Define your rules of engagement.

One of the toughest parts of consulting in an unstructured market is pricing and payment; clients hardly ever believe that the service you are going to render them is worth as much as you are proposing to charge them. In a market where supply far outstrips demand, the consultant tends to get the short end of the stick.

One way to improve your chances of striking a fair deal with clients is to set up clear 'rules of engagement'. As difficult as it might seem to require that clients sign a service agreement with you even before you render them service, I have come to believe that it is the best direction in which to head. On your part though, you must exhaustively detail what exactly you are going to deliver and where available, provide clients samples of your past work.

Of course your first few attempts to get clients to sign agreements will be met with stiff resistance but after a while of saying the cryptic "it's company policy", you will find your own pool of clients... of course you can choose the alternative of sticking with the headache of argueing over terms after you have rendered the service.

It is critical to your well being to always agree before proceeding.