Mom used to always say, “if you don’t ask, you won’t know.”

Still true today.  If you want to know something, get something, give something, meet someone, try something new or just want to start a conversation, you have to ask.

Seems way too simple, right?

We run into this all the time with our clients.  Truth is, we spend a lot of time asking questions of them to pry the information we (both) need to get things done.  And, like most everything in business and life, there is a simple process:

  1. Identify what you need or want.
  2. Formulate or identify the request.
  3. Make the ask (“Would you be willing…”)

What you will also find is that the process will help you weed out whether you really wanted or needed the stuff, thing or action you wanted. You might stop at step one.  Or in trying to put the want into a request, it starts to crystalize what you really are looking for.  And then there are those things that make it to step three and beyond.

And it all started with having the gumption to ask.

Keep in mind asking for something isn’t always about tangible stuff and goodies we want.  It can also be for information, data, things we need to know to run our business, make a decision, or to take the next step in another process.  We are always asking questions of our clients to get information from them that benefits them.

Maybe next time we will talk about giving versus receiving.  But that’s another topic.

In the meantime, for more on how to ask for what you want and how to get it, call or write to us.  TFO Solutions is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and business owners with their financial strategy from the back office to the boardroom.

**photos courtesy of Unsplash (Ana Municio and Artem Maltsev, photographers)