A lot of the books on consulting I read emphasized client at best in the long run can pay only proportional to the actual value of the engagement. And clients

A lot of the books on consulting I read emphasized client at best in the long run can pay only proportional to the actual value of the engagement. And clients are often coming to you for advice beyond the step they are paying you for. So I like the article, there really is no reason not to tell the client not to pay for pursuing what you feel is a bad idea. It is certainly up to the client to make the final determination, but you have to be honest and very generous in communication.