In life and business we all need favors from time to time, we tend to sway from either asking for help or being asked for help. Learn to provide favors even when they are not asked for. Human tendency is naturally wired to make us want to reciprocate a favor is received-- unless you're a sociopath, of course. Those returned favors tend to be a much bigger returns than having to wave your tin cup around asking for help.
You must give them something valuable, but don't expect that whale to buy from you because you held the door open for him. Focus on a favor that will save them time, a contact they need, a review that will help their business, and so on. Sometimes the chance to look good in doing you a favor will suffice, however, it’s generally better to find something stronger than that. When talking with most people they tend to make the conversation revolve around themselves and their interests, all of which will help in finding that winning favor that will get them on your side. It pays to help first in all cases (I hate to use absolutes such as all or always, however, this is one instance in which it tends to be true).
Think of two imaginary jars to your left and to your right. To your right are the favors you have asked others, and to the left are the favors you have helped others with. The one on the left should have much more going in than the right. Now it does not hurt to pull from the right every now and again, just focus more on helping than asking. Eventually most will try their hardest to return the favor, and for the ones who drop the ball when needed, just move on. All for being helpful, however, no good comes from helping a leach.
Now one last thing. When you do ask for a favor, a few tips, first off don't come right out and ask for the favor, be a human and ask them how they are doing, ask how said favor went, then continue to pivot the conversation toward bringing up your favor. We have all gotten that late night text from a drunk friend at 3am saying “can you pick me up?” Now if you’re a good friend you do it, but don't you feel used? Now on the flip side if your drunk friend had texted you saying “hey are you out at xyz bar?” Then asked for said favor, it doesn't feel as if you’re a free Uber and are just a friend helping a friend. The last tip is always downplay the favor, at all costs avoid asking for a huge favor, no matter what it is, always down play said favor, hey Mike could you do me a small favor? Tends to be a much easier approach, now if you’re asking for a kidney, that might be a huge favor. Just remember when in doubt help first, most want to be wined and dined before they open up to give you the business.
More Value Task - Your task today is to go out and find 3 favors that you can do for someone, if you have a friend who owns a business leave a review for him, if they have an IG business page go flood their comment section pretending to be a customer and thank them for your imaginary order, if they need help growing their IG let me know and I will send a few thousand likes toward their page on their latest post to get them on the discover page. Be creative and think of a way to help your prospect or friend with the sole goal of being to help and nothing else.