A post from a hot-air balloon? Definitely intriguing, except for the fact that it scares me to death. I quickly call Tessa at work.
“So do it,” she says. “You’ve flown before.”
“Inside an airplane. Sure.”
“What’s the difference? You’re not afraid of heights.”
“You’re right,” I say. “I’m not afraid of heights. I’m afraid of plummeting to my death from the basket of a hot-air balloon.”
She laughs. “It’s perfectly safe.”
“Have you ever done it?”
“Well, no, but—”
“Then you don’t know.” An idea pops into my head. “You should go with me.”
She laughs again. “I’d go in a minute, but they haven’t asked me.”
“I’ll see if I can bring a friend.”
“Hold on. This is only your second offer. Don’t get a reputation for making unreasonable demands.”
“What’s unreasonable about wanting my best friend with me?”
“Just be careful is all I’m saying. The offer could go away if you start asking for favors.”
“This isn’t black and white, Tess. There are gray areas here. If they want me, they’ll be willing to negotiate.”
“You don’t even know what they’re offering yet.”
“Good point. I’ve got to go. I’ll be in touch.”
I end the call and quickly respond to Tammy, letting her know I’m interested to hear more and giving her my cell phone number.
Within fifteen minutes, my phone rings with a number I don’t recognize.
“Hello.”
“Skye Manning?”
“Yes.”
“Tammy Monroe from New England Adventures.”
“Hi there. Thank you so much for messaging me.”
“You’re very welcome. Let me tell you what we’ve got in mind. We want to take you up on one of our hot-air balloons and have you shoot posts from the air. They don’t have to be selfies. We want to show your followers the wonders they can see if they take one of our balloon rides.”
My heart beats faster. Take actual photos of beautiful scenery? “That sounds great.”
“Have you ever been in a balloon before?”
“I’m afraid I haven’t.”
“Then you’re in for a treat. It’s a breathtaking experience.”
“I don’t mean to sound rude, but…it is safe, right?”
She laughs. “You’re not rude at all. We get that all the time. It’s very safe. All our pilots are certified by the FAA.”
“The FAA certifies balloon pilots?”
“They do. They all have balloon pilot licenses, and they err on the side of caution. If there’s any indication that weather could be a factor, they won’t go up.”
“All right.”
“You’ve flown before, I assume?”
“In a large aircraft, yeah.”
“I promise you that you’ll love our rides.”
I clear my throat. “If the photos don’t have to be selfies, why do you even need me? Send me the photos and I’ll post them.”
“Because the experience needs to be authentic.”
She’s right, of course. If I’m going to be an influencer, I’m going to be authentic. I won’t be Addison, who posts about coffee when she hates it.
She continues. “We can set you up for a test ride. If it’s truly not your thing and you decide you can’t do the posts, no hard feelings.”
Test ride. That sounds good. “Would you mind if I bring a friend along?”
“Not at all. What day works for you?”
“Anytime. I’m flexible.” Being unemployed certainly gives one flexibility.
“How about tomorrow? The weather’s supposed to be great. Say about eleven a.m.?”
“I’m not sure my friend will be able to get off work.”
“All right. Saturday morning, then? Though of course it will depend on the weather.”
“I’ll have to check with her.”
“Sure. Call me back when you know. We’re excited about working with you.”
“Thank you. I appreciate the opportunity, Tammy. You’ll hear from me soon.”
I sigh and lay my phone on my small table. Then I berate myself. I didn’t ask about what they were willing to pay me for the posts. Braden would no doubt want to give me another spanking if he knew I made such a faux pas.
I’m new at this, for sure, but how could I have forgotten to ask about money?
This from someone who values control.
I hastily call Tammy back.
“Tammy Monroe.”
“Tammy, Skye Manning.”
“That was quick!”
“Yeah, change of plans. I’ll go up tomorrow without my friend, if you’re still amenable to that.”
“Of course.”
I clear my throat. Will asking about money ever become easy? “How many posts are you looking for, and what type of compensation can I expect to receive?”
“We’d like to begin with one post and see how things go. We’re willing to compensate you with the balloon ride, which is a three-hundred-dollar value, plus two thousand dollars on top of that.”
Hmm. Much lower than the Susanne offer.
Never take the first offer.
Wisdom from Braden.
“I’m afraid that’s too low for me.”
“You’re new at this, Skye.”
“I understand that, but I’m a professional photographer and I have a deal with another client for a lot more.”
“We’re a small operation. We can’t afford to pay what Susanne Cosmetics pays.”
“Fair enough,” I say, “but I can’t accept less than four thousand dollars for one post.”
“Two thousand.”
“Three.”
“I’m sorry. I can’t go higher than two. We just can’t afford it.”