Should consultants charge for discovery?
I'm starting to think there is nicotine in free strategy sessions. Too many times to count, people who have read my book or taken my course have told me they loved my advice and were excited to implement it, and then, against my recommendation, they still offer a free consultation on their website.
I did it too. I was definitely scared to come off as pushy or salesy, so I would chat with people and offer up loads of free advice, hoping they would see my brilliance and ask how they could pay me. And when they didn't, I had a hard time bringing it up.
So should consultants charge for discovery? Yes. Keep one short call free, and call it what it is. I call mine a Fit Call. The discovery itself, the deeper work of figuring out what a client actually needs, is paid.
What the name promises
My answer starts with what you call it. Call it a “free consultation,” a “free strategy session” or a “discovery call,” and you’ve told the prospect they’re about to get advice, strategy or discovery for free. If the real purpose is to find out whether you’re a fit and, if you are, move toward a sale, why not be upfront about that?
Some consultants run perfectly good sales processes on calls they label discovery calls. My argument is with the label.
I understand the rationale. Try before you buy. You think a free strategy session is a show of good faith; you know you're good and you're willing to give up some of your time to prove it. Or you're scared to sell, and you hope that giving potential clients some of your time will make them beg to work with you!
A discovery call, free consultation, or free strategy session is intended for you to give free value and then hope that they buy at the end. This is a mismatch of expectations: sending the message that you're just there to help for free, when you're really hoping they buy from you. They know they're there to be sold to, so their guard is up.
What stays free: the Fit Call
That's why I started calling them Fit Calls.
The whole point of the Fit Call is to see if we are a fit for each other. It takes the pressure off the call (I'm trying to figure out if you're a fit for me, and I'm not going to sell you if you aren't) and it makes it explicit that the point of the call is to get to the sale only if it makes sense.
Instead of being in opposition, where I am trying to sell you something and you are trying to hold onto your money, we are on the same team.
It's fifteen minutes. Your job is to ask direct, specific questions to understand why they reached out, what they believe they need, and the problems they want to solve. There are no second or third meetings, because anything more requires going deeper into the problem and beginning to create solutions.
What gets paid for: everything deeper
Going deeper is the work. So that's the part you charge for.
Giving away your time, your most precious commodity, says a lot about how you value yourself. It says you don't have a full docket of paying clients, so you have time to give away to potential customers. Your clients will never value your time more than you do, so it's your job to set the standard.
And people value what they pay for. If they value the information more, they are also more likely to listen to it and implement it.
In my model that paid first step is the Lead Product: a small engagement at a set price where you interview the client, diagnose what they really need, and hand them a written plan.
Linda and Lisa
Meet Linda and Lisa. They are both executive coaches who help Fortune 1000 leaders become rock stars.
The first step to working with Linda is purchasing a $1,000 engagement during which she will meet with you, assess your situation, give you actionable advice on your career, and present options on how to work with her on an ongoing basis.
The first step to working with Lisa is scheduling a free strategy call.
Now meet Susan. Imagine that Susan is someone you really look up to. She is your friend and your mentor, and is very successful in her career and life. She wants to work with a coach to help her achieve even greater heights, and asks if you know anyone she could hire.
Are you more likely to refer Linda or Lisa? Not only is Linda probably a better fit for Susan, but recommending Linda is also going to make you look better to Susan. After all, you can't even engage with Linda for less than $1,000, which means she works only with serious people who are ready to put their money where their mouth is.
Be Linda, and you will attract Susans.
"Can I pick your brain?"
The same line applies to coffee.
Years ago I implemented the Brandshrink, a one-and-a-half-hour interview and write up, so I could have clear boundaries for these requests. Having a defined process and response means I don't have to get caught up in being polite or worrying about what to say when people ask for my time. I'm quick to tell people, even friends, that if they want my advice and time, they'll have to schedule a Brandshrink and pay for it.
Sounds pretty cold-hearted, doesn't it?!
Au contraire. This is not just for my benefit, it's for theirs! People value things more when they pay for them, and because they value them, they're also more likely to implement my advice effectively.
If someone is a good fit for you and your services, they will go through your process. If they choose not to, they weren't a good fit, and you just got back a few hours of your life. They are not bad people for requesting it, just like you are not a bad person for wanting to get paid for your expertise!
Start here
Look at your website. If it offers a free consultation or strategy session, decide what the fifteen-minute version is, and what the paid version is.
How the paid first step works, from the Fit Call to the written brief, is on the Lead Product Method page.
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