As an internet marketer and web designer, I am frequently contacted by, I’m sure, well-meaning folks who just want to ‘Ask me a quick question.’ Kathleen Gage recently posted about this topic on her blog. She sums up the issue we internet marketers have with ‘quick questions’ that folks want answered for free, and why we can not do this without going broke.
I love to help people. My personal motto is: Honor God. Help People. I do that every day; of the time and place of my choosing. I’m in control of my time – I have to be. My free information is located right here on this blog (genesisblogging.com) and I have a lot of free information here. I also post in Lynn Terry’s free public forum, as well as her Private Elite forum, and of course on Twitter and Facebook. However, there has to be limits on what I share and when.
Why the limits?
Because time is money. I could literally spend all day answering everyone’s questions for free, then would have no time to actually make the money I need to help support my family and pay my bills.
If you want a free internet marketing consultant, try Google. 
I don’t mean to sound snarky or ugly, but Google is your friend when it comes to finding free information. I know most folks are not intentionally taking someone’s time without considering the cost; but it is something that needs to be said.
Searching for the Easy Button
For those few folks that are contacting internet marketers and asking 
questions in search of an ‘Easy Button’, or a short-cut to their own success to find the missing puzzle piece as to why they are not successful themselves; or assuming that the internet marketing ‘guru’ as some missing ‘It’ that they don’t have…. NEWS FLASH: there is no missing anything – except you taking action. The only ‘Easy Button’ is this one you can buy at Staples for $4.99.
Internet Marketing Consultant One-on-One Coaching
If you need one-on-one help, most internet marketers have a coaching program (me included) and you can get the help you need. Yes, it costs money – but if you are not able to make progress using Google to provide you with the information you need, and/or you need more specific questions answered to help you move to the taking action phase so you can get to profit in your business – then invest in coaching! It’s worth it.
To YOUR Success,
Traci Knoppe
P.S. If you need coaching, I have coaching time slots available.
P.S. Do you find you'd rather let someone else handle your web site maintenance tasks for you? Check out Your Web Tech Team Outsourcing Services : We Handle It for You.
About Traci Knoppe
I just had someone contact me upset over this post. I had helped them, willingly answered their questions, and they took offense at this post, assuming I was directing it at them. I was not.
If I offer to help someone, then I am willingly doing so. I could easily have chosen to say No, and refer you to my coaching program. If I did not do that, then I was willing to answer your questions. Plain and simple. I am responsible for my own time – I accept that responsibility all around.
This post was to help make folks aware before they ask, that everyone’s time is valuable. There are quite a few folks who are either:
1.Just plain lazy and want someone to hand them all the answers on a silver platter (complete with an Easy Button), OR…
2. They are so frustrated at all the information out there and don’t know how to sort it all out.
The folks in the first group, need to decide if they really want a business – because that requires work. There is no Easy Button.
The folks in the second group would do well to join a mastermind group, Lynn Terry’s free forum, and/or hire a coach. These folks have their heads full of information that they don’t know how to process and get to the point of taking action. If you’ve gotten information – free or otherwise – and you still are stuck, then some time of personal coaching/consulting will help.
So my post was directed primarily at the folks who ‘want something for nothing’ and usually have no real intentions of doing anything with what they learn/receive.
I apologize profusely to the person who was offended. Please accept this as my public apology, and know that I was not directing this post at you.
Sometimes Tracy it is a case of Damned if you do and Damned if you don’t.
For what its worth I appreciate the information you share over at Lynn’s forum
Thanks – I appreciate the support.
Thanks for pointing out that we’re all bound in time. It might seem expensive to be in a coaching program, but its well worth it. Heck, it should be in the budget for all newbie entrepreneurs. To paraphrase Kiyosaki, Professionals have coaches, amateurs do not.