Professionals, please don't discourage amateurs.
Amateur - noun a person who engages in a study, sport, or other activity for pleasure rather than for financial benefit or professional reasons.
Recently, I've noticed a professional I know (who shall remain unnamed) ranting on Facebook about there "not being any market" for people new to this person's field.
This person discourages others from using their friend's amateur services, claiming that those "green at the gills" people are not going to give you what you're wanting.
I think this is unacceptable. There is a difference between advertising your business and bad-mouthing those starting out.
I'm sure this person simply feels threatened because amateurs offer the same services she does for a large fraction of what this person charges, and the amateurs are not bad at what they do.
If all professionals adopted the same mantra this one has, who would encourage those starting out. If professional musicians preached not listening to amateurs, what could happen to music?
It could go one of two ways: less good music, because those who are talented don't realize they are, instead accepting that they are "not as good as the professional" and give up. OR they could be more determined to prove said professional wrong. I would hope it would be the second, but I don't think it's a test I'd like to see.
If you love your field, I think you should encourage others to delve into it. Promote your business in a positive way- allow your talent to mark you the best choice. (I know I will never again use this professional's service because of their negative attitude towards their peers.) If the amateurs are offering similar quality at a lower price, well, welcome to capitalism.
May the best man win!
- -- Posted by jessiemiller on Sun, Aug 21, 2011, at 3:17 PM
- -- Posted by lilmissmelmo on Sun, Aug 21, 2011, at 10:30 PM
- -- Posted by MsMarylin on Mon, Aug 22, 2011, at 3:18 PM
- -- Posted by lilmissmelmo on Mon, Aug 22, 2011, at 5:16 PM
- -- Posted by pjluckyman on Tue, Aug 23, 2011, at 7:53 AM
- -- Posted by ericaclicks on Sun, Sep 11, 2011, at 8:41 PM
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