Agency Bosses: Stop Donating Your Gold — End the Free Consultancy Trap
The ritual is all too familiar. A developer invites you — the agency head — for a “casual chat” about an upcoming launch. You sit down, and the conversation quickly pivots:
"What sizes are selling? What price can the market bear? And what are the competitors secretly rebating?"
You, the market expert, deliver your gold. You lay out the converting layouts, the trigger price points, and the live buyer sentiment—the insights that cost a consultancy firm tens of thousands to produce. The developer nods, takes detailed notes, thanks you for your "valuable insights," and you leave hoping for a prime listing spot.
Then comes the silence, or worse: a standard-commission, slow-payout, take-it-or-leave-it offer.
You’ve just fallen into the Free Consultancy Trap.
The Unpaid Feasibility Study Is Stealing Your Value
When a developer asks for this level of detail, they are not seeking pleasantries; they are asking you to perform a Market Feasibility Study—a critical, high-value item on their budget.
Yet, most agencies give this asset away for free. Why? Fear of Missing Out (FOMO). We worry a competitor will undercut us, so we race to the bottom, devaluing our most critical IP before a single contract is signed.
The message you are screaming is catastrophic: "My strategic market intelligence has no monetary value. It's a free appetizer." Developers have learned this, and they are feasting on your expertise.
The Psychology of Price: You Are What You Charge For
Developers subconsciously categorize what they receive for free. When you offer your intelligence gratis, you are seen not as a strategic Partner, but as a disposable Vendor—a resource to be extracted from.
This establishes the tone for the entire relationship. They can bully you on commissions and terms later because you have already trained them to see your core value as a free commodity. The more free services you provide, the more you train them to undervalue you.
Shifting the Power Dynamic: Demand a Value Exchange
The solution isn't to be uncooperative, but to be strategic. We must shift from a supplicant mindset to a partner mindset and implement a non-negotiable value exchange.
You are a business selling IP and execution. It's time to act like one. Here are three professional tactics to command respect and payment:
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The Conditional Consult: Tie Intel to Terms
This is your most powerful lever. When the developer begins to probe for free advice, set the terms immediately and professionally.
"I'd be happy to dive into a detailed market analysis. Our data is unparalleled in this micro-market. To ensure this is productive, let's first align: If our insights prove valuable in shaping your project, can we agree on a partnership framework that reflects that value—a preferred commission or an exclusive selling mandate?"
You are not refusing to share; you are connecting your strategic input directly to the commercial terms of engagement.
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The Retainer Model: Charge a Consultancy Fee
Formalize your IP. For serious developers, offer a paid, pre-launch Strategic Advisory Package.
"We offer a pre-launch advisory service that includes a detailed report on optimal unit mix and competitor positioning. This fee is non-refundable but is fully rebated against our future commission if we are appointed as the exclusive selling agent."
This action immediately filters out "free shoppers" and establishes you as a credible, paid consultant from Day One.
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The Trust-Based Tactic: Give a Taste, Not the Recipe
If a formal fee is too aggressive for an initial conversation, control the information flow. Be the guide, not the blueprint.
Share high-level trends, but withhold the specific, actionable price-point data.
Discuss general layout principles, but never reveal the exact winning formula from your last successful project.
Your most potent, most actionable intelligence must be reserved for the partner who has officially earned your trust—with a signed agreement.
Your Market Intel Is Your IP. Protect It.
Your on-the-ground knowledge, your buyer database, and your understanding of what actually sells is your competitive advantage. Giving it away is business malpractice.
By attaching a value to your advice, you teach the developer how to value you. You set a precedent for a business relationship built on mutual respect and fair commercial terms.
The next time you get that "casual" invitation, walk in with your expertise valued and your terms clear. Don't just give away your gold. Make them partners in your mine. The market's most powerful agents are the best businesspeople. It’s time we started acting like it.
