Consultations with clients can get pretty in depth and take some time. Some of the process is for the client to get information to see if they would be comfortable enough to work with you as their freelancer. Other consults may be asking for advice.
Your time is valuable, even when consulting. Normal consultations that might take 20 minutes or half an hour are great, but what happens when you are required to drive to a location to do a consultation? Do you just do it for free?
What if the consult is technical advice to correct a mistake or improve?
When should consultations cost?
Consultations should cost if the time used is taking long. Half an hour or more might need some compensation. It all depends on you as the freelancer. If you feel it is a good investment to do a free consultation in person, that is your choice. However, commuting time, gas, and more – that poses to be an expensive investment.
While you are wanting to land a job, most of your clients should be aware that if you are meeting with them outside of email or phone, it is a courtesy to provide adequate compensation. For myself, while I do not charge, I often am invited to lunch to do a consult and the client pays. It is not always expected, but I have never had to pay my own meal during an in-person consultation. It ends up being comfortable and I can get a better idea of how to deliver a good product for my client.
However, I have found lately I have had to charge for some technical support time that I had to either work or provide detailed advice. I normally charge my per hour fee and that has been acceptable according to some of my clients.
While I would love to always do free in-person consultations, it just is not logical. I recommend if you do, but you have been unsure of whether or not to charge, simply consult your clients. Ask them if they believe it is fair. Or, ask your peers in your niche?
Do you charge for web design consultations? If so, do you have advice to anyone unsure of trying this? If not – why?
I think you should be compensated for offline consultations, since it will take a lot more time. This compensation can either be paying for lunch or a small fee. Online consultations taking less than half an hour should also be free. That's just my opinion however.
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There was one time that me and a friend (at the moment we were freelancers as web designer) went like 3-4 times to the office of the client so we can talk about what he will order. Sometimes we had to wait, sometimes he was not there, sometimes we talked. At the end after I explained him how to order his own hosting and domain he never called :D.
Just an example showing us why we should probably charge for consultations.
On the other hand, if someone just wants to order something, and you charge him for the information that he needs to know, it is not such a good idea.
Soo, actually this is pretty hard to decide…
Not being very helpful, I guess …
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There are always limitations to giving away free web consultations. I am not adverse to giving them as long as the time spent in the free session is not that long. During these free sessions, you touch on the basics only and on what you can offer as per the prospect's need. Then, if the interest is there, you can already set an appointment for a lengthier and more extensive session that is already paid.
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Nile – I agree with you that if you have to travel to a certain location to do a consultation then it is not out of bounds to ask your potential client for a fair fee.
As a freelancer I think it is up to you to set the standards for yourself. If you feel you can afford to do a free in person consultation for a person then by all means do so.
However, most people understand that no intelligent person will do anything without adequate compensation and will offer to pay you for your consultation, especially if that consultation involves giving detailed advice.
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I think you should spend 1 hour of consulting for free and other time should be paid. Everyone is happy in that way: client has got the discount and you – money.
I appreciate with comment of Android developer, I also think that If we spend 1 hour consulting for free and other time should be paid , Then it should be better for us.Thanks
Nile – I agree with you that if you have to travel to a certain location to do a consultation then it is not out of bounds to ask your potential client for a fair fee. As a freelancer I think it is up to you to set the standards for yourself. If you feel you can afford to do a free in person consultation for a person then by all means do so. However, most people understand that no intelligent person will do anything without adequate compensation and will offer to pay you for your consultation, especially if that consultation involves giving detailed advice. My recent post Cheap Guitar Lessons
Take this for what it's worth..
You can't measure how good a surgeon is based on consult cost.
I say this because your main concern should be finding a reputable surgeon not how much the consult costs, because needing a revision will cost way more than a consult so worry about the surgeon's capableness first, it will save you money in the long run.
Unfortunately, the difference between a surgeon and a web designer is great. A surgeon is going to get paid through the hospital, or through insurance and or government/ state aid facilities. You DO pay for your consultation costs for a doctor. They do not check you out for free – same goes with a lawyer.
Web designers fend on their own. If it is their sole duty, they are the one doing everything from marketing and more. Consultations that only require talking are one thing- this is more of when it takes gas money for the web designer to commute an hour or more to a consult meeting or even requires technical hands on support. You are still getting something, even if you are doing a simple consult that may be 30 minutes and just outlining, but if it is “nitty gritty work on a project” where you are putting the plans of the site together, and actually working, that is a whole different game.
Very informative for a new consultant like myself. Thanks for taking the time to put this together.
I am freelancer, and thing which i hate is consultation, I have seen many clients just want to know every thing, either they have knowledge of that or not. This not only waste time but also irritates.