Prepare to be disappointed: this blog post is not about the terrific 1965 Beatles album featuring such classic songs as “Yesterday”, “I’ve Just Seen a Face” and the vastly underrated “You’re Going to Lose That Girl”. No, this is about the challenge of both asking for and accepting help.
When I first started in the promotional products industry, I remember my boss giving me crash-course training over a weekend. Between learning industry pricing codes, navigating the distributor/supplier relationship, and understanding different decorating processes, my brain was overflowing with information. While many of the specifics have washed away over the course of time, there is one lesson I remember verbatim: He simply asked me if I knew the four most powerful words in the English language. After admitting I did not, he shared them with me:
“I need your help.”
This is powerful because it immediately disarms the listener. Human nature dictates that when asked for help, a person will instantly listen closer and become more open minded. Look at it from a different perspective: when someone asks for help, do you even think twice before responding enthusiastically that you would love to assist? When you need help from a colleague, they won’t think twice about assisting either.
It’s difficult to admit that help is required. Many people even suggest that it’s a sign of weakness to ask for assistance when, if fact, the opposite is true. People who have the courage to ask for help do so from a position of strength, not weakness.
Whether trying to understand how to create consistent content marketing or learning how to leverage a large client to diversify a client base, don’t be afraid to ask other for help. The simple fact is most people take pleasure in helping others.
Bill is president of PromoCorner, the leading digital marketing service provider to the promotional products industry, and has over 17 years working in executive leadership positions at leading promotional products distributorships. A featured speaker at numerous industry events, a serial creator of content marketing, immediate past president of the Promotional Products Association of the Mid-South (PPAMS), vice president of the Regional Association Council (RAC) board, and PromoKitchen chef, Bill has extensive experience coaching sales teams, creating successful marketing campaigns, and developing branding that resonates with a target audience. He can be reached at bill@PromoCorner.com.