Juxtapose this thread with the ones lamenting the lack of new blood in our hobby. Most of you don't sound very welcoming.
Tvad - and a few others- provide a good suggestion about talking on the phone with your prospect. We speak a language that will not come easily to your everyday scammer. I find it quite easy to know if the individual in question is a true hobbyist or just flipping gear. Some are both, I suppose, but that doesn't necessarily disqualify them.
Another point that may play into this is our weak dollar. The last few time I advertised something, I received a lot of response from around the world. Dialogue revealed that many of these people were established hobbyists in their own countries who were looking at our ads more seriously lately as their currency advantage grew. That would explain their lack of feedback.
And lastly, one can use the lack of credentials as a negotiation point. Legitimate suitors know that they need to establish themselves and are grateful to get someone with my reputation on their resume.
Stop worrying so much. Or course it's a gamble. So is crossing the street. You just have to decide how badly you want to reach the other side.
Tvad - and a few others- provide a good suggestion about talking on the phone with your prospect. We speak a language that will not come easily to your everyday scammer. I find it quite easy to know if the individual in question is a true hobbyist or just flipping gear. Some are both, I suppose, but that doesn't necessarily disqualify them.
Another point that may play into this is our weak dollar. The last few time I advertised something, I received a lot of response from around the world. Dialogue revealed that many of these people were established hobbyists in their own countries who were looking at our ads more seriously lately as their currency advantage grew. That would explain their lack of feedback.
And lastly, one can use the lack of credentials as a negotiation point. Legitimate suitors know that they need to establish themselves and are grateful to get someone with my reputation on their resume.
Stop worrying so much. Or course it's a gamble. So is crossing the street. You just have to decide how badly you want to reach the other side.