The Power of Asking

Gaining free stuff takes planning and believing.

Let me tell you a little story.

There was a math professor (or mathematician) who was passionate about a certain chalk that he used for everyday teaching. Yes, we’re talking the Hagoromo brand, the holy grail of chalks that math nerds go wild for like it’s some mythical artifact.

He was such a fan of this chalk that he would even make short videos (or reels) of his experiences. Like silly skits of how he discovered someone who left behind a Hagoromo chalk in his classroom, with Gollum’s theme from LOTR playing as he reaches for it. He’d post memes so niche, only fellow math professors and chalk enthusiasts would probably understand and laugh at.

One day, he probably thought to himself, “Since I’m enjoying using this tool so much and love sharing my expertise of it, maybe I should contact the company and, hm, I don’t know, ask them to send me free samples?”

Long story short, he reached out and asked.

And not only did he receive a box full of colorful chalks, which he delved right into sharing, but they even crowned him as the brand ambassador. It’s like a modern-day fairy tale, but instead of a prince, we’ve got a math professor, and instead of a kingdom, well, we’ve got… chalk.

Some of you might be familiar with this story, if you happened to see his TikTok shorts. Not me, it was the video uploaded by Business Insider that brought it to my attention.

If you’re in need of an emotional and uplifting story of how the Hagoromo chalk persists to this day when it was on the verge of disappearing — what mathematicians dubbed "the chalk apocalypse” — then trust me, you’ll want to watch this video below.

Anyways, what really struck me about the video was, of course, not just the sentimental story of the chalk, but the mathematician. His approach to a company he admired allowed me a fresh new perspective.

Let me break it down to you simply.

In this wild world of influencer marketing, we’ve been conditioned to believe that getting sponsored is a numbers game. Big follower count? Check! Companies showering you with free cool gadgets? Totally expected. The creators don’t even need to genuinely like or use the product diligently. They just need to promo it on their platform with a dash of clickbait. I mean, isn’t this the reality of marketing we live today?

I’ve had my share of sponsorship too. One time, a company (now one of the biggest competitor of Wacom) reached out to me to review a screen drawing tablet back when those products were booming. Thanks to my webcomic career, I had a decent enough following and social media traction to gain their attention. Sure, I used the product, reviewed it, but did I truly like it? Eh, to be honest, not really. But it was free and I’ve used it as my professional tool for years until I ended my contract with Webtoons… and moved on to my iPad Pro.

While I’m no major influencer or avid content creator on social media, I somehow always assumed sponsorships were all about influence and credentials. And while that’s partly true in order to gain a company’s attention, it’s not the only way.

The Hagoromo guy prodded me to think differently.

For someone so passionate about his chalk, the tool he used daily for his livelihood — he just couldn’t wait for the opportunity to be handed to him, nope, he had to make one. With nothing more than raw passion and a belief in his own value, he reached out directly to the company. Not with a follower count. Not with influencer metrics. Just pure, unapologetic enthusiasm.

Sounds like desperation? Nah, I’d call it determination to showcase the charms of these chalks even more. When your passion aligns with a company’s vision, you’ll want to find any way to support it.

And sometimes, all it takes is asking.

Fast forward to my own journey. Two months after watching that video, I became immensely interested in E-ink devices. I researched to no end. But like the Hagoromo chalks, they were expensive.

I saw the potential of these devices and how it would greatly benefit me as an artist. I could see myself improving my workflow with it. And yes, I was sure as willing to prove it.

And it was time to prove the Hagoromo method as well. (Okay, it’s starting to sound like some math formula.)

But the question is, how could I get my hands on one? This was a rather small e-ink company (and market), so their products tended to be pricey. I could always do more commission work, or um, maybe tap into my savings? But with Inktober hovering around, I had to act fast or miss the perfect chance to experiment with it.

Okay, savings it was.

If you’ve read my previous E-ink journey posts, you’d know I was in the verge of hitting that checkout button. However, I changed my mind and rethought my plan. You can read the full post here:

A Potential Community Rising in the Art World

I decided to try the power of asking.

Yes, so bold of me to take the initiative first, right? But hey, the Hagoroma guy inspired me to break that barrier, because really, what’s the harm in trying?

Plus, I knew from a marketer’s perspective, I was the last person they’d pick: a no-name artist with lack of presence in social media. It was going to have to come down to luck and my enthusiasm.

With nothing more than a passionate email, a heartfelt pitch, and absolute belief in my ability to showcase their product’s potential— I nervously hit send.

And they said yes.

I was ecstatic.

Here’s what I learned of this so-called Hagoroma formula — er, method.

Your passion is your most powerful marketing tool. If you’re able to convey your enthusiasm for a product you truly believe is going to help you, don’t be afraid to express that. For the worst part, they’ll ignore you or say they’re not interested. For the better part, they’ll recognize your passion — and what company wouldn’t appreciate someone who’s excited (as them) to use and share their product?

Sometimes, all it takes is hitting that "send" on that one brave email…

… to ask for a cool new gadget like this:

Thank you so much, Supernote, for granting my dream tablet! Just arrived today!

And yes, I did end up using my savings to buy a smaller version (the Supernote Nomad) to test it out, plus it was great for portability.

Again, I had no regrets.