talking to them on the phone or e-mail may be the extra step that will win them over. A client may consider this an example of what to expect from you when servicing their needs. They may say to themselves, "They went the extra mile and took time to meet with me. Not only that, they did it for free." That kind of service can really make a client feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and if you can carry yourself confidently and professionally, that may be what sets you apart from the competition. It also shows your ambition to the client. My last client lived in New Jersey, and although I didn't fly out there to meet them, I did consult with them via the phone for free, and ended up winning the bid against a local web design company there. Of course, the Consultation wasn't the only part of the equation, but it got my foot in the door to show them what I have to offer.

Another advantage of offering a free consultation is networking. You will get to know the client and make your impression on them. Even if the client doesn't pick you to do their work, they may think of you in the future. This is a good thing, because say for example the contractor who does win the bid with this client performs poorly, you may be the next person they think of to either fix the mess the last contractor left behind, do their next project, or who they recommend to others who need your services. Also, you'll learn from them and use that to improve upon your services and your sales pitch. It can definitely be a learning experience.

Clients also like to feel like your available to them. Some clients may see you charging for a consultation as a wall you are putting up between them and yourself. Get a feel for the client, if they appear to be a bit hesitant, you might want to consider meeting with them for a free limited consultation...

Disadvantages

Once you have established yourself and built your clientele, you may feel more apt to charging for a consultation. Time is money, and the more time you sit with a client for free, that's money your not making. A strong portfolio showcasing your talent will speak a lot towards convincing a client that it's worth the money to sit with you. And let's face it, sometimes the consultation process can be a pain. Broadcasting freebies to the world will grab the attention of everyone who wants a site but doesn't want to pay to meet with someone about it.

What's the bad side to this you say? Well, just like you are scoping out the client, the client is scoping you out too. They will absorb the information you give them during a consultation like a sponge, and use that to negotiate with the next contractor they talk to. You're not just giving away your time, you are giving away your knowledge, and knowledge is power...

Another thing, giving away free consultations can take you away from what is making you money, projects that have the potential to increase your income, and your precious free time.

What is my Expert Advice?

In my opinion, free consultations should be on a case-by-case basis. Depending on how much you could make from a client, how much the work could benefit your portfolio, how it effects your personal and professional livelihood, and the client's response to being charged for a consultation, it will probably be best to use your best judgement on when to charge and when not to charge. I wouldn't broadcast to the world that I am giving free consultations to every client, because there may be some that I feel should pay for my time, and there may be some that I might think the project is worth my time to investigate further with a freebie.

If you do give a free consultation, don't give it away with an unlimited amount of time. Limit your time to about a half hour. You are a busy designer, and since the time is free it has to be limited in order for you to get back to the projects making you money. Make sure you are prepared to ask a set of standardized questions to get as much out of the client as you can in order to cover as much as you can in as little time possible. Also, try to have some preemptive suggestions for some of those questions. Pay close attention to the time, but don't make it obvious to the client. Don't get sidetracked in pleasantries, stick to the topics. Allow for enough time for your client to ask questions, and have coined responses for questions like, "So about how much would you charge for something like this?".

Take as many notes as possible, or ask the client if it is okay with them that you record the consultation to further improve upon your offerings. Ensure your client knows the conversation will be used for personal use only.

Finally, don't over extend yourself. Don't give up all your plans, your life, or other clients because you feel obligated to everyone that inquires about your services. If you feel you have a good chance of landing the client, and their offerings will more than compensate for your sacrifices, then do what you feel is best.

So now you know my take on this. How do you feel?