How I Avoid Consultation Casualties 
my comment on this post:
I will do on-phone or Skype consults with prospective clients to find out their goals so that I can quote them more accurately — but for me to travel to meet up in person and do an actual strategy meeting, I require payment.
I usually quote my “consultation” as an ala carte item so that prospective client feels free to do the consult with me (which I offer fairly cheap) without signing any contract. However, I have never had a client take the consult only.
I think If i did offer it up for free I would be spending way more time meeting with people and it leading no where, cause it’s TRUE that a lot of the clients who feel that need to check you out face-to-face specifically without committing based on your work examples and extended phone chats are usually the clients who you don’t want anyway.
