by Fred Coon, Chairman, CEO
Stewart, Cooper & Coon

It takes just as much energy to ask for a large order as it does a small one. As long as you’re asking anyway, why not ask LARGE? When you are ready to go for the interview, don’t think small and don’t take what they offer!

When you EXPECT to sell large, that notion becomes part of you; your thoughts, your actions, and your results. Act on this thought and expect more, not less. Remember, when you go to work for them, THEY expect more of you not less.

Even when you don’t get the large sale or project you ask for, you will probably end with something more than you would have gotten otherwise if you had thought small. Think about all of the benefits and perks you haven’t asked for. What is their position on those? How do you know if you don’t ask?

The pros with the highest average orders, and the most overall sales are typically the ones who shoot for–and ask for–the biggest sales. The math works on this. Same with you in your job search. If you start out by thinking small and that they will reject you if you ask for too much, you are probably right. Right? WRONG! Remember, it’s not what you say, but how you say it that makes it palatable or not.

Where you target to sell to an organization your success usually stems from how high you target and how high you get in the sales process. Same thing holds true for interviewing. Where are you calling? Aim high.

Percy Ross wrote a syndicated newspaper column, “Thanks a Million,” where he gave away millions of dollars to people who wrote in, and ASKED in the right way. In his now out-of-print book, “Ask for the Moon–and Get It!” he also suggested asking large: “Take a chance; ask for something big! Most of us have a tendency to shy away from the things we want the most. What is it your heart desires? What is it you want the most? Who could give it to you or make it come true? Go ahead, ASK THEM!”

John F. Kennedy said that, “Only those who dare to fail greatly will succeed greatly.” He practiced what he preached; he asked for the moon, got it approved by Congress, and received commitment from the thousands of people who ultimately made it happen in 1969.

“Why not go out on a limb. Isn’t that where the fruit is?” Frank Scully