Comments on: Why You SHOULDNT Help Anyone… for FREE

By: 2ThePoint

2ThePoint — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 13:53:45 +0000

I wouldn’t charge my family to do stuff for them, but I do know that they take my time for granted often. They kinda assume that ‘cos I’m single and have no kids, that I have more time on my hands than the rest of they family. The sad thing is that even though I’m learning to say ‘No, I’m busy’, ‘No, I can’t babysit this week’, I do feel guilty for saying so.

And in regards to not doing things for free, you might find DoshDosh’s post interesting (www.doshdosh.com/why-are-you-giving-away-content-for-free)

take care…

By: Ruchir

Ruchir — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:06:08 +0000

Well, blogging is essentially free. You write all the blog posts on your blog for free. Your readers don’t pay you…

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 15:20:16 +0000

Very true article ! I can’t count all the things I’ve done for free for friends. You’re right when you say people show their gratitude once, then it seems for us you’re “upgrading your job”.

It’s also true for help by phone. For example, I’ve built several PCs for friends, adding components in cases and installing softwares. When they have to use a software and don’t really know how it works, they just call or send an email. It’s like being a hotline, customer support, so you work more than once for them.

What I think also is that people view the things you do for them as something you like. Since you like to do it, it’s a passion or something, and you can do it for free. Like a rockstar : “I don’t do this for money, only for music”.

By: Byron Rode

Byron Rode — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 14:56:00 +0000

Dean,

Long time. Sorry been super busy here at work and have hardly had to time to read your blog let alone comment.

Your article is so true, I have known this for years, and yet I still would offer my services for free. It definitely goes down to either, feeling sorry for them or trying to make an “impression”…

I learnt the hard way from that, as you may know, and I have now learnt to charge where charging is due.

As an example, I charged one of my clients to develop a Spam Blocking form, half the price that it would have cost them to design an entire website, with said form included. Whereas previously I would have done it for peanuts.

I learnt that there is no friends in business, and that the only emotion that one should “allow” into his/her business, is the PASSION to make more money and become a valuable asset to the market you chose.

This is how I work now: If my prices are too steep, then go somewhere else and pay half the price, you’ll get half the value!

Thanks Dean..
Have a great one!

By: Dean Hunt

Dean Hunt — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 08:30:15 +0000

Good question.

The one you are reffering to is a sales technique, it would be used to tempt people to give you their email address etc… and can be used effectively as a one-off.

The current post is more of an every day life message. It is about family and friends respecting you more. It can also be applied to business though, so I see what you are saying.

In summary, the first one is a one-off event, you do this once and only once. The latter is a rule to live by.

Dean