The Value of a Free Consultation is What You Charge For It

Again from Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive:  Don't give away anything for "free" because the "the value of an item declines when it is offered as a gift." 

So, instead of offering in your Yellow Pages ad (you're still doing those?) a "Free Consultation," try offering a "$250.00 case analysis at no cost to you."  Your clients will value your continuing services more highly, and they'll feel like they've already gotten something of value from you to begin with -- making them more likely to reciprocate and hire you to take their case.

Comments

[AZMike]

Hey Matt,

Followed Jim Canterucci over here, nice title for a blog.

I need to start watching how I speak outloud to others' I have a tendency to sell myself short. In fact I was going to mention that "some people consider themselves a "jack of all trades" well I am more like a 3 or 4 of a few trades.

Alright enough with beating me up, your turn. It's all well an good to offer your "$250 case analysis at no cost to you" but you may want to determine who most of your clients are before you put the words in your advertisements. Are you talking to Rhodes scholars or Homer Simpson types? Case in point, myself. I was injured in a car accident just short of 2 years ago, other guy's fault but they had no insurance, no license, no green card, etc. My insurance company sent me a letter saying, "We have been unable to collect anything from the 'other' party, if you want to try to get your $1000 deductible from them feel free, we're done with it."
I went to two chiropractors trying to get my back fixed, first one was a joke. Second one made it feel better for a time but then when the treatments went from twice a week to once, it seemed like all they did was make it worse. Eventually the chiropractor (who wanted to get paid) closed the case. My insurance adjuster said, "According to Chiro... wife/manger you have 100 percent physical recovery." That's funny I told him because my hands were still numb when they closed the case. I went for awhile, paid out of pocket but it never felt better afterward. Chiropractor mentioned an MRI once because the spot in my back wouldn't stay in but never offered to set it up.(What's all this have to do with writing to Homer?) I'm collecting that free $250 case analysis. I had been wanting to see where I stood on all this? I had heard the statute for an injury accident was 5 years.

Seriously I think you would be better to dumb-down your words, the Homer's will understand it and the educated will be glad you weren't pontificating. To follow the marketing guru's advice, "Enter the conversation that's already in their mind." How is Homer going to do that when he doesn't even own a dictionary to look up 'analysis'? Homer will move on to the one that says, "Hey come on over to Will's, you know Will's will getcha money."

My 2 cents. And 5 bucks will get you a double mocha vente at "5 Bucks".

Peace,

AZMike

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