Chapter 8 Don't look for a home - look for yourself.
Seek and you will find
From the book Think and Grow Rich by Hill Napoleon
Seek and You will Find Thus, we come to a statement that will allow us to better understand the enormous importance that self-hypnosis acquires when materializing a desire, namely: faith is just a state of mind. This condition can be artificially induced
Has it ever happened that instead of using ordinary words, you suddenly wanted to express yourself more sublimely, pathetically; pronounce a beautiful phrase, surprising your interlocutors with the expressiveness of your speech? Or maybe, on the contrary, you are trying to make communication easier, to turn the dialogue into a humorous, ironic tone? If the answer is yes, then you are probably familiar with the concept of phraseological units, or set phrases. They are designed to make our speech more vivid, emotional, and unusual. There are stable expressions of various origins, and their stylistic coloring often depends on this.
Literary origins, as a rule, are bookish, which means that it is precisely such expressions that make our speech more sublime and inspired, authoritative and weighty. And in other situations, the use of “high” phraseological units is so paradoxical that it becomes ironic and playful.
The meaning of the Bible quote “seek and ye shall find” has also become stable. Read all about the meaning of the phrase and its origin in this article.
Seek and you will find. The meaning of phraseology
The essence of this phrase is quite simple to understand. The most difficult thing here, perhaps, is the interpretation of the word “you will find.” It is outdated, has not been used in speech for a long time, and therefore remains incomprehensible to many modern people. Oobryashchete is a form of the verb “to find,” that is, “to find,” “to receive.” Thus, it is possible to interpret the phraseological unit into modern Russian: seek and you will find.
If you want to find something, look for it, don't just wait for it to come to you. The expression says precisely that if you make the necessary efforts, do everything necessary, then any person will achieve his goal.
The seeker shall find, which means
In the above words, a clear reason is given that the one who asks and seeks achieves the good goals set for himself, and the door is always opened to the one who knocks. At a time when the Almighty and His Divine support will arrive with those who pray, seek and knock.
At the same time, not every person can count on God’s grace and receiving everything that he asks for; the Lord is happy to help:
- people with a kind soul and heart;
- good-natured Orthodox Christians;
- God-fearing people who believe in the Almighty and the help provided to them;
- Christians who do good deeds and do not commit sin.
The best article for you, go to: Signs in the church - a candle fell
History of the expression
To accurately understand the meaning of the phraseological unit “seek and ye shall find,” it is necessary to know its etymology, that is, its origin. It was previously mentioned that this is a quote from the Bible. Now more about this.
This phrase can be found in the Gospel of Matthew (chapter 7, vv. 7-8) and the Gospel of Luke (chapter 11, vv. 9). This is how Jesus instructs his disciples. Along with “seek and you will find” there is advice “ask, and it will be given to you”; “Knock and it will be opened to you.” That is, Jesus says that everyone who makes any effort to achieve their goal eventually gets what they want.
How to get the Lord's help
In order to receive God's help, you also need to truly recognize the Almighty as the Lord to whom you turn for help. Recognition of the Almighty is manifested not in the words spoken by an Orthodox Christian, but in those deeds that he exalts into his life with the Lord’s teachings, performing good-natured deeds, and also introducing God’s commandments into his life.
The Almighty is able to satisfy the requests of believers in the name of Christ; he will carry out requests that do not contradict the teachings of the Almighty Christ, that is, virtuous requests. In particular, the Almighty gives His protection, support and help to precisely such Orthodox Christians in all their affairs, which are aimed at finding new and unexplored paths for performing good deeds.
Indeed, in reality, it is to the faithful believers that all the gifts of God, the Ruler of earth and heaven, belong. Offerings of this kind are so endless and invaluable that they were redeemed for the Christian Orthodox people by the Savior with his precious blood. Also, those people who come to the Lord with an open soul, a pure heart and sincerity, like children, can receive the gift, because by appealing to the Almighty in prayer with their requests, Christians thereby recognize themselves as children of the Savior, and Him as our Heavenly Father.
The best article for you, go to: How does the Old Believer cross differ from the Orthodox one?
The very same biblical words “Let him who seeks find” in Latin in the Church Slavonic text look like this:
“Petite, et dabitur vobis; quaerite et invenietis; pulsate, et aperietur vobis; Omnis enim qui petit accipit et qui quaerit invenit et pulsanti aperietur.”
May the Lord protect you!
You will also be interested in watching the sermon on the topic: “Seek and you will find”:
In what cases to use in speech
Despite the fact that the phraseological unit “seek and ye shall find” has one meaning, it can be used in completely different communicative situations.
This phraseological unit, although it has a bookish, sublime stylistic connotation, can be used in an ironic tone. If you want to jokingly encourage someone, encourage their endeavors, or praise perseverance, then you can safely use this expression.
In the case of small talk, the phrase “seek and ye shall find” will also be appropriate, then it will no longer sound ironic, but seriously and authoritatively.
TEMPLE OF VLADIMIR THE HOLY MARTYR
Week 5 of Easter, about the Samaritan woman.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Christ is Risen!
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you; For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7,8). Yes, everyone who seeks finds, but often finds what he did not expect. In his Catechetical Word for Holy Pascha, Saint John Chrysostom speaks about this for good reason: “Hell hoped to seize the corruptible body, but found God. Hell hoped to grab the ashes, but met Heaven. Hell hoped to seize what it saw, but attacked what it did not see.” So a sinful person expects to find success, but meets a trial, so a drug addict hopes to achieve pleasure, but meets death, so the Samaritan woman came for water, but found the Truth.
How many times in your life do you need to burn yourself with milk to learn how to blow on water? How many times in a lifetime do we need to lose wealth, position in society and health in order to understand that we still won’t take anything from here with us into Eternity? How many times must one experience spiritual thirst, again and again experience a severe hangover from the varied waters of worldly pleasures, in order to assimilate the eternal meaning of Christ’s words: “Whoever drinks this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks the water that I will give him will not thirst forever” (John 4.13,14)? The Samaritan woman needed to survive five so-called husbands to understand that this thirst is unquenchable, that the one who drinks the dark water of sin becomes hungry again and again, that “the more you drink, the more you want, but the thirst does not let go.” Therefore, the Lord, the Knower of the Heart, revealed to her, the first, perhaps not the most worthy of all those He met on the rocky roads of Palestine, revealed to her the truth that He is Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God, sent to save the world. She was not the most worthy, but, apparently, the most hungry, the most thirsty, the most yearning for the living water of the Word of God.
Yes, “the seeker finds”! But nowhere does the Lord say that he finds it right away, but we know that “the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for good pearls, who, having found one pearl of great price, went and sold everything he had and bought it” (Matt. 13.45, 46). You can sell everything you have only when you understand that neither in the kaleidoscopic change of husbands, nor in the acquisition of earthly happiness can you find either peace or eternal joy, that any attempt to drink from Jacob’s well, or from any other source of earthly pleasures ends with the same thing: unsatisfied thirst.
Our whole life is a search for such a pearl. Our whole life is a desire to quench the thirst of the soul. Our whole life is waiting for a meeting at the well, waiting for a miracle. And the only problem is not to get confused in the search objects, so that in the excitement of the chase you don’t inadvertently change your landmarks or get carried away by alluring ghosts. In other words, God always calls us, but we ourselves do not always respond to this call. We are not always ready, like the woman from the city of Sychar, to give up everything, leave our waterpot at the source, forget about the purpose of a short journey and run away happy, inspired to our home, as she once ran away, because the Truth was revealed to her, because unexpectedly for herself She tasted the living water, “flowing into eternal life” (John 4.14).
Just as there is nothing more ordinary, simpler, more natural than water, which has no color, smell or taste, so there is nothing more natural and simpler, there is nothing more accessible than the Truth, to comprehend Which there is no need to be a sophisticated philosopher, sage or bookworm. All you need to do is yearn for Her in a fruitless search, as happened with a simple Samaritan woman. All that is needed is “the only thing needed” (Luke 10.42) – trust in God who became Man. When there is such trust, any search, no matter where it takes place, no matter what unknown distances the seeker may take, will sooner or later end in victory. And then a person will understand that God is always nearby, you don’t even need to stretch out your hand, but you just need to remember Him amid the bustle and noise of a busy life. Then a person will understand that there is no need to go to Jerusalem or to the sacred Samaritan Mount Gerizim in order to worship the Creator and Savior of the world “in spirit and truth.”
God reveals the Truth to everyone who is capable of accepting It with simplicity and a single heart. Our God gives communion of the water of Eternal Life to everyone who really wants Eternal Life, because they are already fed up with wandering “in the far side” (Luke 15.17) of lawlessness and sin. Our God, “Who does not respect personalities and does not take gifts” (Deut. 10.17), simply and without elaborateness reveals the great and terrible truth about Himself to everyone who seeks this truth, regardless of his merits or shortcomings. That is why the greatest righteous man of the Old Testament doubts and is perplexed: “Are you the one who should come, or should we expect something else?” (Matthew 11.3), and the indecent woman, who came to Jacob’s well for her daily needs, confesses to her fellow tribesmen the truth that was revealed to her: “Come, see a man, who told me everything that I have done: is not this the Christ?” Amen.
June 2, 2002
Seek and ye shall find
Seek and you will find, Toltsyte and it will be opened, Ask and it will be given to you.
Translation from Old Church Slavonic
Seek and you will find. Knock and it will open. Ask and you will receive.
Or a guide for beginning fan fiction writers, graphomaniacs, designers, reviewers and other beginners.
Seek and ye shall find
Seek and ye shall find
Since there’s already a booze about analytics, I’ll also add my evil croaking. Let's get personal.
Gentlemen, any authors of GAMER.RU. Actually, at first I wanted to write specifically to fanficters (what a word. Just sphincters, yeah), but then I suddenly realized that my thoughts concern not only them, but everyone who is trying to create something themselves. No copy-paste.
So. Don't listen to anyone. Neither “smart” books about correct writing, nor thick Talmuds “How to correctly create a layer in unlicensed Photoshop,” nor stuttering tutors from the Literary Institute.
Write, create, draw without looking back. There is actually only one criterion for your creativity - fan. Not one that twists the air, but one that creates delight inside your consciousness, pacified by reality.
I will quote from a very harmful book that I learned by heart.
Creativity is a partly magical product, and interesting exactly to the extent that it is magical. Magical means spontaneous, irrational, arising from the spirit; magical is when there is insight. If a person had an insight, it will happen for free, and even if the skin is torn off, it will still happen; and if a person has nothing to say except for money, then it’s better not to speak at all.
Book
If you have an insight and you want to throw it out, go for it without looking back. You will never learn to create unless you start doing it. Do not be ashamed of your first misfortunes - for you they are the same as the first clumsy steps of a small child. Yes, they will laugh at you.
But without this, no other, “correct” works will be produced.
You will understand for yourself whether you should do something further, whether your creativity touches you or not. In addition, even the first steps of a talented person will not be as funny as the confident step of the jeans-legged money-bearers.
Self-criticism and self-education have not been canceled, and all sorts of smart advice from established authors will still be very useful to you. Another thing is to not allow creativity to be replaced by technology, or insight to be replaced by order. Professionalism is not creativity. This is a good, monetary, but craft. This does not apply to the fan. Just like the services of a prostitute are not related to love. Despite the fact that representatives of the first ancient profession do a very important job, love is still cooler.
And a lot.
Yes, be prepared not to be noticed. That they will laugh at you. That your scribbles and pictures will disappear in the digital abyss of the Deep Internet (Google indexes about 20% of the resources of the World Mind, no more)
But without trying to do something, you won’t even have it. To become a world swimming champion, you first have to flounder. In any case, the fact that you tried to do at least something is already an extra weight on your scales on the day of the Last Judgment. (Well, this is when people in white ask you - what did you do in this world, dude?)
And then - the writing process itself and the feeling that someone else liked your work... This is a fan stronger than killing some superboss.
Seek and ye shall find
Seek and ye shall find
“Whether you marry or not, you will regret it anyway” Socrates.
It would seem that the author of this vile text calls for graphomania? No.
The author of this text encourages creativity. To attempts to see what is created with the help of insight, delight, sincere passion.
Smart books about how to create correctly - let those who can show their talent read them, and it is possible to show it only when you don’t really think about all the right ways to prepare cookies so that they won’t come to visit you anymore.
Of course, 90% of these creative attempts will go to waste. But without them, 10% of truly worthwhile copyright works will not exist.
What I write relates exclusively (I will use this term again) to the fan. If you decide that your insight can bring you money, then you will have to sit down for training. Because on the Field of Miracles completely different rules apply and no one is interested in any fans there.
True, there are insights there too, but the percentage of waste in this field is even greater than in the fields of enthusiasts.
“Noah's Ark was created by amateurs. The Titanic was built by professionals."
Moreover, the conversation there is not about creativity, but about profit, royalties, and other completely uncreative things.
It would seem that I am calling for the destruction of professionals? No way. "To each his own custom." For professionals - craft and money, for enthusiasts - delight and creativity.
Seek and ye shall find
Seek and ye shall find
And I am very pleased that GAMER.RU is a field just for fun. (Yes, this is advertising paid for by the administration. Or no, unpaid. Who cares!)
Get creative, friends. May illumination be with you!
Strategy #7
- Let the suffering one find
- Seven ways to strengthen your business
- How to ask correctly
- Conclusion
- Guide to action
Ask for what you want
The gift called asking has been around for a long, long time. The main people who understand it are children. Their method is to ask and ask until they get what they need. As we grow up, we lose this skill. We have a thousand excuses and reasons to avoid the slightest possibility of refusal. Children do not know our fears. They truly believe that they can get anything they ask for, whether it's a private swimming pool or ice cream.
Believe me: the world answers those who ask. If you're not getting closer to what you want, you're probably not asking enough. On the following pages you will learn about different ways to ask that will be useful in both business and personal life.
Here is a formula that will remind you to ask:
A – Always – Always
S – Seeking – Search
K – Knowledge
They say that knowledge is power. This is wrong! The power is in using this knowledge. Remember this forever. By asking or asking, you can get information, an idea, guidance for action, names of influential people and even - yes, yes! - money. There are many ways to ask without losing your dignity and with a high chance of success. Why do people get lost when they have such an opportunity? There are three main reasons.
1. They think that asking is indecent.
2. They lack self-confidence.
3. They are afraid of being rejected.
The Bible says: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” These are “instructions” from a fairly high authority - much more powerful than the outdated value system you absorbed as a child many years ago. Examine the belief system that is holding you back. Realize that there are other ways to look at life. Change your view of human values. Find the strength to get rid of old postulates that obscure your future and deprive you of the ability to ask.
Let's turn to the second excuse. Yes, yes, all to the same fatal lack of confidence that we talked about in the previous chapter. It definitely makes it difficult to ask. Believe yourself! Take a step forward! Ask despite your inner fears. The worst answer you can get is a “no,” which reminds you of point three (fear of rejection). Do you feel worse when you get rejected? It’s unlikely, unless you take “no” personally, and this is the main reason for the fear of being rejected. Some people cannot control their emotions, even if the person saying “no” never intended to humiliate them.
Here are seven effective ways to make your business more profitable. Try them and your income will increase significantly. To make it easier, follow the guide to action.
1. Ask for information
To find potential new clients, you first need to identify their current goals, understand what they want to achieve and how they plan to do it. Only then can you demonstrate to them the benefits of your product or service. Surprisingly, many people forget about this simple point. Sales managers are notorious for their tendency to ignore this critical part of the product presentation. Often, only dollars are reflected in their eyes - evidence that they are focused only on the contents of someone else's wallet.
We call them dinosaurs. Don't follow their example! Curb your personal interest in time. Focus on your desire to genuinely help the person. Ask him questions starting with “who,” “why,” “what,” “where,” “when,” and “how” to get all the information he needs. We call this technique “peeling the onion”: asking another question is like peeling off another layer of peeling. Learn to ask simple, to-the-point questions. Listen carefully to the answers. Remember: the most important things are usually hidden from the surface. The psychotherapist uses the same techniques to understand why relationships went wrong or depression occurred. For trial lawyers, this technique is called the investigative process. Based on it, they build a strong line of defense or accusation in court.
Similar things happen in business. Only by fully understanding and appreciating the needs of those with whom you communicate can you offer them your solution to the problem, product, service.
As you gather information, be sure to ask two important questions. First: what is the main task facing you now? According to our observations, this question promotes mutual understanding. But on one condition: you must ask it again with sincere interest - if it sounds sluggish, like a cliché from an old sales textbook, the interlocutor will not want to answer...
The second important question is: what are your main goals for the coming years? If you've built a strong rapport in the first ten minutes of a conversation, curbed your desire to sell quickly, and demonstrated a sincere interest in your interlocutor's business, he'll probably tell you a lot more than he thinks.
Some more tips for finding information. Firstly, do not interrupt your interlocutor with constant follow-up questions. Secondly, the more you refer to the words of your interlocutor, the more comfortable and calmer your communication will be. This is how a magical component called “trust” arises. When it appears, the doors to new opportunities will open before you, leading to major successes.
2. Don’t be afraid of “business requests”!
Impressive statistics: having described their product or service to the interlocutor in detail, more than 60% of sales managers do not ask the potential client to place an order. This is a bad habit that can ultimately land you in the business scrapheap.
Again, take your children as an example! They are born traders. Here is a sketch from life.
...Hot July afternoon. There is a game of golf on the field. The tee area near the sixth hole is close to the fence. On the other side of the fence, a six-year-old girl sits at a small wooden table. Her name is Melanie. On the table in front of her are two large plastic jugs - one with iced tea, the other with lemonade. While our foursome waits for the other team to play the hole, she asks with a smile, “Do you want something to drink? Iced tea or lemonade? She pours us drinks and, reaching through the bars, says, “Twenty-five cents a glass, please.” We push four dollar bills through the fence. Carefully placing the money in a small wallet, she hands us the drinks and says, “Have a great day!” We don't get change. But who's going to complain? With such service, she fully deserved her 45% tip.
Always ask for help.
Always!
How often do you think she offers her services? Correct: every time another player ends up at the fence. This little businesswoman did not take a ten-week course on sales techniques - she does everything on her own. We can all learn from her. First of all, she chose a great location. Secondly, her services are in great demand on a hot day. And she is so confident in herself that she doesn’t even consider it necessary to give change!
Like Melanie, always ask a closing question to seal the deal. Don't hesitate, don't beat around the bush, and definitely don't wait to be asked. "Want to try?" This is not an aggressive, not intrusive question. If you have presented your product and its benefits well, most people will think: “What do I have to lose? I’ll take it and try it!” When selling our programs and seminars, we ask directly: “Do you want to take the next program?” If the conversation stalls, simply ask: “Do you want to buy?” Please note that your final question, unlike the previous ones with which you extracted information, should be designed for a “yes” or “no” answer.
3. Ask for written feedback
Well-written and impactful testimonies from respected people are powerful. They document the quality of your work and recommend you as an integral, reliable and adequate person.
But what’s surprising is that most businessmen neglect this excellent chance to beat their competitors. But all you need to do is ask! This should be done immediately after you have provided excellent service, completed a major project on budget, walked the extra mile to help someone... In these circumstances, people will be happy to thank you for your efforts.
How to achieve gratitude? Simply ask if the customer would be willing to rate the quality of your product or service and add any valuable comments to the rating. Write down his words. Ask about specific results that he achieved with your help...
For example, a sales trainer who has just completed a three-month program to organize the sales system of a rapidly growing company might ask, “What results have you seen in the last two months?” The sales manager will probably respond, “Since you started sharing your ideas with us, our total sales have increased by 35% compared to previous months.”
Here it is – a specific, measurable result! Avoid quoting general phrases like “The program was great and everyone liked it.” Such statements have little impact on the reader. But if you have a sales team that needs help, then when they read about how someone's profits grew by 35%, they'll probably think, “That's what we need! If it worked for them, it might work for us too - how can we contact this coach?”
After finishing the mini-interview by phone, invite the interlocutor to write a review on their own. Firstly, it will save your client time and effort (especially if he is also not very good at writing exciting reviews). Secondly, you have the opportunity to craft a review so that it is especially impressive. Once prepared, send it to the client for approval - have him print it on his letterhead and sign it.
Make it a habit to collect positive feedback. Store them in a special folder on your reception table, or frame them and hang them on the wall for everyone to see. Highlight the most important comments with a marker. All your promotional materials must contain at least three positive reviews, formatted accordingly.
Another good option is to choose the ten most impressive phrases from ten different reviews and place them on the page with the names of your clients. Even better is to attach small photographs of clients to them. If your product is easy to photograph, such as cars or furniture, take a photo of your new customer sitting in their car or at their fancy new dining table. Visual information is perceived faster.
Contact reliable people
Comments from local celebrities, as well as recognized luminaries in your industry, can also make a lasting impression on your potential clients. In addition, reviews can be divided into categories. If your product or service has several advantages - for example, excellent quality of service, price, on-time delivery - present each of them separately. If a customer is interested in one specific benefit, you can show multiple testimonials that demonstrate that particular benefit.
There are simple ways to significantly expand your business. So take advantage of them and promise yourself to ask clients for thank you reviews from now on!
4. Get recommendations from the best
Almost everyone knows about the importance of recommendations in the business world. This is the easiest and cheapest way to ensure growth and success in the market. However, in our experience, only one in ten companies develop their own system for receiving recommendations. Why?
The reason is the same - fear of being rejected. We've already talked about the importance of working with key clients - those who will happily give you recommendations because you treat them so well! Why don't you ask them? Maybe they didn’t fully realize the benefits that would follow?
All successful business people know that asking for referrals is an important part of their overall marketing strategy. This habit can dramatically increase your income.
Receiving recommendations is not limited to the circle of key clients, although they are the ones who have the power to open doors that would otherwise remain closed to you. New opportunities arise every day. If you meet a potential client who does not currently need your product or service, you can still ask if he would recommend someone who might need it. What do you have to lose? The worst thing that can happen is that he will answer “no”. Although most often people really think about who might be interested in this.
Les: I had a meeting with the owner of a development company. He listened to my presentation and said that he was not interested in our services. But when I asked him if he would recommend contacting someone else, he sat down, carefully looked through his address file and gave me the names of twenty-seven high-profile clients.
By the way, don’t forget to outline the portrait of your potential client in detail, because you obviously don’t need a long list of names of people who won’t suit you. If someone gives you a recommendation, double check it. Find out everything about this person until you are sure that this is the one you need.
Our friend Barney Zeke does another smart thing: he asks for recommendations honestly and openly. Try to make this point part of any sales transaction, and you will stand out from your colleagues in the profession. For example, you could say, “The reason we're offering you such a great price is because we hope you recommend it to three of your friends. And we, in turn, promise to continue to provide you with services at the highest level - you will not regret working with us.”
You can back up your arguments with reviews from other satisfied customers. Sometimes Barney puts it another way: “Could you introduce me to other people at your level?” This way you give a sincere compliment to the client.
We are often asked: do you need to pay for recommendations? It's up to you, although most people, especially your key clients, will be happy to help you unselfishly. On the other hand, if a referral fee of, say, 10% will help you add more clients each month, go for it.
You can come up with special ways to thank those who recommend you. Surprise with an unexpected gift - maybe a couple of movie tickets, a fancy coffee cup (with your company logo), a special dinner at your favorite restaurant. If their assistance has brought you significant income, the reward should be increased accordingly.
Another way to ensure that you get help with recommendations is to give them to your clients yourself. Offer a free consultation or product trial in exchange for good information. This works well when you are starting a new business or are little known in the market.
As you can see, there are many opportunities to generate new business by establishing relationships with key clients and other people with connections to those you would like to partner with. Try something new compared to the usual ways of networking. Take a swing at a larger client or ask for referrals more often to strengthen your business. Remember: systematically collecting recommendations can make you richer. And one more thing: instead of the word “recommend”, say “introduce”. It doesn't sound so heavy. Some may have had the unpleasant experience of being extorted for recommendations by an overly pushy salesperson.
5. Strive for new deals!
Many entrepreneurs lose thousands of dollars every year because after their first sale they have nothing left to offer. Look for what other services and products you can add to your portfolio. Learn to recognize when your customers will need new products or services from you. The human desire to buy is cyclical, and it is important to know when such a cycle will enter the appropriate phase. The easiest way to understand this is to ask the client when it is best for you to contact him for a new order. Sometimes it's easier to sell old customers something new than to look for new customers.
Les: Keith and his partner Bill are the owners of an electrical installation and repair company. Over the course of fifteen years, they built their business through their skill and excellent relationships with others in their industry. They have a large client that has routinely split electrical contracts between them and a much larger competitor for several years. Keith would have gladly taken his half, but the competitor seemed to have expected such a turn of events and was always on the alert. Nevertheless, every year Keith submitted a full and detailed proposal to the tender. He knew that the chances of success were low, but he did not give up.
One day, both companies entered into a tender announced by a new client. The competitor, who, as usual, had no doubt about winning, drew up a one-page proposal. Keith, as always, submitted a detailed document describing the advantages and economic benefits of using the services of his company. After considering both proposals, the client chose Keith because he was able to competently offer his services. As Keith later said, “We didn’t win. It was our competitor who lost.” If you are persistent and consistent, fate will definitely show you favor. Another reward awaited Keith: when the news of winning the tender spread throughout the market, it was as if a floodgate had opened for him and Bill - orders from other large companies began to pour in.
Remember: business stops when you stop asking and offering. The more you do this, the more successfully you move forward.
Many years ago, McDonald's found a special way to make the most of life. Her salespeople were trained to ask one more question when a customer ordered a hamburger and a drink. This issue brought them more than twenty million dollars. It sounded like this: “Would you like some potatoes?” Of course, many answered: “Yes, perhaps.”
This move is called an upsell (“an attempt to interest the buyer in a more expensive product”). At a car dealership, when you buy a new car, you are often offered to purchase a special anti-corrosion coating that additionally protects your chosen car from rust, or to extend the warranty period.
What else could you offer your business partners? One additional question at the end of the transaction can bring significant income. Remember: if you don’t offer, someone else will!
6. Offer renegotiations
Negotiation and the possibility of re-negotiation are part of everyday business activities. This is another way of asking and offering that can save you a lot of time and money.
For example, if it's time to renew your mortgage on a house and the interest rate is 7%, you might say, "That's a good rate, I'll leave it for another three years." But you can meet with a bank representative and say: “I have decided to reconsider my affairs. Other banks are also interested in my business. I will be happy to continue working with you if you can give me a 6% rate.” You will be surprised, but banks quite often agree because they know that there is stiff competition in this segment. Deducting one percent will save you quite a lot of money, all thanks to one single question.
Try to negotiate deferred payments. If you have money problems, an additional month of interest-free term (you should ask for this too!) will help stabilize the situation.
Various contracts can be adjusted, just try asking for it. By acting in a win-win style, you can get a lot of pleasant indulgences. Nothing is set in stone! If the situation needs to change, ask for it.
Les: One morning I had a flight to another city where I was going to give a seminar on achieving goals to a group of entrepreneurs. A severe snowstorm delayed our departure for more than an hour - as a result, the plane landed only at half past nine in the morning. The seminar started at nine. And then the crew commander said that we couldn’t land because of fog, so we were flying to an alternate airfield in the city center. I thought: “Great, this way I can get even closer!” However, after landing, the pilot announced: “There are no facilities here to unload luggage, so we will have to wait until the fog clears and fly to the main airport. Until the fog clears, it looks like you're stuck on the plane." Wow expressions!
And then it occurred to me to ask for something. I called the flight attendant and told her that I was only carrying hand luggage and that I had an appointment in fifteen minutes. She agreed to ask the pilot if it was possible to make an exception for me and let me off the plane. A few minutes later she returned, smiling, opened the door and lowered the stairs for me. Until that moment, no one on the plane even moved. Looking around, I saw several other businessmen asking for the same thing. It didn't occur to them that they could change the "developed script" simply by asking for it.
7. Seek feedback
Here's another important component of asking and offering that is often overlooked. How to find out if your product is suitable for a client or Communicate with clients regularly, alternating easy questions with more complex ones. Organize a monthly focus group to meet with customer representatives. Treat them to lunch and ask, ask questions. This way you can make many small but important changes to your business.
If you oversee a team or run a large organization, look to your employees for ideas. They are often the ones who know most about the practical day-to-day activities that keep the whole machine “lubricated.” Communicate with suppliers too. Perhaps there will be ways to improve the quality of distribution and reduce costs through timely inventory. No matter what specific activity you do, you are surrounded by people who can give you a lot of valuable advice. Just ask! As mentioned, at the end of this chapter you will find a guide to action that will help you create an action plan to implement these seven ways to ask.
If you express yourself vaguely and vaguely, you will not be understood. Here are five ways to make sure you get what you ask for.
1. Be clear
Be specific. Think carefully about your request or proposal. Prepare in advance. Write down especially effective words in a notebook. Words are very powerful things, so choose them carefully. If necessary, find people who are good at offering and asking, and enlist their help.
2. Be confident
Those who ask with confidence get more out of life than those who hesitate and doubt. If you have already imagined what to ask for, do it without hesitation, boldly and confidently. This doesn't mean you have to be pushy, arrogant, or arrogant. Confidence may be quiet, but those you approach will notice it. The only bad thing that can happen is that you will be rejected. Will this make you feel worse than before? Of course no. It will simply mean that this particular path does not work. Look for another one.
3. Be persistent
Some people stop asking after one timid attempt. They give up too easily. If you want to tap into the real riches of life, you will have to ask a lot. Treat it like a game, ask until you find the answer. Be persistent. In sales, you usually get four or five “nos” before you hear a “yes.” The most successful businessmen understand this. When you find an effective way to ask, continue to use it. For example, some companies run the same advertising campaign year after year. Why? Because it works.
4. Be resourceful
In our age of universal competition, your request may get lost among others. This problem is not difficult to deal with. Richard Carlson, the best-selling author of many books, calls this technique “purple snowflakes” in his book Don’t worry, make money[8]. It will help you stand out from the crowd. For example, if you want to get someone's attention, you shouldn't send that person a regular email. Think creatively and come up with a more impressive performance. Here is an example from Arthur Lenhan's book The Best of Bits and Pieces[9].
The chief purchasing officer at one very large company was virtually inaccessible to salespeople. It was impossible to call him - he only called himself. If salespeople did manage to get into his office, they were kicked out.
Nevertheless, one lady managed to break through his line of defense. She sent him a carrier pigeon with a business card tied to its leg, on which was written: “If you want to know more about our products, throw our employee out the window!”
This is a great example of a "purple snowflake". How could you impress a potential client? Explore new ideas with members of your deliberative group. Once a month, set aside time for “purple snowflakes” and take it for granted if previously tightly closed doors open and you are invited to enter them.
5. Be sincere
If you really need help, people will respond. Tell it like it is, without concealment. Don't worry that your presentation may not be perfect; the main thing is to let your words be sincere. Be simple and people will open up to you!
In addition, you will have more luck if you convince your interlocutor that you have already invested a lot of effort into the matter. For example, if a youth charity is only fifty dollars short of the thousand dollars it needs, and the young people tell you about everything they did to get nine hundred and fifty - washing cars, selling bread, picking up trash and bottles, you are likely to donate to them missing.
If you try every way to get what you want, people are more likely to give you a helping hand. But remember: those who constantly ask for free help are unlikely to achieve anything.
There are many ways to ask - learn them all!
The habit of asking and offering changed the world. Many outstanding people became famous because they knew how to ask, and they did it sincerely and with faith in themselves. Jesus asked his disciples to follow him. They responded to his call - this is how Christianity was born. Mother Teresa asked others to help the poor and dying - and created a missionary organization that today has thousands of followers around the world. It is important that each of these people clearly saw the goal and was ready to do anything for it. Asking became a natural way for them to move forward.
Every day gives us countless opportunities to ask for what we want. Notice these moments. Feel free to step forward and express your desires. They contain the seeds of your future well-being. Sow them today to enjoy your harvest soon!
So that leaves the last three chapters. You are nearing completion of the job. Congratulations, you have done a lot. But the remaining three strategies will require a lot of hard work from you. Stay focused on your goal, and we will teach you consistent persistence, decisive action, and living for a purpose.
Ask yourself: am I ready to change something now?
Ask for what you want
To increase your productivity and income, try our exercise on the art of asking. Successful application of our tips will increase your income by at least one and a half times. Get started now!
1. Ask for information
What can you improve in the way you ask clients for more information (just one)?
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2. Don’t be afraid of “business requests”
Does the closing question help you achieve the success you want in the deal? If not, come up with at least two new ways to ask it. Keep them simple and specific.
1. ________________________________________________________________
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2. ________________________________________________________________
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3. Ask for written feedback
Write down the names of five people who can positively recommend you to others. Call them and get what you want.
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2. ________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________
4. ________________________________________________________________
5. ________________________________________________________________
4. Ask for recommendations
Create a specific system for constantly involving new people in your business. Remember: the key word is “constant”, that is, you need to do this every week.
5. Strive for new business
Name five clients you would invite to work with you. Find a good reason why they would buy more - special discounts, new product or promotions.
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2. ________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________
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6. Offer to renegotiate
Describe one situation on which you want to reach new agreements in the next month. We can talk about interest rates, loan repayment terms, vacation, salary, job responsibilities, etc.
7. Ask for feedback
List two ways to improve communication with customers. Consider telemarketing, customer focus groups, surveys, etc.
1. ________________________________________________________________
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2. ________________________________________________________________
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In addition to following these seven strategies, keep checking to see if you forgot to ask for anything else.
Make a list of three items that you are not asking for but would like to do.
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2. ________________________________________________________________
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3. ________________________________________________________________
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