Today at Mom Masterminds, I posted on the forum about a problem I’m experiencing more and more of lately. Turns out lots of other online business owners and bloggers have this problem. Maybe you’re having this same problem. Maybe I can learn from you how to solve my problem.
What is the problem?
Lots of people emailing you. Asking you to do stuff for them.
For free.
Now, please understand.
I’m not referring to people I already have a relationship with. Business partners, friends, people I’ve known through various associations like Mom Masterminds, etc. That’s different. If we’re already peeps, then I know it’s a “I’ll scratch your back, you’ll scratch mine” kind of situation. But I’m not talking about that.
I’m talking about strangers emailing me out of the blue asking for my time, my eyeballs, my website real estate, and my audience.
With no offer of reciprocation.
(If you don’t already have this problem, hold on. Because it’s coming. You might want to put some boundaries in place right now to prepare, or at least decide in advance how you’re going to handle these requests.)
As an example of reciprocation, I use my recent report with 100 Free Blogging Tips. I wanted this report to have a wider reach than just my own readers and subscribers, so I decided to send it to several bloggers/online business owners I respect (and have known for a few years). I asked them to circulate it on my behalf.
But first I took the time to search THEIR websites, find THEIR affiliate link for a couple of the resources I mention in the report, brand it suchly, and then pretty it up into a pdf file after doing so. BEFORE sending it their way.
In other words, I provided value FIRST (excellent content about a subject of interest to their target market that can also earn them affiliate commissions) before expecting something in return.
It comes down to respect. Because I respect the blogger’s time, I made the offer juicy for them as much as for myself.
I wasn’t expecting “something for nothing”.
* A blogger’s traffic is valuable.
* Their subscriber list is valuable.
* Their time is valuable.
* Their bandwidth is valuable.
* Their virtual real estate is valuable.
If I am going to benefit from all that stuff, all that value, I had better offer something in exchange and make it easy for them to help me.
The problem is, many bloggers and online business owners get hundreds of emails each week from people who want something for nothing.
I have a contact form on my other website. I also have clearly written boundaries on that page in large, bold type.
And yet.
I get dozens of emails each week, sometimes a hundred or more, from people who obviously did not take the time to read those boundaries. What kinds of emails?
* Requests to review their product for free.
* Requests to blog about their website/project/company for free.
* Requests to write about their product (without so much as a complimentary product!) for free.
* Requests for advice about starting a blog/online business/ etc for free.
* Requests for advice about homeschooling/parenting/nutrition/etc for free.
* Requests for exposure on my blog for free.
* Requests to be connected with some resource/person/product that could be found with a simple Google search.
* Requests for free advice on launching their new affiliate program.
I don’t want to sound like a jerk. But let’s reasonably think about this for a moment.
If I responded to and acted on all these requests, I would have no time to actually run the business that feeds my children.
I suspect that many of these people who send request emails would not do the same thing with an offline business owner. Do you walk into Starbucks and ask them to teach you how to brew coffee? Do you go to the hair salon and ask them to teach you how to use a flat iron?
Why not? Because that is what those people get paid to do.
Many of the requests I get are for things that I get paid to do.
I get paid to coach people on how to start on online business.
I get paid to expose people’s products and services (as an affiliate) on my sites/blogs.
I get paid to do website reviews and critiques.
I get paid to do product reviews (IF I like the product and they fit squarely into my target market’s interests).
I get paid when people buy advertising on my podcast.
Many of these requests get deleted. If it’s obvious to me that someone scarcely looked at my site before pitching me on something, it’s deleted yesterday.
I understand what it’s like to need help, and I have asked people that I know well, and trust, for help. Yet I’ve done something in return (like in the above example). Maybe I’ve been that person’s loyal customer, or loyal affiliate. Maybe I’ve linked to them with no agenda, just because I appreciated what they do. Or whatever.
Here’s what Tiffany Washko had to say on the subject:
“I get hundreds (not joking) of emails each week from people who want my help “getting the word out” about some product or service they offer. 95% of the time I delete the email and ignore the request. I also usually ignore link requests too. I don’t have time to respond to all of them. Maybe I should format a form email I can jot off to them but still that requires my time.
…. They are not getting that this is a business. I will keep on ignoring them I guess.
As for people asking advice…well I try to answer their questions on my blog.”
So if you are a marketer or business owner (or hopeful business owner) reading this, please take note. Before you hit that “send” or “submit” button, consider:
Am I expecting something for nothing?
If you are a reader and want to ask advice from a blogger, you might want to ask if them if they offer consulting first. It may be a shock to you that popular bloggers get so many requests for help and advice. Perhaps that knowledge will help you understand why they can’t respond to your email, or why you get a form letter or short response.
It’s nothing personal, it’s just that bloggers have to draw boundaries on their time so other more important things don’t get shortchanged. You could also search their blog’s archives for your answer. Or see if they sell a product that would explain that issue in detail.
Perhaps it would be more appropriate to join a community forum. Online message forums were created in part to provide free places to get support and information. Oftentimes, a Google search would turn up the answer for you.
For you bloggers, how do you handle this? How do you set boundaries with people who want free access to your time, website, expertise or other valuables?
More:
by Cloud and Townsend is excellent.