When consultative selling becomes free consulting

And you give away your value to "win the client"

Do you recognize this situation?

• You do in-depth free analyses to "demonstrate competence"
• You prepare detailed proposals with complete strategies
• You spend hours on exploratory calls where you already solve the problem
• The client thanks you, takes the ideas and... disappears
• When you convert, it's after having given away hours of work

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The paradox of the generous consultant

You want to demonstrate you're worth it.

That you're different from competitors.
That you truly understand their problem.

And so, during the commercial phase, you already do consulting.

You analyze, propose, suggest.
You give away insights, strategies, solutions.

You think: "if they see I'm good, they'll choose me".
But often they take your ideas and execute them internally.
Or they bring them to a cheaper competitor.

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What happens when you give away consulting

On the economic front:

• Unreimbursed commercial time explodes
• Low conversion rate (2-3 out of 10)
• Even when you win, you've already given away value
• The client mentally "discounts" what you've already given

On the positioning front:

• The client doesn't perceive value because they got it free
• Expectation: "if you give me so much free, how much will you give if I pay?"
• They don't respect you as a consultant, they see you as "pre-sales service"
• You attract clients seeking consulting masked as quotation

On the energy front:

• Exhausted after 10 in-depth pitches
• Frustrated because "I did everything right but they don't buy"
• Temptation to lower prices because "at least I recover something"
• Vicious cycle: the more you give free, the more you attract those seeking free

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Why it happens

It's not pure generosity.
It's insecurity masked as strategy.

You think if you don't immediately demonstrate competence, the client leaves.
That you have to "earn" their interest.
That selling is convincing, not selecting.

But in reality, those who seek value recognize it before you even speak.
And those who seek free, will always take it, even if you're the best.

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The (wrong) path many try

Apparent solution: Charge for proposals/analyses

But if you propose "pay 500€ to get a proposal", the client thinks:
"But if I don't yet know if I need you, why should I pay you?"

The problem isn't charging for the pitch.
It's changing the sales process.

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The 5-step method:

1. Rigorous qualification before investing time
   → Budget? Timeline? Decision-maker involved? Purchase process?
   → If these are missing, it's not a prospect, it's a curious person
2. Minimal discovery, not masked consulting
   → Ask questions, don't give answers
   → Diagnosis, not ready-made solution
   → "I understand the problem, the solution is in the project"
3. Proposal of process, not solution
   → "Here's HOW we'll work", not "here's WHAT we'll do in detail"
   → Value is in the process, not in the ideas
4. Paid quick win
   → If they want to taste, offer paid workshop/audit
   → Little, but paid: selection + respect
5. Positioning as expert, not salesperson
   → "I don't have to convince you, you have to qualify yourself to work with me"
   → Inversion of power relationship

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What changes after

You no longer give away value hoping they'll buy.

You sell to those already ready to buy.
The commercial phase is brief, qualifying, efficient.
Conversion rate rises because you only talk to those who are serious.

And finally, your commercial time generates profit, not dispersion.