A Frustrated Entrepreneur’s Take on the “Freebie” Mentality

by | Aug 5, 2013 | Fashion Beyond Stitches | 0 comments

So I’m going through my e-mails this morning and came across this hilarious e-mail from Efe Imiren of Serviceforts.com.  As hilarious as it was though, I could completely identify with the guy’s frustration as s/he typed it out.  
 
But anywayz, Efe’s E-Mail titled: “What To Do When People Don’t Value Your Ideas” speaks for itself.  I, for one, can completely identify with his frustration.  I lifted it as is so you read it and decide if the writer is justified.  
 
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This email summarizes what successful Internet and information marketing business owners go through on a daily basis – and

Trending
Why Businesses Fail

I am sharing it with you for TWO reasons:

1) if you own an internet business, don’t give up, take a cue from this writer
2) if you are one of such customers described in this writers’ email – you know what to do – just click the blessed unsubscribe link, but I know you my readers are not one the folks described in the email below, I trust you

I’m just sharing the mail with you so you know you are not alone when you experience difficult customers at your job or business

Enjoy the mail!

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From: An Angry Internet Marketer (Name With-held)
Email Title: Get off my list!!!

Am angry…yes really angry

The last thing i will ever want to
do is send promotional emails to
someone who does not want it.

I cant imagine at this age people cant reason..
You sign up to receive more information on
how to better your financial life..You were
not forced,

You also went ahead to confirm your subscription..
so now i send you messages on what you optin for.

You start complaining…You want it to be free

Mike Adenuga is rich enough to
make glo calls #1 per minute.
But he wont why because we all want more….
And the same fools who want free things will
buy glo cards everyday

i mean is it not craziness why on this earth will
you want to make money without any commitment
its never done anywhere.

I spend thousands of naira on my
Internet business even though
its not my only source of income.

i pay autoresponder bills
i pay hosting bills
i buy marketing course that increase my knowledge
i go to workshop hosted by senior colleagues
i pay monthly browsing subscription on my
visafone modem{i dont use free browsing}

Infact i just spent 100,000 on a 
project am working on presently

I spend tons of naira advertising my business

why i do all these is i know i want to make profit…
so i have to spend……

Anyone that wants me to give out my strategies for free
must be sick upstairs.

In fact why should i do it for free,
Do i know you from adam?
am i running a charity organization or a NGO?
Did you not pay school fee in school?

So why should i teach you things that
will better your life for free

I am not forcing you,if you are not interested in my stuff
go below this email and unsubscribe.. Yes get off my list!

I don’t want you on my list if you are under 18 years
I don’t want you on my list if you are looking for 
free things; because you will never get it
Dont give me that crap that you are student..i dont care

Mind you i am an Engineer by profession
Run internet business part time.
and have other email list that pays my bills too.

So why do i need you, in fact i don’t…
so get off by using the unsubscribe
link below this email

Final words—
I would not entertain any
whining after this warning.

Get off my list!!!!!!!!!

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Gosh, This fellow must have been really-really upset. But if you notice his email, he also gave you tips on the tools you need for your internet business and also a rough  estimate of how much it costs to run a successful internet and information marketing business.

Anyways, take a cue from Oscar Wilde’s advise today “To Live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people only Exist”

Live your internet business dreams today, and don’t let cranky customers dissuade you, they come with the business.

Have loads of fun on your job or business today.

Cheers

Efe Imiren.

You can help stop the Nigerian-browser freebie mentality, by spreading the word that –
a life of quality does not come cheap, it comes with bills to be paid. 🙂 by Efe Imiren.

 

 
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Haha!  Well… what says you?!  I also feel that way sometimes when people criticize me and pretty much all businesses for charging for certain services they “believe” should be free.  Only difference is I may rant and rave in private.  But truth is, many who expect freebies seem to forget that:  
 
1.  Time is money!
2.  People are running businesses and there are bills to be paid.
3.  Those who provide these services have invested a lot of time, energy and funds acquiring the knowledge you expect them to give you for free which I believe is entirely unfair.  In other countries, students take out loans to fund their education.
 
My take on this is I believe we live in an overly-indulgent environment where people expect things for free.  You are in traffic or go to the market and some person approaches you for a hand out or worse, tries to intimidate you into giving him money.  Others feel they are entitled to your hard-earned money!  
 
I can never forget an experience I had a long time ago when the CBN asked everyone to trade in their 5 kobo and 10 kobo coins for the new 50 kobo and N1 coins.  A “beggar” came in with 2 salt bags filled with coins and walked straight to a corner where she had already laid out like 4 large rectangular trays filled with rows and columns of prior-arranged coins.  I thought to myself…. “my goodness, this woman has more money than those she is begging from”.  I was sure I had even probably given her a 5k coin before and I didn’t have nearly as much money as she had.  That completely changed my view on giving beggars money.
 
When my nieces were around, they kept complaining about the money I was spending on them and even offered to pay me back for the money I spent on hotdogs and drinks at the movies…. and the oldest was 11.  But not the average kid around here.  In fact, dare I say, they’ll complain that what you have bought them is not enough.  Question is who exactly is to blame for this mindset?
 

My standard answer to people who claim “designers charge too much” is well… you have no idea what costs they are incurring, what their rent is, what they pay their staff, etc.  And what I say to those who charge too little based on conscience or so they appeal to customers is, well… I hope you are making ends meet.  A student of mine once shared her experience at an FEC last year when she said after 6 months, she and her partners realized they only made a N20,000 profit on their fish-farming business.  So sharply, they woke up to the reality and adjusted their prices accordingly.

 
What I try to live by is, yes I may feel a product or a service is pricey but I will never use the terms “It is too expensive”.  What I say is “Well, I cannot afford it yet” and try to put myself in the person’s shoes.  In an environment where there is hardly ever any electricity, running a tiny 4-litre “I better pass my neighbor” Tiger gen for 8 hours a day, 5 working days a week, 4 weeks a month would cost N7,760 and this excludes your outrageous PHCN bill, your employee wages or salaries, your rent, your Blackberry service, your phone bills, your water bills, your transportation costs, your feeding, and all other associated costs.  So go figure!  
 
The interesting thing is, though I have no clue what this person was charging on what would definitely generate income for the subscriber, it probably is much cheaper than what the average subscriber to his/her mails spends on concerts, entertainment, movies, hair and nails.
 
Anywayz, I can go on and on about this but I better stop now.  Looks like my internet service provider seems to be having a “lucid interval” so I better take advantage of it now.  I have been unable to access the internet pretty much since the month started!  Yet subscription fees paid will not be refunded when the period expires.  At least now you know why the average person around here has at least 2 phones and 2 ISPs.  Some have lines on all networks!  Very sad and a “low-down dirty shame” that we pay so much for services those in Western countries take for granted and never get our money’s worth! >-(
 
Have a great week ahead!

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