Mythbuster Monday: If You Were A Good Person, You’d Give Your Products Away For Free
May 5, 2008 by Michelle Waters
Today’s myth, obviously is not true. Whether or not you are a good person has nothing to do with giving your products away.
Unfortunately, there are people in this world who feel they are entitled to your products (and other people’s) and who think that if you are a good person, you will give your products to them for free — at at least at a deep discount.
These people feel that anyone who takes money in exchange for goods has sold out, is dishonest or is trying to oppress others.
This cannot be further from the truth.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with exchanging goods for money. As long as you are providing a good that meets a need, that is of high quality and that does what you say it will do, then I see no problem with asking for money in exchange.
And people who truly understand this will let you know if you are asking too much, by simply not buying. And you’ll know that you are asking too little by your feedback, a look at your competition or the overwhelming number of orders you receive.
So what do you do when faced with someone who insists that you should give away the products you have worked hard to market, and possibly even to create?
I recommend thanking them for their time, telling them that you feel your product is valuable and why. And then tell them that you are standing firm by your price. If they are would like to place an order, they are welcome to.
And leave it at that.
Wow. I can’t imagine resenting someone for charging for a product. I wonder, do people who want you to give your product away for free also complain to the grocery store manager and gas station owner for not giving their product away? LOL!
Honestly, I think some of them do.
Other people tend to be braver — and less likely to control their tongues — when they are on the Internet. They’re mad at the world for whatever reasons, and they can take that anger out on the faceless person on the otherside of the computer, seemingly without any consequences.
People need to remember that there is a human being on the other end of the Internet connection and that human being deserves to be treated with respect and to have the products and services they pour their hearts and work into respected as well.
Thank you for your comments, Carrie!