When Feel Free To Share and Free Content Means No Budget
(A few weeks ago I posted this on my Facebook page. Sadly, I have had a big reason to post it again today. I can’t believe some people find it okay to repeatedly ask writers and influencers, editors and others, for constant freebies. This is my letter that I have actually cut and pasted a couple of times and sent to absurd requests ever since June 16. Feel Free to share this free content. In fact feel free to send a link to this post next time someone asks you to do a free twitter party, or a free post, or a free batch of tweets.)
I’m putting this to bed once and for all never to be spoken of again.
Dear Communications Person:
You are the tenth person today who has sent me promotional information advising that I am “FREE to share it or use on my web site and extensive social network.”
You seem to think that I need content and work for free. I do not. In fact, I have so much content I can’t write fast enough to get it all on my website. I stay up most nights until midnight or later. I miss time with my family writing content, building a business, invoicing, tracking down payments, networking, promoting content and consulting in this area of marketing. I am a business. I run a business.
I wonder if you send that press release to an advertising department and then advise: “feel free to run this ad. You should be so happy with the ad copy that you will want to run it for free.”
Where should I find the time to run, edit, promote and illustrate your free content? Should I take it from my family? Should I lose sleep over it? Should I work all weekend? Oh, wait I already do that. Should I drop an amazing client I have a great business relationship with to run your free content? Should I skip buying groceries or paying my mortgage? Should I quit paying my team of contractors?
Don’t. Stop and think.
Signed, a digital marketing professional who is tired of this.
