Don't you?
It's fairly easy to think that a friend might be willing to do something for free for you. Generally, with friends, I trade services, paying referrals and opportunities, if we agree that it works for both. Because there is an existing connection upon which we are both trading.
It is not uncommon for agencies to treat bloggers like media channels these days. Whip up a list, reach out with an Ego2C-dripping email where you drop names of (other) famous bloggers who (seem to be) are in the project and collect from your clients.
Two dis-connects with this kind of approach:
- media people collect a check from media companies, bloggers don't
- agencies collect a check from clients, and I wonder if they promise "free" links for them for it
I posed the question to a junior account manager recently — don't you get a paycheck every two weeks? What would happen if all checks were put in an escrow account to be paid out if and whenever someone decided they got to it or wanted to?
Because even the people who write for the love of community have bills to pay, sadly. Does your grocer take exposure in exchange for food? I didn't think do.
Would you think of walking up to someone you don't know and ask them to do something for you for free? If we are to get ourselves into stronger and more resilient businesses, we need to think enduring thoughts of the sustainable kind.