Pay, Barter or Exposure: How to Decide Before You Say Yes
Every artist gets the message sooner or later: "We love your work. We can't pay, but it'll be great exposure." Sometimes that's a smart move. Often it's not. Here's a simple way to decide in two minutes.
1. Know your floor
Decide your minimum price before anyone asks. Count your time, travel, prep and the cost of showing up. If you don't have a number, you'll accept whatever is offered first.
2. Paid work: ask for the details, not just the amount
Before you agree, get the amount, the payment date, how many hours or days, and where the work will be used. A fee with no timeline is only a promise.
3. Barter: only when the swap is real
Barter works when you get something you would have paid for anyway: professional photos, a studio session, a reel edited, a styled shoot. Ask yourself: "Would I have bought this?" If not, it isn't a fair swap.
4. Exposure: check who is actually watching
Exposure is worth something only if the audience matches the work you want next. Ask for specifics: the reach, the platforms, whether you'll be tagged and credited. "Great visibility" with no numbers is not a deal.
5. Use the 3-question test
Does this get me something I can use next week (money, a portfolio piece, a contact)?
Will it lead to the kind of work I want?
Would I do it again on the same terms?
Two yes answers means go ahead. One or none means negotiate or say no.
6. Negotiate instead of refusing
You don't have to choose between "yes" and "no". Try: "I can't do this free, but I can do it at a reduced rate", or "I'll do it for barter plus credit and a reel on your page." Most people expect a counter-offer.
7. Say no politely
"Thank you for thinking of me. This doesn't fit my rates right now, but I'd love to work together when there's a budget." It keeps the door open and protects your price.
Your work has a price, and saying it calmly is part of being a professional. Free work should be a choice you make on purpose, not something you slide into.