Envisioned Prototype The Online Portfolio and Professional Blog of Daniel Yearwood

The Benefit and Downfall of Free Consultations

Yesterday I read an article about the Pros and Cons of Free Consultation and I feel that this is a good topic to discuss on my blog.

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.