Asking For It

You have finished your presentation, packed your samples, aides and folders away and are leaving without the business you came for. What went wrong? You refrain from being rude, and professionally, politely exit all the while wondering why your client didn't jump on your offer.

You replay the entire event in your mind as you drive toward the office, and just can’t figure out what you did wrong. Your personal appearance was on target. You greeted everyone present and made a point to remember names and build rapport. You delivered a flawless presentation packed with data, sensational words and humor. They laughed and still, no business.

Then it hits you. The number one reason people don’t buy our product or service is that they were never asked. You forgot to ask for the business.

One of the most successful retail sales people I have ever seen had a strange habit of simply asking customers the same question each and every time they looked at or even paused by a piece of furniture; “Is this the one you want to take home today?” He had a way of delivering this question that made people smile and often by the third or fourth time, they were asking each other the same question. I witnessed families laughing and joking together about how “this was the one.”

Today, remember to ask for the business. Begin a practice of telling your clients in advance that you will ask for their business. Remind them during your presentation that the time for deciding is coming and then find ways to ask, not once but multiple times. Either way you get business or not and you asked for it.