Here is Seth’s post today from which I think every network marketer can benefit:
“It Doesn’t Hurt To Ask”

Actually, it does hurt. It does hurt to ask the wrong way, to ask without preparation, to ask without permission. It hurts because you never get another chance to ask right.
If you run into Elton John at the diner and say, “Hey Elton, will you sing at my daughter’s wedding?” it hurts any chance you have to get on Elton John’s radar. You’ve just trained him to say no, you’ve taught him you’re both selfish and unrealistic.
If a prospect walks into your dealership and you walk up and say, “Please pay me $200,000 right now for this Porsche,” you might close the sale. But I doubt it. More likely than not you’ve just pushed this prospect away, turned the sliver of permission you had into a wall of self-protection.
Every once in a while, of course, asking out of the blue pays off. So what? That is dwarfed by the extraordinary odds of failing. Instead, invest some time and earn the right to ask. Do your homework. Build connections. Make a reasonable request, something easy and mutually beneficial. Yes leads to yes, which just maybe leads to the engagement you were actually seeking.

I am sure you see the application to Network Marketing. Why do so many think that building a network marketing business means alienating your friends and family? Because too often we ask in the wrong ways at the wrong times. That’s true online or offline.

Here is an example of an email another friend of mine, Lou Abbott, passed on to me that someone sent him yesterday . . .

Just found out that George is moving to Fla. I need a partner who wants to work and wants to learn. With me I am a knowledge whore, but seem to be lacking implementation. Just wondering, would you be willing to go through a couple of programs with me for next 90 days? I have got to get some money in quick, and I need someone that wants to learn. Let me know what you think.

Now mind you, I don’t know who this person is. I don’t know who “George” is. I would never do “a couple of programs” in 90 days. (I’d prefer to build one for the rest of my life.) Yet, he is asking me to work with him so he can get some “money in quick.”

Do you think Lou was interested? Of course not.

Now Lou wouldn’t name who sent this to him, he didn’t want to embarrass him and, sad to say, We get emails and phone calls like this all the time.

Learn how to “earn the right to ask,” and your success will appear and so will the life of abundance. The Industry as a whole will be greatly improved if everyone learned this skillset.