Rant on business people who only want something for nothing

I am not a last minute type of person, so I have already begun calling potential advertisers for the fall issue. I am offering incentives that include bonus free months online and discounts for early commitment. But that is not the point of this post. The point is to rant about business people who sell fairly high end things -- like invitation that start at $5 per person -- who claim they have no budget for advertising but would be willing to offer a "contest" prize of free invitations or informals (the cost of which would exceed the cost of an average ad in Kallah Magazine.) The claim on their side, "I don't want to spend any money because I don't know that the ad will bring in business. I want immediate results." So what they propose instead of an ad is a promotion that claims to come from Kallah Magazine that is solely intended to gather the information of engaged couples for the invitations company. I love how the proposal is win-win -- for the invitations company that is. What does Kallah Magazine have to gain from this? Absolutely nothing.

I told him that he could pay for the print ad and set up his online lisitng to direct browsers to his own site or email where they could fill out the information he wants. By being an accessory to gather his info I am compromising my own principles and creating more work and responsibility for myself with no upside whatsoever. I make it a point not to require registration for access to the site info. I only ask for information for access to the book samples but assure those who offer it that their information will not be sold or shared with others businesses. So agreeing to this person's scheme would undermine the principles of privacy I've upheld and offers absolutely no potential monetary gain. Why pay for an ad when you gain direct access to your market?