Yesterday I received an interesting email.

I recently started writing work for [name of credit card company] as a content writer.

I would like to write a guest post related to business / entrepreneur / lifehacks / happiness/ finance/ mortgage on your site if you’re interested in accepting such a post. If you are interested, please let me know and I can send you an article for you to look over.

The Deal:

I will write a good, useful post/article on any topic specifically for your website/blog, free of cost. But I will need a by-line to build up my writing career. In addition, there will be a link to the [credit card company] site in the by-line. So, it will help all parties concerned.

Please note: Since I am a professional writer, I can write any topic that suits the audience of your blog/website.

I find this an interesting approach a professional writer can take. Just today I signed on to do a major project with a startup company. Part of my job will be blog writing and management. If the writer who just wrote me this email had written my client, would my client think this was a worthwhile effort?

As a professional writer myself, I’m puzzled why this woman approached me. Did she not read my blog? Does she simply write to a billion blogs a day to see who wants her services? I’m all for guest posts, but I don’t see much value in her offer, especially since I’d have to be an advertisement for her company.

There’s a small part of me who worries that she did read my blog, and she decided that I needed help. And to that I say, “Harumph!” But I wonder how successful she is with this technique.

Points to ponder…