http://www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2011/03/28/no-you-cant-pick-my-brain-it-costs-too-much/
Asking for advice from subject matter experts: Where is the line between free & paid?
This article clearly applies to requests for guidance from people who do not work for your company or directly with you. The article references a business consultant who is tired of giving away her knowledge "for free". She reccomends going so far as refusing lunches or phone calls from non-payers, including family and friends. She reccomends busting out the fee schedule IMMEDIATELY.
I understand that for consultants (like MT) the line can be gray. Certainly, they don't run a charity. At the same time, Mark preachs to give, and give, and give some more.
My concern is that I have been building relationship with subject matter experts and contacting them from time to time (mostly through LinkedIn). Is it wrong from me to ask subject matter expert for general (lessons learned) advice for free on topic x?
I recently had a mixed bag of responses when I asked my expert network for advice on a specific topic in our industry. I sent about 10 mails to different people which I had a (varying degrees of) relationshp with. Two of them offered to fly in to my site to help me (clearly, payment required). One replied with a link to his website and told me to buy a video on the topic. Two gave me some summary thoughts on the topic. And one person offered in-depth advice through multiple correspondence. I thanked him profusely each time. I directly inquired about the payment issue on the 2nd correspondence. He told me that the only thing I can do to repay him is to pass the knowledge to others when I am in his position one day. What a statement!
That being said, I'm curious on what others think on this topic.
It can be hard to determine where that line is
Thank you for sharing this article. I find myself trying to define the line quite often, and it can be difficult.
Steve
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Frequency of Get vs. Give
This is sort of network building 101. I don't think it's "wrong" to ask occasional questions of your network of subject matter experts. And, certainly, if they don't want to answer your questions, they won't. What's more important to consider is the balance of your requests to get something from them vs. how often you give (or offer to give) something to them.
As a consultant, I give away my recommendations for free all. the. time. If someone has the knowledge, ability, and time to implement what I've recommended, that's great and I've strengthened a relationship. If they don't (and most don't, especially when it comes to time), then I'm happy to bring my firm to the table to talk about implementing.
--Steve
I agree with Andy, and...
...you have to take into account the status of your relationship with someone before asking.
What is your relationship like with these 10 folks you wrote to? I imagine that the response you got was in proportion to the quality of the relationship you have with them.
As a consultant, I'm very generous with my time and expertise with friends who need a little help. Often they are not a fit for working with my company, but they are a valuable part of my network and life.
On the other hand, there are people I hardly know who ask for lots of information/advice. Rather than building the relationship, this deteriorates it. To paraphrase Mark H: You can take more than you give, until they run you out of town. No one wants to feel taken advantage of and few people want to do lots of unpaid consulting.
The one last thing I would add. The folks at M/T are incredibly generous with what they give away. I'm not a license holder, and I greatly appreciate what they do. I would never ask them for a free individual license or a free ticket to a conference. There is a line that everyone has between asking for free advice and being willing to pay someone for their expertise. You relationship with them will somewhat determine where that line is.
Cheers,
Jason