Don’t be afraid to ask!
Don't be afraid to ask!
One of the self imposed detriments I've seen in the last quarter century of Industrial Sales recruiting has been the fear of asking for the business or job.
There is an old saying, if you don't ask, you don't get. Often a candidate will worry that asking sounds too forward. I've debriefed post interview and many will say something like this " If I'm the right guy, they will recognize it and I'm confident ". The employer, counters with " Hey, are they interested?".
My advice is don't leave people guessing. If you want the job, or sale, ask for it. " I really like everything I've seen and we've talked about. How do I get this job?" . You never want to leave the room wondering whether or not, you're interested. This is not the time to be shy. The employer will internally think that no matter how much they liked you, if you won't ask for the job, you won't ask for the order.
I have a friend that started a non profit 501c3 to teach people safe firearms handling and introductory training at no cost. High value Training academy, yes he asked me to give him a plug when I can. If you look at my background, you'll see I have some professional expertise in this area. He's doing good work and was funding it out of pocket or through small donations. He's become fearless with asking. As a result, companies in that business have donated firearms, optics, ammo and training support after recognizing his mission and growth. His students who might otherwise never have seen their products are new buyers, and he is furthering his mission. He's become fearless with asking.
The bottom line is this. People want to buy from people they like, they want to hire people they like, but most importantly they want to know about your passion and drive. That ask tells them exactly what they need to know. It tells them that you have the confidence to ask and a belief in your product, even if that product is you.
The worst they can say is no, but if you don't ask, then you won't know. Never leave them guessing.
Best,
Mike