Hi there,
I will share something that someone told me...give away a free consultation of 1 hour and then start the bill process after you hook them with the "free consultation". Remember even giving away the free hour of your time is worth something(whatever your hourly billable rate would be)

Tanya
The AdminPlus LLC

This is a great thread--I have thought of doing this also, but it never really set well with me. In looking over several VA websites, I have seen the free hours of service provided to lure potential clients. That sounds better. I need to get going on building my business! Thank you to all who replied.

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Dena Peters
http://www.denastoolsandtips.com

Hi

Sometimes what I'll do too is to had a free service onto something. (But nothing really time consuming). For example, I'll write a press release and offer to send it out to 5 places for free. Or I'll do a website review and offer to add in a little keyword search analysis. That way I make sure I'm getting paid, yet the client feels good about getting a little extra.

Thanks!

Diana Ennen
Virtual Word Publishing
www.virtualwordpublishing.com

Definitely not 20 hours! Your time and skills are worth more than nothing. I agree with a discount offer or possible 2 free hours with the purchase of 5 hours. Your in business to create clients and repeat business. The reward is the profits you receive for services rendered.

May success continue to come your way!

I agree with everyone in here. I offer a discount on the first bill. But 20 hours is a lot of work just to give out for free. You could earn a lot of money already in those 20 hours.

Hi!

This site is well worth looking at. I am sure that Mikelann's first audio on this page will resonate with a few people. It is a great explanation of why women tend to under earn. Once you are aware of the behaviour you can learn the strategies to overcome it!

http://www.womenearning.com/resources/audio-clips/

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Kittie
Indigo Girl - Your Girl Friday

To quote Tess: "No, no, no!" 20 hours? Each? You would basically be working full-time for free. If you absolutely must, offer a "small" discount, but NEVER EVER EVER WORK FOR FREE!

I've come to the point that I don't offer discounts period (other than the one I offered to the VAs here, but that was for different reasons). I've had potential clients ask "do you offer a discount if I sign a contract for several months" or "do you offer a discount if I use x amount of hours", my answer is NO, and I'm sure I've lost clients because of it, but there was another one right behind him that was more than willing to pay full price.

Now don't get me wrong, I understand that it is hard to do when you need to be making money, and I've made the mistake of pricing myself too low and I still have clients that are paying the lower rate that I made the mistake of giving them in the beginning, but I also have a whole slew of newer clients that are paying the rate that I want them to pay. Clients are willing to pay and those are the ones that are worth waiting for.

The longer I have been in business for myself the more I realize that you really undervalue yourself by lowering your rates just to get people in the door.

This has really hit home lately as I had to hire a lawyer to help out a family member who is in financial trouble. The lawyer knows they are in financial trouble, but you know what, he is still charging them $175.00/hour.

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Rebecka Melson ~ Virtual Business Services

Ouch 20 hours! Your time is so much more valuable than that.

In my letters to businesses, I am offering a 20% discount off the first few hours and then my normal rate applies thereafter.

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Kari Thevenot, Virtual Assistant
www.yourlefthand.net

No freebies allowed!!! For starters you could push the good prospect clients away. The ones that take up on the free offer are normally clients that only want the free hours and have no intentions in your services. You can give a discounted service of either xx amount of hours for xx amount of hours purchased or a percentage off such as 50% off the first months service or first project etc.

Honestly the good clients that really need your service are the ones that are willing to pay for it and want someone that is confident in there services, skills and that is established. If you are offering free services that screams "I need business because my business just started or is not doing well". Just because you are just starting your business that does not mean that you are new at what you do.

You have been providing your services to other business for many years as a employee but you have been providing the service so you are NOT NEW AT IT! Your are a professional servie provider and have many years background. Your new clients do not need to know that you have not had any clients yet. You have had many clients already (your previous employers) and any experience you have from your past your prospects do not need to know who they were because you sign a contract to keep your clients information confidential.

ok enough babling I hope I made my point in all that mumbo jumbo talk!!

I have used the "free" offer only one time. Like Pam, I mention a free offer on my website. My offer is one hour free after a consultation about my services. Usually during my presentation, I make an offer instead of a 10% discount with a pre-paid block of time. This amounts to a discount of 1 hour per 9 hours as long as I get all my money up front. (I hate collections calls!)

Back to my one free offer, I went on a job interview when I was thinking about starting my business. The interviewer described a part-time position that was really not worth my drive & my time, so I proposed instead that I could do his work virtually. To prove my efficiency, I offerd a one hour project free with no strings attached. If he liked my work, I expected him to use my services rather than hire someone. Long story short, he liked the outcome and uses my business regularly for his company as well as a personal business venture. He referred another large client who has just referred another client to me. I would have never met either of the other two clients without that one free hour. An occasional free hour might be appropriate. I do however concede that Tess knows a lot more than I do and has been doing this much longer. All I can say is it worked for me in that one instance, but I do not make a practice of giving "free" time.

Good luck to you.

Twenty hours - definite NO. Occasional free to persuade someone on the fence about using your services