Steve Jobs had one simple sales strategy to get anything he wanted.
Many of us use iPhones and iPads and other Apple products because of one simple business and life strategy that Steve Jobs practiced from a very young age: "Ask and you shall receive."
This short YouTube video will change your life:
Steve Jobs never had issues reaching out and asking for help from strangers. You will be amazed how many people want to help you if you just ask! Fortunately, not many people do this.
When Steve Jobs was only 12 years old he called Bill Hewlett from Hewlett Packard. The young Steve Jobs asked Bill Hewlett if he could give Steve spare parts for a device that he was creating. Hewlett laughed and not only gave him the spare parts, but gave Steve Jobs a job!
Many of us are too shy or we think that it is outside of our comfort zone to ask for help, especially from strangers. Culturally it feels uncomfortable for many people to ask for help or ask strangers for something. You need to do this often.
So in this day and age of social media, how do we successfully ask for help?
It's much easier than you think. If you are not already a LinkedIn subscriber, please sign up for the premium version; do an advanced search and find people with something in common with you. If you are from Bombay but live in the United States and live in New York, enter Bombay in LinkedIn and then the zip code that you live in.
Then send an "inMail" message in LinkedIn with a very short message as follows:
John,
Hope all is well. I am also from Bombay and I also live in New York. Please let me know if you have time for a coffee in the next few weeks.
Thanks a lot,
Chris
Yes it is that easy! People want to help, especially the farther away you get from the place you grew up in. You can also reach people by leveraging your school as follows:
Matt,
Hope all is well. I also went to McGill University and I also live in Miami. Please let me know if you have time for a coffee in the next few weeks.
Thanks a lot,
Chris
Trust me - this works! My success rate on getting meetings with strangers using LinkedIn has always been very high. Why? Because I ask often and most people don't.
In addition to working in venture capital, I am a professor during the evenings. My students that always get the jobs of their dreams are the ones that set up many informational meetings via LinkedIn.
Most people never get promotions or a raise unless they ask. Many of us think that if we work hard, then we will eventually get rewarded for our efforts. Ask and I promise you that you will get raises or promotions more often.
This works exceptionally well. Please try it! It works because very few people do it. Too many people today use email which is why it is not an effective tool to set up meetings.
LinkedIn inMails work; I promise you that you will be amazed at the outcome! People want to help you! Simply ask like Steve Jobs did and you shall receive.