Specificity!!! 3 Reasons why you need to master asking for what the HECK you want!

If you don't ask for exactly what you want you get things that kinda sorta, look like what you kinda sorta asked for or you get IGNORED.

How many times have you sat in a meeting, a conference call or opened up and email, where people are saying a lot of....well nothing? It's beyond aggravating, and most leaders can count on being approached by people who say they want to work together on some project or initiative but aren't specific about what that project or initiative is. Or more over you get these emails that say "We should work together, or let's build together"...and my response is always... Build What?

Be Specific About the Opportunity You Actually Want

There have been so many times when I will be at a event or conference and someone will say, "Hey, let's work together!" and then there's nothing. The person may want to work with my business, but he or she doesn't actually have the vision to pinpoint exactly how he or she would work with me. This is a tremendous waste of time for everyone.

To turn an opportunity into reality, zero in on how to create a win-win situation for both parties. This means doing a little research and using that research to get specific about the opportunity you hope to work on with someone else. Instead of a vague and noncommittal, "Let's work together sometime," it's much better to say, “Here are three specific ideas I want to talk with you about that will guide our conversation.”

When I’m approached by someone who doesn’t have a clear idea of what they want, I’ll usually ask them to wait to talk until they have figured out what they are looking for from me and from the organizations I run. This approach forces them to do the homework required to present a fully formed idea that I can evaluate and then make a decision on. If the idea doesn't work for us, I'll have the information I need to refer them to another organization that’s a better fit than my own. Many times, when I've told someone, "We're just not the right fit, but I know someone who is," it allowed us to build a relationship that turned into an opportunity later down the road.

Takeaways...

1. If you're going to approach someone with an idea, be sure to do your homework.
2. Know as much as you can about the other organization, its leadership, and what they are looking for before you approach them.
3. Developing a knowledge base will make it easier for both parties to identify opportunities that are mutually beneficial while increasing the chances that you'll seize them.