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Contemplating a Free Consultation? Here’s How it Impacted Our Bottom-Line

2020-03-16

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If you’re contemplating a FREE consultation for your design business, it can be downright terrifying. It’s hard to imagine that giving your services away for free could Contemplating a Free Consultation? Here’s How it Impacted Our Bottom-Line make a positive impact. Darla and Natalie gave it a go—and this Monday's Marketing Minisode is all about their results. To find out if they give a free consultation a thumbs up or thumbs down, listen now! What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social [2:00] Implementing free design consultat...

If you’re contemplating a FREE consultation for your design business, it can be downright terrifying. It’s hard to imagine that giving your services away for free could

Contemplating a Free Consultation? Here’s How it Impacted Our Bottom-Line

make a positive impact. Darla and Natalie gave it a go—and this Monday's Marketing Minisode is all about their results. To find out if they give a free consultation a thumbs up or thumbs down, listen now!

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social

[2:00] Implementing free design consultations
[6:14] Sandra Funks Interior ‘Design Standard’ program
[6:48] A free consultation’s impact on their close rate
[8:44] Can being more relaxed help with your close rate?
[12:07] Blooper Reel!

Resources & People Mentioned

Sandra Funk’s Episode on Wingnut Social!
Sandra’s upcoming program ‘The Interior Design Standard’

Free Consultation: yay or nay?

Darla and Natalie stopped charging for design consultations in Nov. of 2019 (just slightly before their episode with Sandra aired). While initially hesitant, Sandra had them convinced that it could work. They went from charging $450 per consultation to charging nothing. Zilch. Nada.

In the time following, they scheduled 10 free consultations. Of those 10, 50% of the clients chose to sign and work with them. Natalie crunched the numbers, and with a paid consultation they were only closing about 42%.

In a short time, they had an 8% increase in effectiveness—and the only variable that changed was their pricing. Or was it?

The impact of a free consultation

The only concrete variable that changed was moving from a paid to a free design consultation, but it made a large impact on Darla—and on the potential client. She used to go into a consultation completely anxious, poised and ready to spout design ideas and try and impress the client with her knowledge.

Now, Darla is more relaxed, knowing that this first meeting is to get to know the client(s) and make sure they’re a good fit for each other. Engaging with potential clients in a more relaxed manner has positively impacted their psyche—and their closing rate. She’ll often have people text her saying, “We can’t wait to work with you!” since implementing the free consultation.

She’s no longer walking in and doing off-the-cuff design and giving far too much information to the client. She realized that doing so cheapens your work. Why should they hire you if you can provide the value they need in a two-hour conversation?

Listen to the episode to hear their full take and why you should check out Sandra Funk’s ‘Design Standard’ that launches April 8th!

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