I received an email today (not the day that you're reading this) from some woman running some type of business (details withheld to protect the clueless). She was asking me for help in generating customers for her business.

I replied to her a few things she could to do attract said buyers and she replied that she already knew about/was doing those things -- and asked if I could offer anything further she could use. I replied that I could inform her when my next (free) information product becomes available that would help her. She replied that that wouldn't be necessary since she had "hired a small firm" to do that for her.

Where do we begin...?
First: she was asking me to directly help her business make money (by providing customers) and not offering me anything in exchange. So she was either a) clueless as to how to ask for favors or b) super bold to think this approach would actually work. I'm running a business (business = exchange of money). Can you gift wrap some buyers for me? Thanks. ?

Second: the, 'I already know about that' response. Miss: I don't doubt that you know. Everyone knows. However, if you already knew how to properly execute these things, you wouldn't be panhandling for customers - you'd be too busy handling the ones you have. Since you're asking me to provide you customers, something in your head told you that I might have them -- meaning that I might know how to attract them. Wouldn't that be a smart question to ask?

Third: I've hired a small firm to do that. If I'd hired a firm to work for me, best believe I'm squeezing every penny of equity out of what I'm paying them. Shit, that's what I paid for? That's like me hiring a public relations firm and then emailing random PR professionals asking for help with my PR. That firm's work ain't too solid, huh?

Third and a half: if you need to hire a small firm to generate customers for your business, you’ve already lost. No firm created the content that led you to me. You could've given that money to me and got some actual results -- in the least, you wouldn't be contacting other people for the same information your bum-ass firm isn't providing.

My (free) info products for Marketing and Branding your business online cannot be finished any sooner. Stay tuned...