DISQUS

DISQUS Hello! The Savvy Entrepreneur is using DISQUS, a powerful comment system, to manage its comments. Learn more.

Community Page

The Savvy Entrepreneur

Helping Virtual Assistants run their small business, one step at a time.
Jump to original thread »
Author

http://blog.cristinafavreau.com/2007/11/dont-give-yourself-away/

Started by Cristina Favreau · 10 months ago

Do you offer a free consultation, complimentary evaluation or other type of no-charge offering (where you’re actually performing a service to a potential client)?
Like many coaches, I offer a one-time sample coaching session. When I first started coaching, I even coached a ... Continue reading »

5 comments

  • Jacki Hollywood Brown

    1 year ago

    You are SO right!
    reply
  • Teresa Morrow

    1 year ago

    Cristina,

    All I have to say is...you are so right!

    It does look desperate when a business owner especially a entrepreneur GIVES AWAY their services for free continuously. It is hard to gain credibility for yourself when all your clients are not paying you. That just makes your business a hobby and that is something we are not striving for.

    What makes what you do NOT important enough to these people not to be able to pay for your services? If they do not have the money at the time, move on to market to those people who do have the money. They may not be your ideal client at the moment, however, somewhere down the road, they may turn into your ideal client. However, you have not wasted your time and effort, doing business for someone who does NOT value your skills and knowledge.

    I just recently wrote a post that is along the same lines as this one...if you are interested in reading my post titled,

    Thanks Cristina for this great post!

    Teresa Morrow
    Key Business Partners
    www.keybusinesspartners.com</a>
    reply
  • Jenn Givler

    1 year ago

    I totally agree. AND - you risk burning out. As coaches, we are constantly giving to our clients - when you give and give and give without receiving - you're heading straight for burn-out.

    There is a Universal Law called the law of reciprocity. It states that when we give, we must receive something equal in return so that we too may be replenished... money is a really good example of this - it's our Universally accepted exchange.

    Thanks for bringing this to the fore Cristina - it's such an important topic!
    reply
  • Cristina Favreau

    1 year ago

    Teresa, it's so interesting when you say "you have not wasted your time and effort, doing business for someone who does NOT value your skills and knowledge."

    My coaching client finally put her foot down with one of her "clients" who was blatantly taking advantage of her. Ends up she was wasting time and effort on someone who really did not value her expertise. She "fired" him and her time and energy are finally freed up for paying clients who appreciate her hard work.
    reply
  • Cristina Favreau

    1 year ago

    Jenn, I'm so glad you brought up the issue of burn out, which I didn't even touch on in my post.

    Thanks for bringing up the Universal Law of Reciprocity. It's a topic I want to learn more about!

    As usual Jenn, thanks so much for your insights.
    reply

Add New Comment

Returning? Login