One of the currencies that drives social media is the currency of favors.
Someone retweeting you is a favor.
Someone commenting on your blog post is a favor.
Someone recommending your book is a favor.
There are a thousand ways to do favors for people online. Here’s something simple I’ve learned about them over the years.
When someone asks me for a favor and I say no, if they shame me for my response then they’ve confirmed no was the right thing to say.
Never respond to a no with shame. You lose the favor, but more importantly, you lose the relationship. If you had a contract with someone that’s different. You should honor contracts. But if someone tells you no, respond with graciousness and leave room for them to possibly tell you yes in the future.