Advanced Selling Strategies author Brian Tracey said: “The world belongs to the askers.”
The habit of asking must be developed, not only in daily life, but also in business activities.
Here are just some of the wonderful things you can achieve in business if you dare to ask.
1. When was the last time you asked someone to become your mentor, business partner, or joint venture partner?
When we meet great people at networking events we often wonder if he/she wants to partner with us in a venture.
We also see successful people in the industry and wish they would become our business mentor.
The dream can’t come true if we don’t ask. And the worst they can say is no.
2. Have you ever failed to ask a warm prospect to buy?
After working hard to build rapport, sales people are often afraid of saying something wrong.
Due to fear of rejection, they don’t ask their prospect to buy.
Zig Ziglar said: “We miss 100% of the sales we don’t ask for.”
3. Do you always ask for a more reasonable deal?
Almost everything is negotiable — agreement clauses, payment terms, schedules, salary, concession prices — we just need to ask.
I managed to negotiate very reasonable terms when buying my current business. I got an 80% discount when buying souvenirs in Thailand. Did those savings happen automatically? Absolutely not.
You should be the one to initiate negotiations. If they turn you down simply move on to the next deal.
4. Do you make a habit of asking for feedback from your customers?
One of the most valuable aspects of business is receiving honest feedback and insight from customers.
Designing a product/solution without first asking your target customer is like buying a present for your girlfriend without first knowing what she likes. You’re gambling.
If you don’t regularly ask your customers’ opinion on your service offerings, brand image, or unmet needs, you have homework to do.
5. Do you ask for information from more experienced people?
Misinformation could lead to lost money, so make sure you quiz reliable sources.
The worst advice I’ve ever received was: “If you can do it or find it all by yourself, don’t ask!”
On one hand it teaches us to be independent, but why do it the hard way, wasting valuable time?
6. Do you ask for referrals from alliance partners or existing clients?
A great book that I highly recommend is Endless Referrals by Bob Burg.
The book explains the right way to ask for referrals. It’s a must-read for all salespeople and entrepreneurs. The point is that some referrals only come when we ask for them.
Don’t be shy! Just ask for help!
‘I need help’. That’s the phrase I learned from entrepreneur Domenic Carosa.
Ask for help from your staff, customer, or business partner and you will reap the benefits.
Bottom line: if you’re not in the habit of asking, get into the habit stat. It will change your life.
Edwin Lucas is the co-owner and Business Development Director of Digital Office Builder, an online business development company in Melbourne. One of his passions is to educate small business owners to maximise the use of online business tools in order to experience various benefits in their business including costs reduction, efficiency improvement, and business process automation. Follow Edwin Lucas on Twitter
