Doing a job for "advertising" - Opinons?

[logic404]

Hey Guys,

I recently accepted a job in return for having a banner on the person's site. The site gets about 400 visitors per month. I only accepted it this morning, and during the course of the day got two "have you got a timeframe for this yet", and just now got a "have you started work yet" message.

I don't really tend to regard that kind of advertising as "payment in full" - more kind of a "I'll do you a favour, you'll do me one" - but with the understanding that (cash) paying customers need to come first, and jobs done on this basis aren't on any tight timeframe.

How do others feel? Do you think it's unreasonable of me to be a little peeved about being rushed on a job I'm not being paid for? Am I just paranoid?

[Brangwyn]

I'd be a little peeved too especially if you hadn't set any expectations the work would be commenced immediately. I've run into it a few times with customers myself, I generally just tell them the work will be done as soon as possible but that as I've other work already committed they're in a line and they ain't the first in it !

[logic404]

Oh good. Glad I'm not being a rude <insert four letter word>. I just get antsy when trying to please everyone!!

Excellent advice by everyone. In terms of not being rude (although it seems like they are), simply advise them of the truth, "Although I appreciate the banner and the opportunity to increase my business, paying customers must come first and I will get to your job just as soon as possible." If they're not happy with that, then odds are you're not going to make them happy, and you should just 'cut your losses' on the "one click-thru per month" that Alex mentioned. I'm always cautious of anyone that's pushy from the beginning.......

[generic]

glad to see you have time to waste typing in this forum rather than creating that banner...get to work...by the way, you think you can get it done by tomorrow?

never fails, the cheaper they are, the more they want, the more promises of work in the future that you will never see !!!

[logic404]

OMG - when i first started reading that post I thought you were serious!!

Too true. Mind you, in the client's credit, he backed off when I insinuated he was being a little pushy. Might not turn out so bad after all.

[dweimann]

Oh yah...I think you're thinking the right thing....paying clients come first. If the non-paying client complains about that, then they should feel free to pay you for your time in order for you to reprioritize their work. As the old saying goes, " Beggars can't be choosers."

Seeing that you're offering your work in exchange for what probably amounts to less than a clickthrough a month, you might as well be doing it for free. For jobs like that I reckon you get to do it on your own schedule or not at all, and they will have to bloody well deal with it or find themselves a sucker who will deliver free goods the same day.

I do not have any advice on how to tell them so nicely. "Listen here, matey..." comes to mind.