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+ [[help|Return to Main Help Page]]
+^ **Topics on this page** ^
+|• [[#what_expertise_or_other_help_can_i_sell?|What expertise or other help can I sell?]] \\ • [[#what_can_i_charge?|What can I charge?]] \\ • [[#how_does_a_buyer_contact_me_to_buy_expertise?|How does a Buyer contact me to buy expertise?]] \\ • [[#how_do_i_deliver_expertise_to_a_buyer?|How do I deliver expertise to a Buyer?]] \\ • [[#do_i_need_to_download_or_install_any_software?|Do I need to download or install any software?]] \\ • [[#how_do_i_advertise_my_expertise_to_buyers?|How do I advertise my expertise to Buyers?]] \\ • [[#how_do_i_start_a_session_with_a_buyer?|How do I start a session with a Buyer?]] \\ • [[#what_do_verified_and_not_verified_mean?|What do Verified and Not Verified mean?]] \\ • [[#what_is_official_time?|What is Official Time?]]\\ • [[#how_do_i_end_a_session_with_a_buyer?|How do I end a session with a Buyer?]] \\ •  [[#how_do_i_get_paid?|How do I get paid?]] \\ • [[#what_if_a_Buyer_files_a_complaint?|What if a Buyer files a complaint?]] \\ • [[#what_if_a_Buyer_doesn't_pay?|What if a Buyer doesn't pay?]] \\ • [[#what_is_rogomo's_commission_and_when_is_it_due?|What is Rogomo’s commission and when is it due?]] \\ •  [[#can_i_rate_my_buyer?|Can I rate my Buyer?]] \\ •  [[#does_my_buyer_rate_me?|Does my Buyer rate me?]] \\ •  [[#reporting_abuse|Reporting Abuse]]|
+====== What expertise or other help can I sell? ======
+You're free to sell just about any type of expertise or help that you can think of, or that a Buyer can request.  For example, you can sell tutoring services, counseling, travel advice, business consulting, computer/technical assistance, musical instruction, and much more.
+As set forth in our [[http://blog.rogomo.com/useragreement/|User Agreement]] and [[http://blog.rogomo.com/userconduct/|User Conduct Policy]], the only types of expertise or help that you __cannot__ sell via Rogomo are those which would fit any of the following categories:  (1) obscenity; (2) violence; and/or (3) gambling.
+====== What can I charge? ======
+You can charge any amount you want, and that a Buyer will agree to.  In addition, Buyer are free to leave you a "tip" at the end of a session if they feel that they have received exemplary service.
+====== How does a Buyer contact me to buy expertise? ======
+Buyers may contact you in one of three ways.  First, Buyers may email you via Rogomo's free email tool that is embedded in your [[expert_profiles|Expert Profile]].  When a Buyer emails you through this tool, his/her email will be sent to the email address that you provided to Rogomo when you created your account.
+Second, you can also indicate in your [[expert_profiles|Expert Profile]] your preferred method for Buyers to contact you -- //i.e.//, you can provide a specific email address, instant messaging ID, phone number, etc.
+Third, you can also add a [[expert_profiles#how_do_i_add_photos_videos_or_communication_widgets_to_my_expert_profile|third-party communication widget]] (//i.e.//, Jaxtr, Jangl, MeeboMe) to your [[expert_profiles|Expert Profile]] to allow Buyers to contact you directly via that widget.
+**IMPORTANT: Once you are ready to start selling expertise or other live, personalized help, you should go to your Start Selling page and make sure that your email client or other communication methods are open so that you can be ready if a Buyer tries to contact you to start a session.**
+====== How do I deliver expertise to a Buyer? ======
+You can deliver expertise or help to a Buyer in any way that you and the Buyer agree – over the Internet, telephone or even in person.
+Here are some of the most popular delivery methods:
+  * **Instant messaging (IM) and video calls**:  You can obtain free accounts at all popular IM networks, including AOL/AIM, Yahoo! Messenger, MSN/Windows Live Messenger, Skype, ICQ and Google Talk.  The more of these networks that you list on your Rogomo Profile page, the easier it will be for Buyers to contact you.  You can create accounts at these networks just for use with Rogomo.  Additionally, you can avoid downloading any software by accessing the networks through the following Internet services: meebo.com, ebuddy.com, IMhaha.com and KoolIM.com.  An added benefit of these services is that you can access all of your accounts at once through one single browser window.\\ \\ If you have a webcam, you can also offer Buyers expertise or help over video.  Most of the IM networks listed above also offer video for free but they generally require you to use their downloaded software to take advantage of this feature.\\ \\ Finally, if you offer tutoring or other expertise that would benefit from the use of a whiteboard/writeboard, the MSN/Windows Live Messenger software includes live whiteboarding tools.  See below for information about online writeboard services.
+  * **Voice calls**:  Many people feel comfortable exchanging expertise or help over the phone, and any regular telephone or cell phone call works just fine with Rogomo.  If you want, you can list a phone number in your Rogomo Profile where Buyers can reach you.  You can obtain an inexpensive phone number dedicated to Rogomo (for receiving or making calls) from VoIP services such as Gizmo Project and Skype.\\ \\ If you do not want to provide Buyers with your phone number, there are many free “Call Connect” services that will allow Buyers to call you when you are available and will keep your phone number confidential, including: Jajah, Jaxtr, or Jangl.  Each of these services allows you to copy  “Call Me” widget code into the widget area on your Rogomo Profile (accessed through the "My Account" button).  This widget would then appear on your Profile for Buyers to use.  The Buyer would type in his or her number and the service will call both you, connecting your call for free.  The main benefits of these services are that your phone numbers remain private and you may also save on long distance charges.\\ \\ Finally, you can also use Internet voice services offered by Skype, AOL/AIM, Yahoo! Messenger, MSN/Windows Live Messenger and Google Talk. These services provide you with free calls if your Buyer is also using their software.
+  * **Online Collaboration:  Whiteboards/Writeboards and Remote Desktop Access**:  If you sell expertise that requires real-time collaboration, such as tutoring, there are a number of free online tools that you can use with Rogomo.\\ \\  [[http://www.dimdim.com/|dimdim]], currently in Beta, is a web meeting service with webcam, desktop sharing and whiteboarding tools.\\ [[http://www.imaginationcubed.com/LaunchPage|Imaginationcubed]] is completely free and allows you share drawings and writings in your browser with the Buyer without setting up an account.\\ [[http://www.scriblink.com/ |Scriblink]] offers a free, basic, easy-to-use collaborative whiteboard.\\ [[http://www.skrbl.com/|Skrbl]], which has both free and paid accounts, also does not require that you set up an account and provides code for you to paste in your “My Widgets” section of your Profile that will enable you and the Buyer to start a collaboration session in seconds.\\ [[http://thinkature.com/|Thinkature]] provides similar functionality but does require that you set up a free account.\\ [[http://vyew.com/content/|Vyew]] provides robust collaboration tools, including built-in video webcam and VoIP, as well as the ability to share your view of your computer desktop (but requires signup for a free account).\\ [[http://www.yugma.com/|Yugma]] provides various online collaboration tools, including shared presentations and desktops and PC remote access.
+====== Do I need to download or install any software? ======
+No. You do not need to download or install any software to use Rogomo. In fact, you don't need to download or install software to use most popular Internet messaging services (e.g., AIM Express, Meebo). However, certain communication tools such as Skype or AIM Video must be downloaded and installed in order for you to use them to receive your expertise or help.
+====== How do I advertise my expertise to Buyers? ======
+Every Expert can set up a free Expert Profile on Rogomo where you can list your expertise and qualifications, link to your outside website, <html><font color="black">MySpace</font></html> page or your blog, and provide contact information (IM, email, etc.). You can even add third party widgets to your Expert Profile, such as a Flickr photo widget to allow potential Buyers to learn more about you or a MeeboMe widget to allow potential Buyers to instantly contact you from your Profile.
+In addition, Rogomo provides you with our own [[widgets_and_promotion|Expert Widgets]] which you can add to your outside website, <html><font color="black">MySpace</font></html> page or your blog, or elsewhere, to tell your visitors that you are a Rogomo Expert and to direct them to your Expert Profile page.
+====== How do I start a session with a Buyer? ======
+Buyers will find you either through Rogomo's Expert Directory or through the [[widgets_and_promotion|Expert Widgets]] that we give you to advertise your expertise across the Internet.  Once they find you, Buyers will see your Expert Profile page, and if they want to buy expertise from you, they will be able to contact you by email or instant messenger in order to schedule a session.
+When both you and the Buyer are ready to start a session, you both need to log into Rogomo, and the Buyer should go to your Expert Profile and click the **Start a Session** button on the upper-left-hand portion of the page.  That will allow both you and the Buyer to access the Rogomo timer tool, which will allow you to negotiate a per-minute fee and/or a minimum fee and then start your session.  Your session will then continue until either you or your Buyer stop it.
+====== What do Verified and Not Verified mean? ======
+When a Buyer contacts you via Rogomo to start a session, you will see that Buyer's User Rating and an indication as to whether the Buyer is "Verified" or "Not Verified".
+A Buyer is identified as "Not Verified" if that Buyer has not yet successfully paid for a Rogomo transaction.  This does not necessarily mean that the Buyer is any less trustworthy, or that the Buyer does not have a valid method of payment.  __All Buyers appear as "Not Verified" until the Buyer conducts his/her first purchase via Rogomo and successfully pays the amount due to the Expert__.  Once Rogomo receives confirmation from PayPal that a Buyer has successfully paid an Expert for a Rogomo purchase, that Buyer is thereafter identified as "Verified".
+You can consider a Buyer's verification status together with his/her User Ratings when deciding whether or not to sell to that Buyer.
+====== What is Official Time? ======
+You'll notice that when you are in a Rogomo session, we explain that your individual timer may be off by a few seconds from "official time".  Rogomo's system has a master clock which times all transactions that you engage in on Rogomo.  In order to be sure that the timer on your computer matches the timer on Rogomo's system, your browser (Internet Explorer, Safari, etc.) communicates with Rogomo's system every 10 seconds to "sync" the two timers.  However, between "syncs", your timer and Rogomo's timer may differ by as much as a few seconds.
+====== How do I end a session with a Buyer? ======
+Either you or the Buyer can end a transaction at any time, for any reason, by simply pressing the <html><font color="red">red</font></html> Stop button.  Similarly, you can also **pause** a transaction by pressing the <html><font color="yellow">yellow</font></html> Pause button.
+Although you are free to Stop or Pause your transaction at any time, as a common courtesy **please be sure to alert the Buyer that you are doing so**.  Remember, your Buyer is rating you at the end of your transaction, and if you abruptly pause or stop a session without notice, it may affect your [[#does_my_buyer_rate_me?|Expert Rating]].
+====== How do I get paid? ======
+All Rogomo transactions are handled through <html><font color="black">PayPal</font></html>.  After your session with a Buyer ends, Rogomo's timer tool will calculate the total fee owed to you by the Buyer (including any tip that the Buyer gives you), the Buyer will be prompted to pay, and your fees will be deposited into your <html><font color="black">PayPal</font></html> account immediately after the Buyer pays.
+**Please note that if you want to accept credit card payments from your buyers, you will need to be sure to create a free Premium or Business account with PayPal rather than a basic Personal account.**
+====== What if a Buyer files a complaint? ======
+Rogomo allows Buyers to file a complaint after a session when (1) there has been an error with Rogomo's timer such that the total fee charged to the Buyer is incorrect, or (2) the Expert failed to provide the Buyer with expertise or help substantially as promised.
+When a Buyer files a complaint, your fee is __temporarily frozen__, and the Buyer is not required to pay until the complaint is resolved by Rogomo.  Rogomo may contact the Buyer and/or the Expert to obtain additional information about the complaint if necessary.  If the complaint is resolved in the Buyer's favor, the fee and the transaction will be voided.  If the complaint is resolved in your (the Expert's) favor, the Buyer will be required to pay the outstanding fee.
+====== What if a Buyer doesn't pay? ======
+If a Buyer fails to pay a fee to an Expert when it is due, that Buyer's Rogomo account will be __frozen__ until such time as the Buyer pays his/her fee.  The Buyer will not be able to buy (or sell) any other expertise or help via Rogomo until the fee is paid.
+====== What is Rogomo’s commission and when is it due? ======
+Rogomo charges a 8.9% commission for all sales that an Expert makes through Rogomo.  Therefore, if the total fee that a Buyer pays you for a session is $60, you will owe Rogomo a commission with respect to that sale in the amount of $5.34.
+Experts are required to pay commissions to Rogomo on a monthly basis.  For example, if you made sales on Rogomo totaling $150 during the month of August, then at the beginning of September you will receive an bill from Rogomo for your total monthly commissions in the sum of $13.35.  You will then need to pay your bill through <html><font color="black">PayPal</font></html>.  If your bill is not paid within fifteen (15) days, Rogomo may freeze your account and you will not be able to buy or sell expertise or help via Rogomo until your bill has been paid.
+====== Can I rate my Buyer? ======
+Yes.  At the end of every transaction, you will be prompted to rate your Buyer with one of three ratings: Positive, Neutral or Negative. Your rating will be added to the Buyer's overall rating which appears when the Buyer attempts to purchase expertise or help from you.
+====== Does my Buyer rate me? ======
+Yes.  Just as you have the ability to rate Buyers, they can also rate you. A better Expert Rating will enhance your reputation and make it easier for you to sell expertise or help.
+====== Reporting Abuse ======
+Rogomo does not tolerate abuse of the Rogomo Service or the Rogomo Web Site, and we pride ourselves on offering a safe environment for every member of our community. Should you feel that any content is inappropriate, or that the behavior of any member is inappropriate, please let us know and we will look into it right away, taking corrective action when necessary.
+[[help|Return to Main Help Page]]