RANT: Contests and Auctions I have held


I often (OK, 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 have done something to offer a face-saving way to get my services at no or very little cost.

One year I held an essay contest - promoted it for about 3 months - that would award $1,000 of my services and books to the winner. Nobody entered. The next year I offered and promoted 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, without a response, eventually sent them to her. No thank you followed.

Ten months later she (the winner) 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 became 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 for $500 each which just covered my costs, but not my time. 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? Nope, not one. 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 and intend to raise them again on each successive birthday.

But the bottom line is: If you don't take advantage of the opportunities I make available to you, please 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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