This is the same sort of worldview regarding professional ethics that led me to make my first discussion with any client free. It’s unethical (and bad business)

This is the same sort of worldview regarding professional ethics that led me to make my first discussion with any client free. It’s unethical (and bad business) to ask customers to pay my rates in order to explain their problems to me, it would be taking advantage of them to spend an hour or two, or even three, work out they’re either not a customer I want, or that I haven’t got the experience with the technology they are using, or that yes I could help them but their budget wouldn’t cover the time needed at the rate I charge… etc. I borrowed this from the way quite a few lawyers work. Its served me well and garnered quite a bit of good will over the years, but at the end of the day I do it primarily because I sleep better knowing I’m not ripping people off and taking advantage of them.