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Is there a limit to offering free advice?

Etiquette at Work

THIS STORY APPEARED IN

January 26, 2012|By Peter Post

Q. Free advice, samples, or demonstrations are part of growing a small business, but at some point enough is enough. If someone kept calling you asking questions about seating arrangements or business customs for various countries, at some point you would have to tell this person, “If you’d like to hire to me to provide a seminar on this topic, I’d love to work with you.’’ What’s the best way to handle these inquiries? What if they offer to barter, but that situation doesn’t work for you? Is it appropriate to set a limit after their first or second call? How can one defuse a situation when the requester gets angry or insulted? When a price is quoted for services, how can one discourage haggling?

M. M., Portland, Ore.

A. At the Emily Post Institute, we balance free with paid advice: free in the form of the Etipedia and the Etiquette Daily blog. Etipedia is an online encyclopedia of etiquette information. The blog is our online community where people can post a question and the community, led by moderators, provides the advice.

Websites and blogs provide an excellent avenue to balance giving a service for free with getting paid for it. Paid advice comes in our books and seminars. We believe providing free avenues doesn’t discourage people from buying a book or attending a seminar.

When you encounter the person who seeks more than a quick answer, your words are an excellent solution: “It sounds as if you have a lot of questions on this topic. If you’d like to hire to me to provide a seminar on this topic, I’d love to work with you.’’ The best way to handle these inquiries is positively and confidently. You absolutely can and should set a limit when you feel you are providing too much without charging.

Bartering is a personal decision. If you are uncomfortable with it, then say so. Haggling occurs only if you let it. “John, thanks for the offer, but I don’t provide discounts. My price is . . .’’

In all these situations, the key is how you handle them. If the other person becomes angry, don’t respond in kind. If necessary, end the conversation. “I’m sorry John, I appreciate your interest, but I really need to go now. Goodbye.’’