I used to be confused whether I'd ask my clients for their budget or tell them immediately what my rates are. Over time, I found that asking for their budget often works for me. That way, I can show the value that I'll deliver for their specific needs (since most samples can only tell clients so much). It also shows them the kind of work they'll get for the money they're willing to spend (e.g. I might cut on some extra services to cut their costs). I talk about it in detail here. How about you, which method works for you and why?
When I was doing consulting work, I always asked for the budget. Now, not so much. I advertise my rates for specific projects, and if it fits within their budget, they contact me. If not, they generally don't. The only exceptions are really: 1. When they want something I offer, but that I don't have rates listed publicly for (things I don't take on often), or 2. When they have a large overall project where they need several services rolled into one quote. In that last case, it's definitely about letting them see what their budget will (and won't) buy. They often either have to increase the budget to get exactly what they want, or lower their expectations to match their budget (such as working with shorter articles, fewer revisions, etc.).