Free Advice is a Costly Mistake

When you tell people what you do, it’s done with the idea that in the long run you’ll capitalize on your expertise. The hope is that word-of-mouth marketing will encourage sales now or in the future.

Too often I find that telling people what I do results in a barrage of questions, and people expect me to provide them with an on-the-spot consultation or tutorial.

Does this also happen to you? Time is as crucial as it is expensive when you work alone, especially when someone wants to know everything you’ve learned in a nanosecond. “That sounds like fun” or “Hey, I have a question. How do you…?” are frequent ways people start asking me for advice.

My gift of gab is a blessing, but not when inquirers want the equivalent of a free seminar in restaurants and airport lounges. I’ve learned how to effectively stop people who will never hire me from seeking free advice.

The Wall Street Journal’s June 7th article, “Free Advice for Pros Who Keep Getting Asked for Free Advice,” goes into detail about this. Read the interviews with business owners to learn about solutions that may work for you.

I now customize my response to fit the moment.

“That’s what I teach in my adult course. Here’s my card. Check my Web site for classes in your area.”
“You’ll learn everything through a consultation. My rate is (cost) per hour. When do you want to start?”

What do you say to bring the free advice train to a grinding halt?

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