Is FREE something you want or expect? Or is that all you can afford?

Years ago businesses were in the market to make things, making a physically produced product through sweat, blood and tears in order to make an honest living.

In these modern days via technology see’s a shift happening whereby making a living can be done virtually.

Somehow the business industry seems to have educated existing as well as new businesses in wanting (nay expecting) things for free, whether it is a taster of a company’s product or service or the promise of collaboration to greater things such as wealth and riches beyond dreams.

Recent times has seen businesses tap into business help organisations to facilitate their wares whereby the business recipient would get things for free and the supply business would receive recompense via the business organisation money pots held as a result of funding and grant applications made.

As we know times are a changing and these pots are depleted, and are not likely to return at least for the unforeseeable future, but never the less local businesses still seem to be in the same frame of mind of want everything for FREE – so the question has to be asked “Is FREE something you want or expect? Or is that all you can afford?”

Local Businesses really need to take on board how they act as well as how they are perceived when out at networking, as well as when conducting online communication via social media – as everything leaves a trail making it easier for prospective clients in checking on what’s being said as to the experience, qualifications, testimonials, conduct, and so on of supply companies.

Although not limited to any industry but in line with this blog in wanting things for FREE and making money virtually an example is Social Media training which is currently the big buzz word, whereby everyone is fast becoming a specialist in the field of LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Digg, and a whole raft of other social media outlets.

Some web techies will argue the fact that no-one needs any social media training whatsoever and that it is all hype, there are others who say that perhaps some awareness training is needed but not to the extent of what some Social Media training companies offer. Others will say it’s the future and unless you start creating awareness now and harness everything the web has to offer, you will be simply left behind.

No matter which category such people fall into regards Social Media training, what seems to happen is that many local companies collaborate with each other - which is absolutely great. Many will say what a wealth of experience all concerned have, and how they have access into high profile and influential people – but such collaborations are diverse and very often FREE.

They will say that their courses either “sell for” or “would normally sell for” some high amount in order to add some perceptive value to the course – yet very rarely is the course sold for its advertised price or even any price at all; resulting is such courses often being cancelled or made FREE for all.

Who’s at fault here, the Social Media Training companies for hyping up the value of the course, or trying to sell and promote something which is not needed – or the potential clients in thinking that such courses although they may or may not help have no perceived monetary value for them – the fact that its technology and the thinking is it should be government funded somehow - or the simple fact being that local businesses need it for FREE as they have no money.

Now we’re sure that it will be a mixture of everything, but local businesses are going to need to realise very quickly that the days of FREE are reducing by the minute, and they’re going to have to move with the times as these times are changing….!

Those who want and expect things for FREE surprisingly feel they should be charging for what they provide or supply- perhaps it’s a question here of “do as I say” and “not as I do”….!

Those that can only afford FREE, of course need help to progress so long as they understand and realise that FREE is a stop gap and not a way of life in the business world.