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  • How not to reply to an attempted startup

    I make a honeyed rum. It's fantastic, my mommy says so (Or would if she wasn't staunch, non drinking Mormon).
    I've attempted a few Kickstarters in the past in order to get up the many MANY thousands of dollars that it would take to get even an artisan distillery up and running (Approx a quarter mil, for those curious).
    Hell, I even tried to raise a fraction of that in order to finance a large proof of concept batch for interested investors (if I found any)
    The most common response/private request that I got?
    "Dude! I will TOTALLY back you, just send some bottles to me and my buddies for testing!"
    "I like the concept, but without free samples sent to me, there's no way I could in good conscious donate to your fundraiser"
    "I love the idea and the product sounds great, but you should send our free samples in order for me to give you exposure to your friends"
    And so on, and so forth. You get the idea

  • #2
    Aaaand after they get thoroughly blitzed on your product, you'll never hear from them again.

    Shame you don't know what these people do for a living; you could return the favour of "Gimme some freeebies so I can decide whether your work is any good!"

    For what it's worth, 'honeyed rum' really does sound fantastic.
    Customer service: More efficient than a Dementor's kiss
    ~ Mr Hero

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    • #3
      Quoth Pixelated View Post
      Aaaand after they get thoroughly blitzed on your product, you'll never hear from them again.

      Shame you don't know what these people do for a living; you could return the favour of "Gimme some freeebies so I can decide whether your work is any good!"

      For what it's worth, 'honeyed rum' really does sound fantastic.
      Thanks, Some on here have had it, I'm proud of the development

      And yes, the blatant "I'm a 15 year old kid looking for free booze" vibe came through hard

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      • #4
        Wow... now if they had actually put the money in, then and only then would they be entitled to ask for some freebies...
        The Copyright Monster has made me tell you that my avatar is courtesy of the wonderful Alice XZ.And you don't want to annoy the Copyright Monster.

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        • #5
          "Send me some samples of your art, and we'll decide later if it's good enough to pay you for"


          Why yes, both myself and my brother are artists, we've heard it before .... we've never fallen for it.

          or the "No we won't' pay, but think of the great EXPOSURE!"

          I am thinking of exposure, specifically dying of it when I can't pay my rent.
          - They say nothing good happens at 2AM, they're right, I happen at 2AM.

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          • #6
            The band Turtleguy was in for a couple of years was always hearing that: "We can't pay you, but you'll get great exposure!" "Exposure" doesn't pay the rent.

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            • #7
              Sure, I'll send you some free samples. Just pay a shipping and handling fee of $1,000 and expect delivery after I have a successful Kickstarter and I've fulfilled all the orders to the people who funded it.
              Replace anger management with stupidity management.

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              • #8
                Some of my former coworkers have posted their photos online ... at least one is attempting to make some sales.

                The aggravation (and burgeoning anger) when they find their work elsewhere on the 'Net, posted by people who didn't bother with the piffling little detail of paying them ... and even watermarks don't seem to help.

                The 'takers' don't seem to understand (or perhaps they don't care) that, as has been said here, "exposure" doesn't pay the rent.
                Customer service: More efficient than a Dementor's kiss
                ~ Mr Hero

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                • #9
                  Sounds good. If you are ever in my area, I will bestow gifts of dinner and such if a bottle happens to get left behind (Don't want you to get arrested for bootlegging).

                  PS. I am over 21. I'll provide ID to prove it.
                  Life is too short to not eat popcorn.
                  Save the Ales!
                  Toys for Tots at Rooster's Cafe

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                  • #10
                    Quoth csquared View Post
                    Sounds good. If you are ever in my area, I will bestow gifts of dinner and such if a bottle happens to get left behind (Don't want you to get arrested for bootlegging).

                    PS. I am over 21. I'll provide ID to prove it.
                    Well, I DO make it to Atlanta for DragonCon every year

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                    • #11
                      Exposure. One of the few forms of payment even more worthless than the penny.
                      "For a musician, the SNES sound engine is like using Crayola Crayons. Nobuo Uematsu used Crayola Crayons to paint the Sistine Chapel." - Jeremy Jahns (re: "Dancing Mad")
                      "The difference between an amateur and a master is that the master has failed way more times." - JoCat
                      "Thinking is difficult, therefore let the herd pronounce judgment!" ~ Carl Jung
                      "There's burning bridges, and then there's the lake just to fill it with gasoline." - Wiccy, reddit
                      "Retail is a cruel master, and could very well be the most educational time of many people's lives, in its own twisted way." - me
                      "Love keeps her in the air when she oughta fall down...tell you she's hurtin' 'fore she keens...makes her a home." - Capt. Malcolm Reynolds, "Serenity" (2005)
                      Acts of Gord – Read it, Learn it, Love it!
                      "Our psychic powers only work if the customer has a mind to read." - me

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                      • #12
                        Does anyone even fall for the exposure nonsense?
                        To right the countless wrongs of our days... We shine this light of true redemption, that this place may become as paradise...Oh, what a wonderful world such would be...

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                        • #13
                          Quoth Redbeard View Post
                          Well, I DO make it to Atlanta for DragonCon every year
                          You don't by any chance make it to southern Ontario at any time, do you ... ?

                          I won't offer to cook, since I don't know what kind of travel health insurance you've got but there are some nice restaurants around here.
                          Customer service: More efficient than a Dementor's kiss
                          ~ Mr Hero

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                          • #14
                            Quoth Mr Hero View Post
                            Does anyone even fall for the exposure nonsense?
                            Naive newbies who haven't learned the bitter truth yet, would be my guess.
                            Customer service: More efficient than a Dementor's kiss
                            ~ Mr Hero

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                            • #15
                              I want to add my voice to those saying honeyed rum sounds awesome!

                              I could kind of see sending out mini bottles of your product as kickstarter rewards (with proper ID, of course). But only if they pledge a certain amount, and if you reach your goals. Or maybe even as a stretch goal.

                              But asking for samples before they've even pledged? What a bunch of asspimples!
                              "I look at the stars. It's a clear night and the Milky Way seems so near. That's where I'll be going soon. "We are all star stuff." I suddenly remember Delenn's line from Joe's script. Not a bad prospect. I am not afraid. In the meantime, let me close my eyes and sense the beauty around me. And take that breath under the dark sky full of stars. Breathe in. Breathe out. That's all."
                              -Mira Furlan

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