Contests and auctions
Feb/02/2008
I often
(every day) hear from people who say they can't
afford to pay for a book or a service. I never
believe it, but I don't say so. Every year for the
past few years I do something to offer a face-saving
way to get my services at no or very little cost.
One year I held an essay contest - for about 3 months - that would award $1,000 of my services and books to the winner. Nobody entered. The next year I offered the same contest for $500 worth of books and services. Only four people entered. I picked a winner and couldn't get her to decide what she wanted. I suggested several books and eventually sent them to her. No thank you.
Ten months later she contacted me and asked me to give the rest of her prize to a friend of hers. I reminded her that the prize was not transferable and not to someone who hadn't entered the contest. She was very snippy.
Next I offered an auction on a year of column marketing to North American newspapers, normally $1500 to $2500 a month. I received and accepted only two bids. Both dropped out after 3 months.
Then in November 2007 I offered a Pay-Me-What-You-Can program that ended Dec. 31. The program was in effect for 45 days. Any takers? None. In early January people started approaching me again for services they claimed they had no money to pay for.
Too bad none of these people took advantage of any of the contests, auctions or low cost programs I offered for low-income clients. There won't be any more contests or discount programs. In fact I have raised many of my fees.
But the bottom line is: If you don't take advantage of the opportunities I make available to you, don't tell me you don't have a way to hire me. You can find the money - just as I have - and I even have publications that show you how I raised money when I needed it. Read them!
One year I held an essay contest - for about 3 months - that would award $1,000 of my services and books to the winner. Nobody entered. The next year I offered the same contest for $500 worth of books and services. Only four people entered. I picked a winner and couldn't get her to decide what she wanted. I suggested several books and eventually sent them to her. No thank you.
Ten months later she contacted me and asked me to give the rest of her prize to a friend of hers. I reminded her that the prize was not transferable and not to someone who hadn't entered the contest. She was very snippy.
Next I offered an auction on a year of column marketing to North American newspapers, normally $1500 to $2500 a month. I received and accepted only two bids. Both dropped out after 3 months.
Then in November 2007 I offered a Pay-Me-What-You-Can program that ended Dec. 31. The program was in effect for 45 days. Any takers? None. In early January people started approaching me again for services they claimed they had no money to pay for.
Too bad none of these people took advantage of any of the contests, auctions or low cost programs I offered for low-income clients. There won't be any more contests or discount programs. In fact I have raised many of my fees.
But the bottom line is: If you don't take advantage of the opportunities I make available to you, don't tell me you don't have a way to hire me. You can find the money - just as I have - and I even have publications that show you how I raised money when I needed it. Read them!
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