At the non-profit I run (with 50 or so volunteers) people are constantly coming to us (yes, they come to us) wanting to give talks, present books, give seminars.
If the event seems like an interesting one we say okay and tell them we do not pay our presenters. That is normally fine with them AT THAT TIME. A few of them, however, ask us, usually in the days before the Big day, if we can pay them (at least a little something). Sometimes they ask me, and then they ask my colleague to see if she will give a different answer!
They come, they do their presentation, and they may even be good and interesting people, but, I just don't see them the same way after that.
See, they have communicated that they are acting in their own interest rather than in the interest of our members. But it doesn't stop there, even years later when someone brings up the name of one of these people, my first thought is always "That guy wanted to be paid for the presentation he volunteered to give. Ick".
More recently we asked a famous (and rich, but that is besides the point) person to come and speak at our Association as a volunteer because we knew she was going to be in town in September (she is from here, so she comes back all the time!). All was hunky dorey until we were setting up the final dates. At that point, her assistant asked us if we were planning on paying her transportation costs, which we took to mean from her home in the States, as they did not ask for a bus ticket (which I would have even given her). We told her our policy, after that she cancelled!
And I thought, here is a chance to get some GREAT PUBLICITY for doing the right thing, and FLUSH!
I should have known as this same person's son came to Trieste to do a book launch and his people called ours to "involve" us in the event, which we were happy to do. The event was to sell his book (no problem) and have a wine tasting for the wine his family makes. We asked them how much it would cost so we could tell our members. "Free" they said. We told all of our members it was free.
Event night comes and we find out it is 7 euros for a glass of wine (if you live in Trieste you know this is highway robbery, and it's HIS wine, for cryin out loud!). Of course this made us look really stupid and it made us look at him and his people with the stink eye.
What did it cost them? Well, I think it actually made them some money that evening, but the local group that organized the event lost out on a few opportunities we had cooking for future events together that would given them a lot of good publicity and money. We never answered their calls after that. We felt tricked and feeling tricked smarts.
This summer my husband and I went on vacation in a lovely place in Puglia, a place I would have loved to go back to every year, bring my family to, tell my friends about, but I know I won't.
See, the owners of the place, while nice enough people, gave the impression that all they wanted was my money. They charged for everything! Even when it seemed like they were offering you a coffee, for example, they made us pay (on the spot). They were pushy with everything, "reminding" me that they also have this, that, and the other that we can buy . We had to pay for the entire week up front at the highest price possible since it was a popular vacation week, and they couldn't throw a coffee in? Beh!
I decided to write about this subject because of what happened this week, though. We were doing a presentation of new activities for the academic year when someone from television came in and started filming from all angles. I was speaking, so I couldn't figure out what station this guy was from. It wasn't a big one, so I figured it was a smaller cable channel. Great. He left without talking to anyone.
The next morning at 8am sharp I got an email asking me to send a check (only 200 euros) to support this Triestine-owned small television station (mystery solved). Was I supposed to pay them for the person they sent around the night before? I didn't ask the guy to come, I didn't know what station he worked for to watch what he filmed, and I had no indication from anyone else that it was even shown.
Actually, I received this same email a couple of years ago when we did an event they filmed (which we never saw because who knows where you find that channel anyway). Why didn't the guy just call me for an appointment or send me a personalized email rather than sending out a canned one he has been using for at least 2 years? Could that explain why I don't know anything about this channel except that they send people to film and then ask money the next day?
To those people who look at you with Euro signs in their eyes, I offer you this:
1. Yes, we all want more money, but if you have the choice between money now (instant gratification) and money AND a solid reputation as a caring, hard-working, team player people can trust (delayed gratification), raise your standards and think about what REALLY makes you happy. I can assure you it is not the extra money you pull in today.
2. Not every moment you work has to be a money-making opportunity. Think of the times you are working without pay as an investment in relationships that will bring you more over time in terms of credibility, trust, and personal satisfaction.
3. When you ask for money without considering the relationship with the person you are asking money from, you are thinking short-term and short-sighted. That, and you may be missing out on cultivating a mutually-beneficial business/personal relationship that can serve you both in the long-term.
You don't have to give everything away, but think about giving something BEFORE you ask. Show your potential customer who you are rather than assuming that your reputation proceeds you. It doesn't.
Your time to show your stuff is now. Trust the good judgement of your potential client, and the money will come and bring you much much more. I promise.
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