How to manage “Can I pick your brain?” requests - Ness Labs
These suggestions on how to handle requests for free advice are the ways I handle them. I'll answer questions via email for free, and I often send links and resources. But if you want a paid 1:1 call, especially if you're vague about what you want, you're going to have to pay for my time like every other consulting client.
This article also includes ideas on how to make better requests, and that's what's probably most helpful here. i'm much more likely to respond to specific, brief requests where people know what they want and have clearly made some attempt to research on their own.
<strong>Do your research.</strong> Show that you have tried to get the information you need in other ways, and resolved to send them an email because you could not figure out an answer to your query based on what’s freely available through other means. “I have read your blog post about X and wanted to ask…” or “I see that you joined the editorial team of this magazine a year ago and I was wondering…” show that you have done your research and need further information.
