We all
would benefit from getting help in any aspect of our life, but it’s especially
true when it comes to writing, publishing, marketing, and promoting our
books. In fact, just the act of asking
for help would greatly assist us, as it forces us to (a) admit we need help and
begin the process of seeking an answer, and (b) allows us to examine alternate
methods and possibilities that we previously dismissed or failed to explore.
To peer
into how the world of help works, let’s identify the relevant questions:
·
Whom should you ask for help?
·
What
should you ask for?
·
How
often should you ask for assistance?
·
What
type of help should you expect to receive?
·
How
shall you return the favor to those who help?
When
asking for help, ideally you’d ask people whpm you believe are in a position to
help you. They may be smart or have
specialized knowledge. They may have
money or access to other connections who can help you. They may have experience in the specific area
that you need help in. But anyone can be
helpful. You just need to be open to
asking anyone and then use your filter to figure out which responses are truly
helpful.
You
should ask people their opinions, even on things you’ve made your mind up, just
to see how they answer and to discern their overall usefulness – or to see if
they surprise you with an idea or source of motivation that you didn’t expect.
Be
willing to ask for something, depending on what you need. After opinions and ideas, people can give you
things, resources, and funds. You never
know what people will give you. They can
always say no, but that’s not a loss – and they could say yes, and that’s a
bonus! Often, the best one can do is
give you psychological support and then lead you to other helpful people. When money comes your way – whether as loan,
investment or gift (if you need some); that would be the jackpot.
You
should be willing to ask many for help and appear open to hearing from
everyone, but don’t go to the well too often.
People get annoyed if all you do is ask them for things.
To
accept help of any kind, you need to be of the frame of mind to accept it. Don’t criticize the one who helps you, never
turn down one’s help, always act delighted to get their input and assistance,
and send thank yous their way. Be
prepared to repay the favor of those who help you and do so gladly.
There’s
no limit to how much help one needs nor of what one can receive nor of what one
is willing to give. Asking for help
should be part of your strategic business plan.
What
could an author ask for from others? Oh
my, the list is never-ending. Authors
need help with everything! Start small
and ask for people to connect with you via social media. Ask friends and family to introduce you to
people who can help you. Ask for people
to buy books, to sell books for you, and to help you increase your brand.
When
asking for help, employ alternate styles.
For some, they will appreciate you coming to them and will want to
mentor you. For others, appeal to them
out of desperation. For some, if you
approach them in a tit for tat style, they’ll agree to help you in exchange for
something.
Let me
be the first to ask for help. Please
share my blog with other people. You not
only help them but you build up my readership and make me feel great.
Now,
what can I do for you? What can others
do for you? What can you do for others?
Start
asking, receiving, and giving. It’s a
wonderful cycle.
In
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Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas
expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer. You can
follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him
at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the
third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2015
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