Getting a bit tired of people offering to buy you coffee and “pick your brain?”
I have to tell you, this sort of request was a lot less bothersome when I had a salaried position than it is now, when I’m an entrepreneur and a freelance writer/speaker/consultant, and my time is quite literally how I make a living.
Sure, some people don’t mean anything by it, some have read networking advice that says I’ll be flattered to be asked, and others really ARE moochers.
How can you tell the difference, and how can you turn those people who are fishing for information into possible paying customers of your work?
I have some answers for you.
There’s a live webinar on the topic coming up tomorrow (April 26, 3 pm CST) with me and my Tourism Currents business partner Becky McCray, plus we’re including a toolkit with a workbook and role-playing audio, all in a package we’re calling How To Draw the Line Between Free and Paid.
The live version of our webinar will only be offered this one time; anyone who signs up after Tuesday will have to settle for the recording. During the webinar, we’re going to add some valuable tips:
- The advantages (yes, there are a few) and disadvantages of sometimes working for no pay.
- How to tell the difference between predatory brain-picking and friendly questioning.
- Why social media tends to cause us to be overly casual about the value of our work.
All the details are here: http://is.gd/DrawTheLine (update: no longer available)
Nope, it’s not free; it’s $37. We’re charging because we want you to take it seriously, and actually do the work required to set up a system to change brain-pickers into customers.
Plus, we’ve gotta stand by our own words, and no, you may not pick our brains for free! 🙂
We promise, though, that it will be worth every penny.
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Just SAY NO to freebie seekers and moochers looking for FREE strategic consultations, and other freebies including time/effort/expertise. It is the amateurs who make it tough for the professionals.
is gas free, your food–free? how about rent, mortgage, insurance, utilities, all free–walk into a clothing store and walk out with some new rags–free?!
What imbecile works for FREE? you pick my brain, you pick my pockets.
Watch Harlan Ellison’s you tube vid regarding pay the writer.
if they do NOT pay you, they do NOT value you. Charred coffee and a cheap sub do NOT constitute payment.
tell these for profit american greedy moochers to go shove it!
Unless it is for a charity run by unpaid, volunteers— do NOT work for free.