One of the most challenging decisions we made at FRESH was to refrain from offering free consultations before engaging our services. We understand the concern about paying for a consultation and not receiving value, especially if previous paid consultations elsewhere were disappointing. However, we have chosen not to offer free consultations for several reasons:
Respect for Time and Expertise: We want to work with clients who respect our time and expertise. There is no better evidence of this respect than paying for a consultation. Mutual respect between us and our clients has been the foundation of our growth and success.
Value Perception: Our experience has shown repeatedly that people do not value free advice, even when referred by a trusted source.
Professional Exchange: A consultation should be an exchange of knowledge, expertise, and information for money. When clients pay for our time, they rightfully expect valuable insights, not a sales pitch. We do not want to engage in sales calls.
Proven Expertise: As the largest and most reputable expat legal consultancy in Portugal, we have a wealth of evidence demonstrating our expertise. Reading the articles on our site, joining our Facebook group, or checking our TrustPilot reviews (4.8 score) will show that you can expect value from our consultations.
Prioritizing Existing Clients: We always prioritize our existing clients over potential clients. Offering free advice to potential clients would compromise this principle and be unfair to our clients who rely on our capacity to work on their matters.
We hope this clarifies our stance and that you can respect our policy now that you understand our reasons. If not, we wish you all the best.
To end with a bit of humor:
A person considering engaging a consultant asks for a free meeting. The consultant responds, "Would you like a tip or a consultation?" Confused, the person asks, "What's the difference?" The consultant replies, "A tip is free. A consultation is not." The person then says, "I’d like a tip, please." The consultant smiles and says, "My tip is that you should book a consultation and pay for it."
