Thanks to my Wife for the inspiration behind this post.

Everyone knows the saying “if you don’t ask, you don’t get.” An analogy might be “you don’t get anywhere if you don’t take risks”. This is all very good and well, but what does this have to do with you? What I’m telling you is to start asking for things.

Look for better deals than are being offered to you. Don’t be afraid to contact people to ask them for something (usually in return for something else, of course). I’m sure 90% of those you contact will be open to a little bargaining. As long as both sides can achieve something positive, there’s nothing to be lost by Just Asking.

Consider This Example

An online personality (name withheld to protect the innocent!) was looking to offload a few items of inventory. He’d offered them about, but no one was buying at the (ridiculously low) price he was offering them for. In the end, he gave up. I missed his initial offer, so was sure I’d missed out on what I thought could be some good opportunities.

But something made me email our Personality about the sites. I asked what he had left, and what the best deal he would do for me was. In the end, I got 25% off. I got some good money making material for a low price, and he got rid of some excess inventory. It was win-win for both of us.

If I hadn’t asked, neither of us would have got what we wanted. So remember this lesson next time you see a resource or something you’re considering buying. Fire off a quick email to the seller, to see if they can give you a better bargain. Some will come back and say no, but that’s the worst they’ll do.

It’s More than the Money.

Wangling the discount is not the only reason to contact a seller. In fact, your contact to contact might not even be about buying anything. It might be a straight-up question. “Who handles your payment processing?” “Who designed your logo?” Perfectly innocent questions with no financial motive. Compliments also work wonders. These can work out just as well (if not better) in the long run. If you approach everyone with the attitude of “what can you give me, you’ll soon get a reputation for being greedy, seedy, and possibly a whole load more words that end in “eedy”.

Take a risk and contact someone for the sake of contacting them. The very act of taking time to email someone creates a connection. Connections lead to relationships, which are the cornerstone of good business. People inherently like to “network” and meet new people. Most of the time, you will be well received, so long as you’re not an ass.

Think Bigger Picture

By extending yourself to other online entrepreneurs, you will invariably lead yourself to new opportunities, just because you once got in touch. The other opportunities might be a direct consequence of that first contact, or they might come from further conversations you have. Regardless, it is the initial connection which has to start the ball rolling.