Question

Topic: E-Marketing

Free Consulting???

Posted by Anonymous on 9/23/2008 at 4:45 PM ET 25 Points
My company has started a site that gives small business owners and managers free consulting advice. Users navigate to the site and submit a support ticket that contains their question. Within 5 days, a marketing professional will respond with an answer.

My question is: Will people want to use a free consulting source like this, and how much faith will they place in the answers?

I know people don't expect much when it is free, but will this turn potential users away?
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Inbox_Interactive on 9/23/2008 at 5:13 PM Member
    Seems to work here. It's all about how professional and helpful your free advice is.

  • Posted by Mikee on 9/23/2008 at 5:32 PM Member
    I agree with Paul. Everybody seems to be good with the free advice here. Some of the best advice I have received in life has been free.

    Mike
  • Posted by wnelson on 9/23/2008 at 6:35 PM Accepted
    Nate,

    Small business owners don't lack for places for seeking advice. It's all around them - books, videos, websites, small business development centers, etc. Mostly, they think they can handle everything themselves or they are "too busy" to look. Make it free or even pay them to come to the site - most small business owners wouldn't take advantage of it. You'll have some who do - as they do here. But, don't expect a flood of small business owners to flock to your site because it's free.

    Monetary cost is just a small part of it. It's the pain of facing that they have problems and limits that's the barrier.

    And asking here for "our" opinion is not a good sample. Most people who come here frequently are not of the same spirit as a typical small business owner because they are willing to admit that someone else might know something more about business than they do and/or not afraid to admit they need help. The folks here are not your typical demographic.

    I hope this helps.

    Wayde
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 9/23/2008 at 7:07 PM Accepted
    It depends on how well networked you are with the community you're seeking to attract. As Wayde stated, there's too much information online. With the "free" there's a concern for a "catch" - what's in it for you to offer such service. Make the "catch" transparent and you'll have a better chance.
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