The Power of the Personal Ask

Earlier today, I wrote a post for Christian Web Trends about how successful bloggers don’t wait around for people to respond to broad general appeals but they make personal asks of others.

The principle is true in all walks of life.

But, we just don’t like to do it.

We would rather ask for volunteers in an announcement form the pulpit.  We would rather ask for donations by sending out a mass email to everyone on our contact list.  We would rather grow our business using ads, signs, or direct mail.

There’s nothing wrong with mass communications.  In fact, we should do it.  But response rates are typically very low.

In fact, the bigger the ask, the lower the response rate to a mass request.

People are busy.  There’s a lot of noise.

When we ask everyone, everyone thinks someone else will do it.

We don’t like to make the personal ask because it’s hard work, it takes a lot of time, we’re afraid of putting people on the spot, and we’re afraid of being turned down.

But if you really want to realize your dreams, you have to make the personal ask, one person at a time.

You have to ask that key person to join your team.  You have to ask that big donor to support your cause.  You have to ask that prospective client to make the sale.

Where have you seen the power of the personal ask in your life?  Where do you need to start making those personal asks?

Now will you rewteet this or post it to Facebook?  Or do you have to ask you personally? 😉