Chapter 10

Let's Ask for a Deal

If you don't ask, you don't get.

—Mahatma Gandhi

Fess up. Have you ever sent out a great proposal that you put a lot of effort into . . . and then not followed up with a call? Think about it. How many solicited materials have you received through the mail or the Internet and never heard from the person who sent them to you?

I call this the throw-everything-at-the-wall theory. It's based on the fact that we don't concentrate long enough on any one proposal or sale. Instead of waiting to see what sticks, we are already moving on to the next potential opportunity. Unfortunately, too many of the things we throw out there don't get closed because we simply never asked for the business. Don't forget to ask! This is one of the most important components of closing the deal. The worst thing people will say is “no.” The best things can come back to you in spades.

Close String Budget

Many of us dream of expanding our businesses or maybe even starting up our own. But as with any expansion or start-up, we are usually limited by two key components: time and capital.

Because most of us are not independently wealthy, and the late Ed McMahon never came knocking on our doors on Super Bowl Sunday, we often get caught in the middle: We can't afford to expand or start up, yet we can't afford not to if we seriously mean business.

That's where the phase “penny for your thoughts” comes to mind. If people were willing to pay a penny for our thoughts, would they be willing ...

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