Making the Ask

Traction. Businesses need it to help grow products, services or the actual company itself. Growth and success are about building traction over time. Products and services able to solve problems and bring value to customers through innovation and creativity will create that traction needed. So, what is the key to creating real traction?

It is the ability to make an ask. Being able to look at a person or an organization and promise to deliver something of value in exchange for some resource is the backbone to build traction.

This seems like such an easy thing and so straightforward, yet so many entrepreneurs do not do it. How many people are not willing to learn a new skill to help move their company forward? How many people are not willing to gain the knowledge for their industry or market? How many people are not willing to ask for a sale? How many people are not willing to ask someone to join their team? How many people are not willing to reach out to an investor and asked for a meeting? And most importantly, how many people are not willing to ask the investor for money?

As an example, it is not surprising most people struggle to ask the person who is attracted to out on a date. So, if that is so hard, why would anyone be able to do things that could create rejection and ultimately destroy the vision for entrepreneurial endeavor? It is always easier to show and tell someone about your product or service, and at the end of the day, we avoid being rejected.

The minute you are willing to make that ask and face rejection is the minute you start creating traction in your life.