Just Ask Already

Yikes, do you ever feel like this when you are face to face with a potential client? Gulliver brags about asking out a lady in his office, but when he is presented with the opportunity, and even gets some ‘interested’ clues from her, he chickens out.

Does that happen with you and your potential customers sometimes? The prospect sends you some buying sign clues that they may be interested and you just don’t take it to the next level. You know you want to move in for that ask, but your tongue sticks to the roof of your mouth. I know that I have been there. Heck, if we are honest, we have all been there. What stops you dead in your tracks even in the face of a seemingly willing potential client? Is it fear of success or failure? Or could it be that you have a lack of confidence in yourself or your product? It’s really about having the right amount of confidence.

“If you really put a small value upon yourself, rest assured that the world will not raise your price.” ~Author Unknown

Believe in your service or product and believe in yourself as one qualified to represent it. If what you are doing wasn’t worth your time and attention that it would be of no value to you. So, if you value it, there must be some benefit to others who also value the same thing. So keep reminding yourself of the value of what you are doing. It’s not really about you; it’s about helping your customers.

What can you do to overcome paralyzing fear when you are in a situation like this so you don’t kick yourself for the lost opportunity?

“Confidence is preparation. Everything else is beyond your control. ~Richard Kline. Separate the outcome from the action. Measure your success by your willingness to act on the buying sign clues. You can only control ‘you’ in a situation like that. You cannot control what the client will do.

Represent yourself or your product honestly. Don’t over promise something. The fear of success is tightly wound up with the fear of failure. You may be saying to yourself; ‘What if I am promising more than I can deliver’? Err on the side of under promising and let the service or product speak for itself.

Remember, if the client has already indicated interest, then you are half way there! All you have to do is meet them half way.