It’s not you, it’s me.

We had a great discussion last night at the Woman Business Owner’s Idea Cafe about outsourcing – what you should and shouldn’t outsource, success stories, relief from the frustration of trying to do it all yourself – all very positive things.

I was pleasantly surprised. I went into the meeting expecting to hear only about the dark side of outsourcing. It’s too expensive. I was screwed over by some awful graphic or web designer. I just don’t trust someone else to do it for me. It’s too hard to let it go.

There was some of that, but mostly it was positive. I realized that my own frustration over people asking and expecting me to do things for them for free, is really my own darn fault. I can’t tell you how many times someone gives me their card and says, “Check out my site…I’d love to hear any ideas you might have.” Or “Can you just look this over?”

The thing is, I don’t do things half ass. If I’m going to give an opinion about your website I’m going to take the time to read it, analyze it, navigate it, and then put down my thoughts about it. Be it a blog entry, a flyer, an ad, a bio…my time and my skills are what I bring to the table. I improve upon what you started. I clarify your message so that people can instantly understand it.

I’ve stopped looking at the sites of the people who do this to me. I politely take their card and usually say nothing. However, as one of the very smart ladies in attendance last night said, why not put the onus on them? Why not give them my card and say, “Send me the link and let me know where you think it needs improving. I’d be happy to look at it and provide you a quote.” Wow! Now doesn’t that turn things around. It’s off my shoulders, off my mind and there is one more person in the world who knows that I don’t work for free. If they contact me that’s wonderful. I’ll know they are serious. If not, no harm done.

I do have a small and trusted group of people that I “bounce” things off of and in return they bounce things off of me – people who I know will be truthful and who I trust 100%. We value and respect one another. There is a mutual understanding between us and no one is being taking advantage of or asked to work for free. Those people aren’t the ones I’m talking about here.

So the next time someone asks you to do something for free don’t get mad about their apparent ignorance that you are running a business, look at it as an opportunity to educate them that your time and skills are well worth every penny.