August 30, 2024
How to sell unlimited access (and not go broke)
All of my advisory retainer agreements over the years have included the following line:
Our agreement entitles you to unlimited 24/7 access to me via phone, email, and text.
When other consultants hear about this 24/7 access, their reaction can best be summarized like so:
WUT?!?!
They ask, “How do you keep your retainer clients from abusing unlimited access?”
My answer is simple:
“I don’t.”
The truth is, I don’t have to.
I’m picky about who I work with and I trust my clients to not take advantage of me.
And guess what?
They don’t take advantage of me.
I have never once been overwhelmed by or felt taken advantage of by a retainer client.
“Okay, okay,” you’re thinking. “But what would you do if one of them DID monopolize your time?”
Here’s what I would do:
- I would try to get the situation under control within 30 days
- If the situation persisted, I would politely bring the engagement to an end
See? No big deal.
But again...
I’ve NEVER had to do this.
EVER.
Why?
Busy people are busy.
They don’t have time to chat with me endlessly.
They just want to get my advice and get back to work.
Here’s the thing...
Worrying about clients taking up all your time is a symptom of an hourly billing mindset.
You think you’re selling your time, but you’re not.
You’re selling peace of mind.
Yours,
—J