14 – Don’t Be Afraid to Ask

The Problem Is Similar to Asking for a Raise

Proving your worth to a boss is sometimes difficult when you work within a large company. You may rarely see or interact with the person responsible for giving you a raise in pay because there is a supervisor (or several) to contend with first.

When you have your own business and offer a product or service for sale, you’re faced with a similar situation. A potential customer doesn’t see you researching and working hard on how to offer the best quality possible.

Know Your Worth

They don’t realize your worth – and unless you know your worth, you’ll never be able to ask for the payment you deserve. A salesman closes the sale by asking for the money, but preps the customer before by reassuring him that he’s getting the best return on his investment.

If he’s a new customer, offering a sample (or freebie) may push him over the edge of closing the sale. Another way is to offer even more than what you advertise. Special bonuses or reports add value to your product and give the customer an incentive to purchase the entire package.

If you were going to ask a boss for a raise, you might submit an extra report outlining how the company could save money or time. You may need to work on it during your time off, but a fat raise is worth the effort.

Show Them Why It’s Worth the Money

Providing your customer with something extra may well be worth your effort in converting the freebie seeker to a loyal, paying customer. Some tire kickers just want to be convinced that spending their hard-earned money is a good idea.

Your business should be a reflection of what you think of yourself. If you don’t think you’re worthy of someone purchasing your product, that mindset will show in everything you do for your business.

Close the Deal

Even though asking for money can be intimidating and sometimes terrifying, you can’t be a victim of your fears if you want to be a successful entrepreneur. Fear of rejection and failure can cause you to lose sales and give away what you should be making money on.

These are real fears that should be addressed, but knowledge and experience will eventually lead you to the conclusion that you do offer a worthwhile product or service and that it’s well worth the price you’re asking.