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smarketingatl
Community Member

Pay it Forward: Here's an Idea

Many times I will come across a project description that is so basic, I would feel bad charging to complete it. I wish I had a way to offer to take care of it for Free. Things like Changing a Reply Email, Designing an Email Signature, Assessing a tool or an idea are things I would never charge an entrepreneur or product owner. A couple of times, I reached out to offer free assistance but then realized I burned my Connect Credits.

Maybe create a system that includes Karma points. If a freelancer or agency wants to help someone at no cost, we should be able to reach out without using our Credits.  Maybe its another way to beef up a freelancers profile for those who value this type of outreach.

At the end of the day, we all need help. Just a thought.

10 REPLIES 10
tta192
Community Member


Nikki P wrote:

Many times I will come across a project description that is so basic, I would feel bad charging to complete it. I wish I had a way to offer to take care of it for Free. Things like Changing a Reply Email, Designing an Email Signature, Assessing a tool or an idea are things I would never charge an entrepreneur or product owner. A couple of times, I reached out to offer free assistance but then realized I burned my Connect Credits.

Maybe create a system that includes Karma points. If a freelancer or agency wants to help someone at no cost, we should be able to reach out without using our Credits.  Maybe its another way to beef up a freelancers profile for those who value this type of outreach.

At the end of the day, we all need help. Just a thought.


You'll end up burning your entire account if you continue offering free work to clients. Feel free to bid as low as you want but keep it above zero (or the minimum threshold). 

 

 

 

You COMPLETELY missed the spirit of my post. We are all in business to make money - no news there. But I guess my approach is a bit more empathetic. It’s not always about money folks.
And this is coming from a single mom.


Nikki P wrote:
You COMPLETELY missed the spirit of my post. 

Not at all.

 


Nikki P wrote:
But I guess my approach is a bit more empathetic. 

Nope, if you could do that, you would harm every freelancer on the platform and Upwork itself. Nothing empathetic about harming others.

 

If you do something for free that someone else would have earned $ 10 from, or $ 20 from, which might have been the money they need to feed their kids, you have directly taken that food from that kid. Not all that empathetic, is it?

 


Nikki P wrote:
And this is coming from a single mom.

See above. Hungry kid. Empathy for the hungry kid, not the client who got his or her stuff for free and will expect freebies going forward.

 



  Maybe its another way to beef up a freelancers profile for those who value this type of outreach.

No, because contracts with nothing paid don't show on your profile and count as negative factors in your metrics.

 

Karma Points? I guess I could try to pay my rent with Karma Points. I have a feeling my landlord's response to such a suggestion would not be terribly enthusiastic....

 

I know you mean well, but seriously, there are so many places where we can do good in this world, globally, nationally, locally, in our own neighbourhood. I do favours for my clients and they do favours for me. 

But offering free work to total strangers is not the way to go about it.

 

Folks - take a breath. It was a SUGGESTION. Of course it couldnt be implemented in its current structure. New functionality would have to be engineered. When I built the marketing program at Big Nerd Ranch we had a community that helped with the little fish so the experts could take care of the big fish.  Its a strategic approach - clearly not for the short sighted - Nor for the perfect people who will never need help from someone else in their future.

Landlord payment remarks.....really? I know people who WISH they had a landlord.  I am a single mom who just buried my fiance last weekend and have two ill parents Right Now. So if anyone knows the struggle, I assure you I DO. 

Having said that, I hope everyone has a safe and productive day! Be Blessed.

 

versailles
Community Member


Nikki P wrote:

If a freelancer or agency wants to help someone at no cost,


Upwork is a platform which connects professional freelancers, who use it to make a living, with clients. They cannot afford to work for free and they certainly don't want clients to think that Upwork is a place to have people work at no cost.

 

Upwork is not the right platform for what you just described. Your local church or the nonprofits in your community can provide you with what you are looking for.

 

 

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"Where darkness shines like dazzling light"   —William Ashbless

@Rene thank you for that clarification. I am new to Upwork and learning alot of your culture in the forums. I'll be sure to share this with my AMA chapter and other professional networks.

robertf72
Community Member

I agree with you, companies or non-profits should be able to post so that they can get their work done.  I do not mind doing something free if its so small it does not take up alot of time, or if its a non-profit.


Robert F wrote:

I agree with you, companies or non-profits should be able to post so that they can get their work done.  I do not mind doing something free if its so small it does not take up alot of time, or if its a non-profit.


And then how to you suppose Upwork makes a profit or is able to pay it's employees? Do you think this site runs for free? There are plenty of non-profits everywhere that you can offer pro bono services to.

petra_r
Community Member


Virginia F wrote:

There are plenty of non-profits everywhere that you can offer pro bono services to.


Or get paid for doing work on Upwork and donate the money to a charity of your choice, like the rest of us.

calvo_juan
Community Member

The problem with that idea is that you have not explained in detail how freelancers of this platform would benefit from it, and under which conditions it would be implemented. How do we meassure empathy? Empathy for who? Do we get rated after completing free work?

 

 

 

 

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