Saying, “sorry, I’m not doing that for free” can be intimidating and may come off wrong to a potential client or in a business opportunity.
So here are alternate ways to do it.
It is important to establish your value before discussing any business dealings. The client is not responsible for knowing your value, you are. So you can stop getting offended when you are approached for free services and even attempted manipulation.
There are many ways clients may try to get your services and expertise. Whether you’re an influencer, digital marketer, or content creator among other services, these responses will not only increase your value, but also win you good relationships with serious and worthwhile clients.
Am I getting paid?
Sometimes a person may approach you with a seemingly great deal or offer. They will tell you everything that is great about a project or opportunity. Except talking about the money and other incentives. Some may even attempt to make it sound like it is more important than money. Even if it is, that’s your decision to make after you have all the information.
It does not make you anything other than a service provider if you ask what monetary sense the opportunity makes.
You can say “thank you for thinking of me, this sounds like a great fit, can I just check whether this is a paid opportunity?”
Onboarding
When you approach a client it is usually with the services you offer and the prices. The same process should be applied when clients approach you with any business opportunity. Have an onboarding process.
It may sound like this:
“This sounds like such an interesting project! Here’s a link to the current services I offer, I think (insert service) would be the best fit” or “This is a copy of my media kit, which includes my rate card.”
Let them know you have space for their circumstances
Sometimes someone shoots their shot because of their circumstances. This doesn’t mean those circumstances cannot change. Which applies to you too. Let the person know that paid work is a priority but there’s always room for unpaid work. They may try to get on the paid list or not, but they will appreciate the courtesy.
You may say, “thank you so much for considering me for this. Unfortunately, I’m unable to take on any unpaid projects at the moment, but if that changes in the future I’d love to get back in touch.”
Offer them options
There are so many channels through which clients can approach you and most of them may not be the direct links you have. So the best way to handle these is to redirect them to the channel where they can find ready-made solutions.
You can say, “thanks so much for your inquiry! Out of respect for my paying clients, I’m unable to give detailed advice via DMs (calls, email, SMS), but here’s where you can book a consultation, and I have a wealth of free resources at (insert link).”
Takeaway
Sometimes you are your own customer care and you have to be ready to address all kinds of clients. Direct and precise communication can save you from getting frustrated and also improve your professionalism. Consider the examples mentioned above and fine-tune them to suit you.
