Asking for Help in your Business

Many people fear asking for help.

Business owners fear it more than the average bear. Why? They feel it makes them look weak, unsuccessful, and a host of other negative adjectives. It’s a shame, too, because asking for help is a great way to show off what you know.

I know, you might be thinking, how can getting help from someone show what you know? Because depending on what you need help with, you can give back with your skills. I don’t like to call it barter, because every barter arrangement I’ve ever been in has ended up with me doing hours of work and getting very little in return (perhaps I’m just jinxed, if you’ve had a good barter experience, let me know!) But exchange of services seems awfully long to explain it.

Here’s how it works. You need a logo (for example) and you are at a networking event. Make it a point to ask people if they know a logo designer. You could even specify you’re looking for a graphic designer that’s new to the networking scene and might be looking to get their name out with good referrals or a testimonial for their website. You then approach the person (once you’ve found them) and ask them if they would be willing to trade a logo for x amount of hours of whatever it is you do.

If they say no, ask them if they know anyone looking for a (insert what you do here) and that way you could more than easily pay for the logo, because you really want to find a way to work with them.

Every encounter is an opportunity. That’s why networking is so effective!