Sorry, that’ll cost you

When I speak to a prospective client, I not only explain what we do here, but perhaps more importantly, what we don’t do. For those keeping score at home, we don’t offer the following services: technology consulting, sales training and with rare exceptions, executive recruiting.

There are other companies and persons that are far more knowledgeable and experienced in those areas and we frequently give referrals when it’s obvious we can’t provide someone with the help they need. For now at least we’ll stick with what has propelled us for the past quarter century – ownership and transition assistance.

You know what else we don’t offer?

Unpaid consulting, with the emphasis on “unpaid.”

For those who may not be in sales, unpaid consulting officially begins when you cross that line of demarcation between trying to determine a client’s problem and then blurting out a number of possible solutions.

What usually happens next is fairly predictable. You feel like the smartest person in the room when you detail exactly how a prospect can overcome a problem and you have their complete attention. They ask a ton of questions and more than likely, scribble incessantly on a notepad.

When done, you’re absolutely convinced they will come aboard. Then mysteriously they go AWOL.

Gone.

Off the radar.

MIA.

Only later do you find out that they took your complimentary solution and either applied it themselves or shopped it to a less expensive competitor. Afterward, you feel like you’ve just taken George Foreman’s best punch. Your boss isn’t too thrilled either.

Recently, a small-to-midsized firm in the Northeast reached out to me and requested a conference call with the owners. Their goal was to determine a five-year succession plan and wanted some thoughts (read: unpaid consulting) on which course of action to take.

I spoke in very general terms and told them that any succession solution lies either internally or externally and sent them some standard information and offered to come to their offices to discuss it in-person.

The next question was unavoidable.

Do you charge for that?

My response was – do you see a 501c designation on my business card? No? Well then obviously we’re not a non-profit company. Yes, we do charge both an hourly and daily rate for consulting services.

They thanked me for my time and promised to get back with me. I took that with the same genuine sincerity as when my bother-in-law told me that he’d pay me back the money I lent him within a month. It’s now going on 17 years.

You want free accounting services, call your state society. You call a consulting company, don’t expect a free ride.