Rotisserie chicken at the back of Costco

Hustle Machine

Because we know you’re here for our witty banter as much as our extensive business acumen, we once again start off on a lighter note this week, talking about the etiquette of headphone fashion choices and castigating Zack for his debilitating Apple products addiction. Still, he makes up for it this episode with a proper shout-out to our championship Georgia Bulldogs, so we’ll let it slide this time.

This week’s topic is on loss leaders: when do you create something for a client just to gain exposure, versus when do you stick to your guns and demand payment for service?

We don’t issue hard and fast rules here at Hustle Machine very often, so we don’t outright tell you not to provide something for a client for free. Circumstances are wildly variable, so it may work out for you. A free job for the right client really can lead to a great deal of paying business down the line if things work out well and you can reap the benefits of a loss leader project for a long time to come.

Still, we tend to advise entrepreneurs to avoid outright free loss leaders. What works well for a retail business is often less effective for a small business owner. You’ll want to be careful about doing anything for exposure alone. After all, once you’ve opened the door, where does it close?

To quote Jason’s better half, “No is a complete sentence.” Don’t be afraid to ask for payment, even if it’s only to cover costs, rather than a full price bill. Charge something, negotiate for your needs and know that your work is more valuable than a rotisserie chicken at the back of a Costco.

We also take time to talk about when it's appropriate to lend help to a friend, discuss proper technique for unpacking after a vacation and listen to Jason sing a snippet of “Schoolhouse Rock” for your listening pleasure.

Know that we believe in getting paid here at Market House, even if we do offer Hustle Machine for free. Exposure is great, but cash is much better.

Go Dawgs!