The 25 Cent Marketing MBA
A funny thing happened that showed me the power of asking.
And not only that: HOW we ask.
I was driving home from taking myself out for sushi and a beer on Sunday night, and stopped at a red light. A man who was standing at the bus stop walked up to my car, and said to the window of my car: "Can I have 25 cents?"
Now, whatever your feelings and opinions about asking for money are, put them aside. This isn't about asking for money. It's about strategy.
Now, when I was in grad school, I worked at a soup kitchen feeding 150 homeless people in Seattle's University District. Once a month, I spent the night in a gym at a Methodist Church, on a mat with recycled hotel sheets so that homeless kids could have showers, a healthy snack, and a safe place to sleep.
I woke up with a crick in my neck, sure, but it seemed like the least I could do. All that said, I tend NOT to give money to people who are asking -- unless they really move me. (Now that I think about it, the fellow didn't really even do that, but more on this in just a moment.)
Back to asking. I'm not even sure this fellow was actually homeless. But that, again, is beside the point. My point is, his request was three things:
- Direct
- Confident
- Specific
These things didn't register until the light turned green and I was underway. But here's what fascinates me the most. I actually had to roll down my window to hear him, and not only that...
I ended up giving him a dollar.
What's going on here? It's not that I'm a big softy. It's not that I'm limp-willed. It's not even that I'm all that generous.
He used a sales technique on me.
We should all be so effective! By walking right up to my car window, he showed confidence. He didn't hesitate. He wasn't embarrassed or shy in the slightest. And he made the very specific, very doable request of one small thing for me: a quarter.
Now, when I say "sales," what I really mean in convincing people of something. That man, bless him, managed to convince me in the space of 5 seconds that my life would be better if I gave him 25 cents, than it would be if I kept it to myself.
Know what? He was right. I know this sounds far-fetched, but stick with me here. What he gave me was worth a whole dollar--and then some. I felt the giver's rush of fulfilling someone's request of me... AND I got the topic for this post.
25 cent strategy #1: Forget about asking for "change" or that "any help is appreciated." Be specific. Especially when you reach out to potential clients and colleagues. Yes, this means you need to do some thinking, but it will make your life so much easier and more systematic (which means less "flying by the seat of your pants").
For example, have one thing that you ask anyone who gives you their business card to do. It doesn't need to be buy or register. Tea? A phone call? subscribe to your newsletter? Connect with you on Linked In or Facebook? Then move with confidence and be specific about what you would love for them to do next with you.
It's way easier for someone to agree to your request if you are very clear about what you are asking.
25 cent strategy #2: Forget about giving your "two cents." Give a whole dollar. There are little things you can do to help people who are new to you and your business. Share an article. Offer a free subscription to your value-riffic newsletter (and make sure it's really value-riffic). Connect two people who would benefit from knowing one another. When you act, share, and give with confidence, you are building that relationship. You will be known as a giver, resource, and someone who solves problems and knows how to help.
What else do you do to connect with people and move them to action? I'd love to hear about it here in comments.
Oh! And if you are looking for even MORE ways to move people to action, I'll be teaching on this next week at my new teleclass: "Crack the Code: 5 Simple + Smart Ways to Move People to Opt-In, Register, and Buy Direct From Your Website." Theres no cost, and I'm going to be giving lots of great information you can use right away to improve your conversion rates and sales. Save your spot here.
