If You Never Ask You`ll Never Know
Many people are afraid to ask a question, because of who the person is and the answer they feel they will receive. Many as a result don’t even send that first email.
Let’s think about this, you’re the average joe and you want to write an e-mail to a celebrity asking for an endorsement. What’s stopping you? The fear of looking bad could be one thing, a fear of rejection could be another.
Honestly, lets ask ourselves, what is the worst that can happen from writing a letter requesting something (be this sponsorship or an interview). Nothing, the worst you can get from requesting something is a no. But worse than a no, is no response. I don’t mean to response as in they don’t write back, I mean you get no response because you never wrote the letter in the first place.
A perfect example I would give is my contest I will be having in April (yes I’m having a medium sized one). I wrote to Affiliate Summit asking for sponsorship although I had never talked to them before. I knew it was a long shot but I said, “why not”, and went ahead. Low and behold a few days later I got an email back saying they would help sponsor the contest. If I had been to “chicken” to even email them in the first place, I would never have got their sponsorship.
So what am I trying to say? What I’m saying is this, even if it’s a 99% chance that the answer to your question will be a no there is still that 1% chance of a yes. Cling on to that chance. Write that letter, ask for that sponsorship or interview, if you never ask you’ll never know the answer….
Liked this post? Get your daily dose, subscribe to our RSS feed!
It’s the same thing as “I don’t want to try coz I know I’m gonna fail anyway”
The point there is if “you” never try, you’ll never know. So how could “you” say that….
People should always try things because sometimes there is the off chance it will work. And if it does you’re usually better off than before.
Never be afraid, ashamed or embarrassed to ask! Just ask!
Hey, great job taking the plunge there buddy, I’m glad it paid off at first try
–Ted
Hi Mattaw, I got the prize from Mr. Javo’s contest sponsored by you, thanks mate!
You mention about asking, I got this msg before from Robin Sharma, I tried doing it once, asking for a promotion, but I made a mistake…
more than asking, we all need to ask confidently, and for that, my friend suggested me to prepare a list (he mentioned 50 items @_@) of why our request should be granted. I think it’s important though, ask confidently, and be ready to receive what you ask!
On my free link, can you put it “R-4-Smile: Helping introverts to be successful” , link to http://www.reason4smile.com
Thanks a lot!!
Robert
Ok I will be brave this time and ask.. Will you write a review for my blog.. KiwiPulse // Rock Your world? I know the anwser will be 99% No but i’m taking a chance..
@Ted- As the article says, “If you never ask you’ll never know”. Do you have a question you need to ask? If so ask it!
@Robert- A list of why your request should be answered never hurts. In fact any strong reasoning should help improve your odds of the answer being yes. Confidence is a key, if you aren’t confident, people won’t side with you. People want to be with a winner not a looser.
In terms of the text link, it’s up.
@Kiwi - I won’t say no right off the bat, I need more information. If you WRITE me an email stating why and with the request, I’ll consider it (just because I wrote this post, and I’m proving my point).
Very true, I once asked Warren Buffett a question and was surprised by the answer.
Ok mattaw, I am going to ask.
Can I have $500?
Jonathon, never hurts to ask, but I’m going to say no
I should have said it should also usually be realistic.
Yeah, I will try and be more realistic next time! At least you considered my offer.
Clever post…. Can I have a link? Doesn’t hurt to ask, right?
Bukowsky, as I’ve been telling everyone, send me an email with the request and why you should, and I’ll definitely consider it
like we say in portugal: “who has a mouth, goes to rome!” that’s the possible trasnaltion i can manage lol
Hugo, in terms of Rome and the mouth. I assume you are saying that whoever has the loudest voice would get the power (representation in the roman senate) or in other words be heard.
That can be applied to this idea, by the fact that if you have a loud voice, more will hear you so there is a great chance of your request or idea getting across. Hope that helped.
Hi Mattaw, my email I put here in the comment is my account for my entrecard account, i just drop it to your widget as well. How are you going to transfer the credit?
Thanks for setting up the link!
Robert
Got it, thanks!
Sometime you just have to take a chance.
http://www.stocks-simplified.com
Yup, and just a fun note to everyone. No one has emailed me with requests. I was serious for a time about giving some people what they asked for.
This is quite inspiring. Maybe I *will* write to a few big corporations around here asking for scholarship money for university!
Ok, 21 commets here all asking one thing or the other. Time to start declining now
One good article. I rememberd reading it somewhere but 30 days back. Googled several pages deep to pull this one out. A gem.
Regards
Shivanand Sharma
Shivanand - Thanks for droppng by, and thanks for the kind words *blush*
Mind telling me what term you put in to find this article, Need to improve its rankings obviously.
I’d love to write another targetting those keywords so this article and that one becomes more apparent.
Hope to see you around!
Its like they always say, you’ll miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, I agree completely!
Fantastic article- sums up all my points when I posted a blog of a similar ilk.. have linked to here as I think my readers will enjoy…
http://www.anticelebrity.net/blog/2008/7/16/if-you-dont-ask-youll-never-know.html
Thanks for a brilliant article
Vicky - anticelebrity.nets last blog post..If you don’t ask, you’ll never know…
I emailed a professional blogger before but he never replied so that made me afraid of emailing some one again, but I think that is the main mistake I have ever done before. Now, I am no longer afraid of asking questions.
Hye Munars last blog post..WoW Patch 2.4.3 Download - Quest Helper
I agree man, I’ve always been of that mindset. Go for it! The worse that can happen is you’ll be in the same situation you are currently in! BUT….what if you get the desired outcome? All you had to do for it was ask!
So what they may say no, oh well….come back a little later!
JK Swopess last blog post..Secret classroom, Mark Joyner, and straight lines
Great information! Thanks for writing this. It is an honor to participate in the discussion.