To think that this 'influencer' should pay me for my work, not ask for freebies?

[Megatron]

I'm a bit flummoxed. I have a side business (cookies) which ticks along nicely in normal circumstances, although it's going ok during lockdown, luckily.

I had a message from someone this morning saying that it is her mum's birthday soon and can I make her two dozen cookies and deliver them to her this weekend. She lives about 30 miles away from me and 'as payment' she is willing to 'put photos on my insta page and say how great they are. I have a large following and this would be good business for you'. Now, I don't know how these things work, but I think she's absolutely taking the piss? Her 'large following' is less than 500 people and even aside from that, I don't want to work for free then do a 60 mile round trip to deliver (I normally only deliver within 5 mile radius, it's just a tiny sideline for me). I'm not some big shot looking for tonnes of business, I just like enough for a bit extra. They're also quite detailed cookies and each one takes a while to decorate - she clearly thinks they look ok but not enough to actually pay me for them.

Am I hopelessly out of date and this is just how it's done or is she absolutely taking the piss. What the fuck even is an 'influencer' anyway?

There’s a twitter account called “for exposure” about this too

mobile.twitter.com/forexposure_txt?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

OMG that twitter account is unbelievable.

I haven't read all 8 pages but I'm guessing as you make cookies you're not in any of the facebook groups for professional cake makers. They are full of rants about CFs asking for freebies for exposure and the answer is always no. Don't do it. Even if she did have 500k followers it would still be a no.

I'd say 'Sorry, I don't do free work for just 500 followers. My nana has more than that.
Give me a call when you hit a million'

I run a food business and have used local influencer types occasionally. I pick them on the basis of taking excellent pictures, being local focused (no point drumming up business in Aberdeen), food focused, decent follower numbers (5000+) and those followers are engaged.

It can work well, but I've approached them rather than the other way round, I choose what I send them, no money changes hands, and I certainly don't deliver for their mum's birthday 🙄

Give her a code offering her followers an x percent discount. If 100 (or what ever number you choose) people contact you quoting the code you refund her money?

Then she gets free cookies (eventually), and you get extra business. If she’s so influential, she’ll get her money back in no time!

I'm followed by my dog, can I have some cookies please?

She is trying to, quite literally, take the biscuit

Yanbu.

Bloody hell I should be calling myself an influencer, I've got more followers than that!

She's a CF, tell her a very firm no. I'd be tempted to add that I don't do freebies for anyone with less than 50,000 followers!

This is a problem musicians have had for years "perform for exposure"

Social media has just opened the doors to make anyone a target for their time/talent being regarded as only worthy of "exposure" rather than actual payment.

I'm glad you aren't playing her feeble little game!

Plus remember, even if she had a million followers, if it’s not something you want to do then you don’t have to.
It’s your business and absolutely your call on how you market it and run it. Plus I echo previous sentiments, if you want to explore social media more then do it with your own page. It wouldn’t take long to get into the swing of it.

I'm followed by my dog, can I have some cookies please?

Anyone calling themselves an 'influencer' and going around begging for freebies is an embarrassment.

A wasted opportunity. You should have sent her a picture of you eating some cookies, captioned: "I did bake some cookies but decided they would have been wasted on your extremely small following. On the plus side they tasted soooo delicious".