It is bound to happen. Regardless of how good a reputation you have, how hard you work or how much you charge, you will inevitably get one person who wants you to work for free. Before I launch into a song and dance about why you shouldn’t do this, I would like to make a couple of clarifications:
I do (and encourage others) to do work for legitimate charities. Why you ask? Simple: First I believe that we are morally obligated to help organizations that help those less fortunate. You will see I have written extensively on this topic including:
How volunteering leads to paying jobs
How volunteering eventually pays off
How volunteer work can help you to expand and develop your skills
Why should you volunteer professional services at non-profits?
So now that is out of the way let me go back on topic. I still feel that a client who is selling a product or service is OBLIGATED to pay me to do work for them. Let us explore some of the things that can happen when you are a freelance writer:
Scenario One:
A potential client contacts you and asks that you do a “sample” project for them. You ask about payment and when the sample would be paid for. They hedge their response with something to the effect of it needs to be “approved” first. Approved? By whom? If I am the person responsible for delivery of work, I want to be talking directly to the person who is asking for the work please! One option (or answer) to this problem is offer to put the article up on an article directory site so they can “see” your writing style. Another option – post it in your blog. Make sure the “potential” client knows that before you turn over this ‘sample’ (which is always specific to their needs) is yours until such time that they agree to pay for it!
Scenario Two:
You have been contacted by a potential client who is just starting up a business. They are seeking people who are willing to “partner” with them and be patient. Here’s the rub. Their proposal turns out to be little more than a fishing expedition for free work. And how can you tell? There is no solid agreement (written or otherwise) that gives you any indication whatsoever that they are going to offer you one single thing. Instead, what you are hearing is “if I do well, you’ll do well” but nothing concrete. Complete lack of transparency in what others are contributing versus what you are being asked to contribute. No indication of what benchmarks indicate success. This is a ploy that is all too common so be careful. Rule number one in business: IF you can’t pay for work that means you are short on start-up capital. Do not allow someone else’s lousy planning result in you doing work for free!
Scenario Three:
Perhaps the most insidious of all of those looking for a “freebie” are those who have a relatively new, over-priced product or service. They have convinced themselves that they have just reinvented the wheel and the entire world is lining up to heap praise upon them. But, wait – Even though they were smart enough to write a book or develop a “new” service, they are not smart enough to figure out how to market it. Here is where your “expertise” comes in. You can help them promote their product. Now with the new FTC rulings, you have to disclose you got the product free….oh wait – - no, this person would prefer that you please purchase it yourself. And yes, they are in full agreement with the “plan” you laid out – You don’t charge for that do you?
Simple answer:
I have a simple answers for all three scenario – pick one
- Every hour that I work for “free” for you is one hour that I cannot bill to a paying clients.
- Every hour that I work for “free” for you is one hour I cannot market myself.
- Please tell me what I gain for working for you for free versus working the same amount of time for another paying client or promoting my own work?
- Finally, if all else fails: I am not a non-profit organization.
Summary
This post is a lot longer than I expected and I apologize for that! The moral is simple though: FREELANCERS BEWARE.
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