No, You May NOT Pick My Brain

Picked Clean (Ow, that hurts!) No, You May NOT Pick My Brain Sheila Scarborough AWC (Association for Women in Communications) Freelance February 2011

What We'll Talk About
Brain-picking hurts your business
Brain-picking hurts your psyche
But sometimes, it's OK....even good!
We'll talk about when
Your response arsenal/script
Deflect brain-picking
Turn it into a business opportunity

Why brain-picking (and those coffee/lunch invites) are often bad for your business....

Ideas and strategies have value. Skills have value.

Value!

Time has value, especially to a freelancer or entrepreneur. Brain-picking takes time away from IPAs (Income-Producing Activities)

Value!

No one says, "let me buy you a coffee and pick your brain" to accountants or plumbers....

There have always been brain-pickers. It seems as though the "culture of free" (easily available free info) has accelerated the picking. Why?

Info? Easy to Google. Social media = easy connections. How hard could it be for you to explain it all over coffee?

It only looks easy to those unfamiliar with it. That's why they think it's no big deal to pick your brain about it.

Your skills are how you make a living. They're how you keep the lights on. They're how you keep the fridge full. Get paid for them!

A brief word on social media....

It's another communications skill. Facebook can be a job. People make money to tweet . Video production is a skill. Blogging is highly specialized online publishing.

"Stop apologizing for being in business" Ian Gordon StartupDaddy.com

Why brain-picking (and those coffee/lunch invites) are often bad for your emotional psyche....

Brain-picking is not a positive interaction. It makes you resentful. (Do your own homework.) (Let me Google that for you.) (You're taking advantage of me.)

Brain-picking strains friendships. It makes for awkward business relationships.

Brain-picking is stressful. (Unpaid overload = stress)

Picking vs. Innocent Questions
Pickers keep pushing.
Pickers try to make you feel that you're a bit greedy to ask for payment.
Pickers are happy to seek info, but just try to ask THEM for help....
Innocent questioners may not realize they are picking....
But a gentle nudge almost always results in, "Why, of course I'll pay your usual rates!"

Any Questions So Far?

So, Is Brain-Picking EVER Acceptable?

Yes. Here are some filters.

The Liz Strauss Model

How Liz Sorts 'Em Out
Casual acquaintances ( you'd stop in a conference hallway to say hello)
Point them to the info and resources.
Friends ( you'd try to catch lunch at conference)
Help them when you can, especially when it's easy for you to do so.

How Liz Sorts 'Em Out
Close Friends ( you'd MAKE time at an event)
They get time if it's a hot problem, when your paid work allows.
Lifelong Friends/Family ( you'd get on a plane for them, no questions asked)
The most likely ones to get free help.

When is it OK to allow brain-picking? When might it be to your advantage to work for free?

When it's a probable business opportunity and you're both evaluating each other. Key to know: Does this person fit your market? (Requires that you know your typical customer)

When it's an opportunity in your volunteering work of choice. Key to know: Which charities and nonprofits are your main focus? (Requires that you choose, and stick to it)

Conferences and meetings are often a valuable two-way Picking Zone

Giving back to your professional organizations can be good for your business. AWC Entrepreneur networks PRSA IABC AMA ASJA PCMA etc.

Turn Picking Into Business
"Are you asking to hire me?"
"I'd love to continue helping you, and take you on as a client" (Ian Gordon, Startup Daddy)
"Those are detailed questions about your specific business. Are you asking to become a client?"
"If you'd like me to do that for you, we'll need a more formal arrangement to cover my time. I charge $X/hour for that sort of work." Liz Strauss

"Great, I'm teaching that very topic at my next workshop in two weeks. Go [here] for more info and to sign up."
When hands go on keyboard, mouse or touchscreen, you're on the clock.
Leslie Poston offers "Pick My Brain" 60 minute Skype calls for $200.00
Garry Arasmith sends a detailed evaluative questionnaire. Serious people answer and return it.

Point them to resources (hopefully yours, but if not, from other experts.)
Certain blog posts or a category of posts
Videos
Podcasts
Ebooks
Note: to provide your own resources, you have to create them first!

Offer a set time and place. I use weekly Jelly Coworking. Result = 1 free sandwich.

Saying No "It would be a pleasure to work with you at some point, but I'm not taking on any more clients right now. I'm sorry I'll have to say No." Lucretia Pruitt

Checklist for Success
Confidence in your business & value
The words to describe your value
A website or blog , with....
Your services (consulting, workshops)
Your ideas clearly presented
Your products (ebooks, etc.)
A sense of your best customer
So that you know how to sort actual prospects from general conversation

Photo Acknowledgements
Picked clean skeleton courtesy Powerhouse Museum, Flickr Commons
Blue thumbs down courtesy Fuyoh! at Flickr CC
Neon brain courtesy dierk schaefer at Flickr CC
Watches courtesy serendipity at Flickr CC
Coffee cup with hand courtesy denialpolez at Flickr CC
Vultures courtesy waldec at Flickr CC
Social media graphic courtesy Intersection Consulting on Flickr CC
Zombie brain mold courtesy Like_the_Grand_Canyon at Flickr CC
Nurse classroom courtesy Galt Museum & Archives at Flickr Commons
Liz Strauss courtesy therangonagin at Flickr CC
Lobby conference talk courtesy SoMeTourism at Flickr CC

Thanks for your time! Questions? Sheila Scarborough @SheilaS on Twitter www.sheilasguide.com www.tourismcurrents.com

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No, You May NOT Pick My Brain

by Sheila Scarborough on Feb 01, 2011

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