Asking is part of selling.
Before you can sell you have to ask.
In startup mode it seems like we ask, ask and then ask some more.
If you don’t ask you’ll never get anywhere.
It’s as simple as that.
I launched the Travel Startups Founders Series in early 2013, short inspirational interviews I do with leading travel CEOs and founders by asking other founders to do an interview with me.
The first person I asked was Steve Kaufer the CEO of TripAdvisor.
Yes, I am not kidding he was the first person I asked.
The CEO and founder of the world’s largest travel company.
I figured if I was going to go big I needed the biggest player in travel.
I cold called him. Actually I cold emailed him.
I had never met him before.
I am not even sure if he knew who I was.
I asked and he said yes.
I am working on a big corporate deal for Travel Startups Incubator.
It seems like I’ve been checking in and asking for months.
We are very close to signing.
I’ll keep on checking in and asking until they say yes and sign the deal.
David Litwak the founder of Mozio, Krissa Curran the founder of FOF Travel, Peter Conway the founder of TravelBuddy and Andy McNulty the founder of Touch Stay (an upcoming interview) each asked me if I would do an interview with them for the Travel Startups Founders Series.
I said yes.
Get on the phone and ask.
Send out an email and ask.
Follow-up one more time and ask.
Yes you are small and just starting out.
Maybe you are even 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 founders, a small team.
Sometimes you might think you don’t have what it takes.
You might think your name and or company is not big enough.
You may even believe you’re not experienced enough.
It doesn’t matter.
As startup founders you’ve got to be constantly asking.
You’ll receive more no’s than yes’s but the yes’s can big ones.
The yes can help push you across that line where all of sudden magic starts to happen.
The yes might be that first round of capital.
The yes might be a huge distribution deal for your API.
Don’t be afraid.
Keep pushing forward and through.
Go ask for something for your startup today.