Debate: Should we charge a consultation fee or keep it free?

My friend Jenna who runs a booth at a salon in Austin told me she started charging $25 for consultations after too many people booked a full hour, got free advice, then never booked a service. I always thought free consults bring in clients, but she said she lost 3 people in one month but the ones who actually paid booked full services. Made me wonder if we're undervaluing our time. What do you guys do? Do you charge or keep them free?

3 comments

3 Comments

abby_black26d ago

Yeah the $20 going toward their first service is genius. I think that little change makes people feel like they're investing in themselves instead of just burning your time. Free consults attract too many tire kickers who don't respect the craft. Charging something small filters for the serious ones and you end up with better clients anyway. Jenna's numbers speak for themselves honestly.

vera_murphy26d ago

Wait, do you find that the free consults actually bring in enough paying clients to cover the time you spend on the people who just take the advice and run? I used to offer free 30 minute consults too, and I swear half the people just wanted a free mini session, not a real booking. I switched to a $20 fee that goes toward their first service if they book within a week, and it cut my no-shows by a ton. It also weeds out the people who aren't serious, and the ones who pay always end up booking something bigger anyway. At the end of the day, your time is worth something, and a small fee filters for the clients who actually respect that.

piperwhite18d ago

Yeah the $20 deposit that goes toward their booking is such a simple fix. Free stuff just attracts people who don't value your time or your work. I'd rather have 5 real clients than 20 people who just want free advice and ghost you. That fee shows they're serious and respects what you do.