Pro bono ? good karma, good business or both?

Definitely a bit of both. I've found that the people I have been involved with are happy to talk about a job well done, and if they are working in an organisation they are normally pretty well connected people :)

Definatley for that warm fuzzy feeling... and if business/leads follow so much the better!

I like to have my warm fuzzies, but I can't feed my child if I'm working for free!

I like pro bono because it allows me to show off my skills and talents. Hopefully that will be recognized and I will either be recommended or used for services in the future.

Keep doing what you're doing as long as it makes you happy!!

Brianna

Some people refer to that warm fuzzy feeling as psychic income, meaning that you are actually getting something out of it. Though it's not monetary, it's still valuable and worth something to you. I am all for that.

Too often though, I see small business owners who are barely making it try to give away all of their time and expertise in a way that is depleting and does not grow their business. It can even become a crutch so they don't have to get out there and find paid work that may feel more intimidating.

Once you become known as the expert who consistenly gives it away for free, people may begin to devalue you and your skills.

It's smart to be strategic about who you do pro bono work for. Choose organizations that have connections you need and who can refer you to actual clients, not just more pro bono work. Also choose work that excites you, where you will learn, get to try out some new ideas and develop your work.

I recommend deciding ahead of time how much pro bono work you will do monthly and annually and build it into your business plan so you can account for it, feel good about it and make sure you are not giving away so much that you don't have a business!

Be sure to get testimonials from anyone you do pro bono work for. Paid or not--that testimonial is a way to land new work. If you don't have that testimonial yet, ask for one. Don't feel you must wait until you are done with the project. Get it now and use it to market yourself.

Create a case study or story around your pro bono work that you can share with prospective clients.

And, hey, if you are simply doing some volunteering for an organization you love, it does not have to lead to paid work. Just be clear about why you are doing it, how much you will give away, and then enjoy the warm fuzzies.

Well put, Karrie.

Karrie is spot on.

My own history is from both the side of the volunteer and the side of the agency, and from either perspective I contend that we must always be selfish in our altruism.

I have a tendency to give, and can exhaust my resources by doing so. So, I am (finally) very strategic in where I give--it always has to match up with my greater goals and values. I have a budget for both my time and my money. (I have an agreement with my financial planner that I can DONATE up to 10% of my income, as long as I am also SAVING 10% of my income. So far she hasn't busted me for how much TIME I give away :-)

Those who volunteer and are clear about WHY they are doing it, are much more valuable to an agency than those who are not frank about why they are volunteering. A good volunteer coordinator wants the volunteers to Get just as much as they Give--it makes for satisfying, long-term relationships, and such relationships are very valuable to agencies.

There's almost nothing worse than someone who purports to be helping JUST for the warm fuzzies. Many such people are frequently partcipating out of their own lack, and are coming to "give" so they can receive.

I'm not saying that receiving warm fuzzies is wrong.

But, be clear and honest about it all with yourself and the agency you are giving to. If you feel sad and being with children makes you feel better, be honest about that motivation. If you want to fluff out your portfolio or resume, be honest about that. If your grandmother will cut you out of her Will if you don't tithe your time, be honest about that. Such frankness helps the agency place you appropriately in their midst, making mutual success and happiness more likely.

A wise man taught me the notion of taking actions in my life which align with my greater goals. (duh) I think generally Bizniks believe Warm Fuzzies are anfundamental element of life--so doing pro bono work for the Warm Fuzzies of it, in a realm that aligns with those other things we seek for ourselves, leads to a winning situation all around. Selfish Altruism.

About sales leads. Well, the paths of life are interesting. The last big stint of pro bono work I did ended up connecting me to my True Love (yeah, not a sales lead ...) BUT, we didn't meet until a year after I'd left that group, and several months after he joined it. Sometimes good karma meanders and brings the "good business" later.

Hi Mike,

This might sound a little weird but what if you provided a "give a buck" link on your website so people like me who don't do work with animals but really respect people like you who do can give you a buck to provide you with, say, one paid day/week that you can do all this great work and not go broke? I'd give you buck and bet a lot of other people would, too. It's cheap, easy, fits in to my schedule, and is hassle-free, plus I get to make a contribution. (I offer my pro-bono services to humans) I bet a lot of other people might feel the same way. Plus it could be a great PR opportunity for you. (i.e. write and article "Don't have time to make a difference? This guy does and it'll only cost you a buck!) then send it out. Who knows, maybe you'll get some great work out of it!

Balancing the desire to help others with a good business model can sometimes be challenging. Karrie makes some wonderful points as to why we must balance the two.

This is something I've especially had to work at because I get all warm and fuzzy helping humans, too. Sometimes to the point of giving away the whole store. Bad, bad, bad!

One of the things I've finally come to terms with is that to make the difference I'd really like to make in the world I have to continue growing my business and making it more successful. Then I can reach out to others and help them more.