Question: Now that I’m becoming more known, people are asking if they can schedule a call with me to learn how I’ve “done what I’ve done.” But that’s my value. Is there a nice way to say that?
—Angelique Rewers, Cockeysville, Md.
Ali’s Answer: “Ahh yes, the “Do you just have an hour or two, so I can pick your brain?” Welcome to success, Angelique. The good news is, you’ve got what others want. The bad news is, get ready for them all to want it for free. Of course we all want to share and inspire. What we want to avoid are success vampires. Most people aren’t consciously trying to drain you—they simply want to learn. Your mission, should you accept it, is to give them what they want, but also make sure you are making a living.
It’s much easier to do this with an assistant, so she can be your gatekeeper. For example, years ago when I had just one virtual assistant, we would get many people writing in to the website asking for advice or some of my time. Finally, after realizing we needed a system for this, I wrote a short note she could use to respond. It went something like this: “Thanks for writing. I’m Ali’s assistant Liz, and I received your request. Ali is very knowledgeable on these types of topics and is available on a consulting basis. Her hourly rate is $250, and if you simply let me know a few times next week that work for you, and your preferred method of payment, we can book something immediately to make sure you get all your questions answered.”
After that, we would either book a consult (yay!) or never hear from them again. Of course there is the occasional time you want to help someone, so do that. But this is a good protective measure to put in place and also set up an income stream. And if you don’t have an assistant yet, you have to get good at saying this all yourself.”
Love and success,
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