Social Media Is… Um. Interesting.
I am sure this happens in many fields. I am sure *I* have asked people if I could “pick their brain” over something that they charge for and then annoyed them with that request. But seeing as so many people are on social media on a personal level, I don’t think they understand that others work there on a professional level. Whether it is through a blog that does promotions with brands or via social strategy for clients. Fortunately, (or unfortunately in some cases) I do both.
I am so full with work right now that I am rapidly typing this because I need to get back at it. It is GREAT. I am filled to the gills with graphic design, web development, photography and yes, social media. Both in requests to work with this blog and with direct clients. It is GREAT.
Which I think why I have been getting overly irritated with the pick-my-brain requests. I have no time to shower, much less provide free advice I normally charge for. Many bloggers have covered this ground, but I have even less time to train PR people in how they SHOULD be treating and valuing bloggers. I probably sound rude and vain and assholeish saying that, but I don’t even have time to think through for how to say it nicely.
The minute I just delete-all on my pitches, I know I would miss a great request. The times I read everything, I am astounded by what people want me to do for free. Non-profits and charity events are one thing, people. Your company marketing your widget should not expect me to care about said widget, especially if it has nothing to do with my blog. Seriously. And stop emailing me five times about it.
But the part that really burns me are the ones running around in the profession who seriously do. not. get. it. The Social Media Experts. Gurus. Mavens. They clutch their widgets and don’t realistically look around to find blogs that fit them both in content and in size – then wonder why they aren’t getting results. Or, my favorite, they ask you to do an exorbitant amount of work for very little return and then call you rude when you stand up for yourself.
It makes me infinitely glad that my clients are vastly different and vastly wonderful – and furthermore that the PR firms and brands I *do* choose to work with… They get it.
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Lu I love you!
I can’t even imagine!
Happens to me all the time, as a recruiter. Someone always wants me to look at their resume, connect them with someone, or give them advice. They don’t realize that my time is valuable, and I really do normally charge people. It’s hard because they need my advice, and if I don’t give it to them, they will have a harder time finding work. It’s hard not to feel like the bad guy or to tell an unemployed person–who probably doesn’t have a lot of money–that you charge this amount for these services. But it is important to stick up for yourself. My policy now is that I only do free things once, and only for friends. And then, only things I can do in a reasonable amount of time. People don’t realize they’re using you. And it can be hard to be the person who feels used on a regular basis.
Alma, great comment – thanks for sharing.
Hallelujah and pass the fried chicken!!!
Just **yesterday** I had a lovely woman from a nonprofit ask me what I charge to write a social media strategy so I told her. She literally laughed. Out. Loud.
I explained that a strategy reviews: who they are, what they want, what it will take to achieve those goals, designing metrics expectations, competitive analysis – I explained that this is a mindful and time-intensive process…
So then she asked if she could just ask me what I would suggest for her strategy and take copious notes over, say, a 4 hour meeting. “What would that cost?” She smiled sweetly…. “Well…” says I, smiling even sweeter-ly – “that’s the same price, because it’s the same thing.”
ALERT: This is the best part…and a direct quote…
She says: “We don’t want to take up a bunch of your time, we just want all of your best ideas and strategy, maybe you could just put those into an email? How long could THAT possibly take?”
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
OMG
Preach it!! My goodness, preach it!!
I do PR and a majority of the notes I get – every day – are pick your brain notes. Sometimes the curse of working with startups is they think that found the work without payment with somehow help support my family and pay off down the line. This is my daily reality and I struggle with having the hard conversations because often these are friends, relatives, fellow parents. Plus I hate the “pick your brain” phrase. No, no you can’t pick my brain, you freeloading zombie. 🙂
I do PR and a majority of the notes I get – every day – are pick your brain notes. Sometimes the curse of working with startups is they think that work without payment will somehow help support my family and pay off down the line. This is my daily reality and I struggle with having the hard conversations because often these are friends, relatives, fellow parents etc. Plus I hate the “pick your brain” phrase. No, no you can’t pick my brain, you freeloading zombie. 🙂
Your time deserves compensation. If you are a professional earning money from your online job, then those seeking information need to understand that you are now that. So they need to pay up or find the info elsewhere. If at some point you chose to offer your services pro bono, then that’s your choice and under your terms.