What is NOT Asking Costing You?

The other day I was in the doctor’s office and I was flipping through an issue of Portfolio magazine and I noticed an ad that said “Women Don’t Ask… It’s in the Numbers:“. The advertisement is for a book called “Women Don’t Ask“, and I found their web site to be a lot less thrilling then their actual advertisement. Anyway, this advertisement went on to give a few statistics backing up their big titled ad on how women don’t ask questions. Their number points were:

- 2.5 times more women than men say they fear negotiation.

- Women report salary expectation up to 24% lower than men for the same job.

- Women will pay over $1,000 more to avoid negotiating the price of a car.

- 20% of adult women (22 million people) say they never negotiate at all.

The ad focuses on women using the power of negotiation and to get that they really want. Unlike a full page advertisement, this was a leaderboard ad, broken up and shown on two opposite pages. The one said says “Women Don’t Ask… It’s in the Numbers:“, and the other side says “If You Don’t Ask, You’ll Never Hear ‘Yes’“.

I found all of this advertisement not only interesting because it grabbed my eye, but the first thing the ad made me think about, was how this is so related to internet and affiliate marketing. If you are successfully running a business online, whether is be through creating your own sites, or running your own PPC campaigns, you will most likely stay in the same place if you don’t start asking questions. If you are pushing some volume on a campaign and aren’t asking your affiliate network for a boost in commissions, you most likely will never get it! Same hold true for testing… everyone can only know so much, as other experts and friends about how you can improve your ad campaigns or for new marketing ideas.

Another funny thing about this advertisement and the affiliate industry is that there shouldn’t be any shame or fear to ask questions, since we are all so EMAIL and instant message based. There shouldn’t be any fear of asking a stupid question or getting rejected for a higher commission payout. The worst that could happen is you get a bad answer, or no response at all. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, be more afraid of what NOT asking questions is costing you and your business!

17 pieces of wisdom given by ye faithful
  1. roiBert said on April 11th, 2008 at 6:48 pm

    Reminds me of two of my favorite quotes:

    “The closed beak doesn’t eat.”

    and…

    “”He who whispers in the well is not so apt to get the dollars as he who climbs the tree and hollers”

    Reply
  2. Chris Guthrie said on April 11th, 2008 at 9:06 pm

    I definetely agree. I blogged about this a while ago when I was talking about the various publisher programs that I was denied entry at first but was persistent and got in:

    http://www.chrisguthrie.net/dont-be-afraid-to-try-new-publisher-programs/ (link to it for those that are interested)

    I’ve done it three times now and have been able to make money off of those publisher programs that I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to had I not called them up and convinced the account managers to let me in.

    What’s the worst that can happen? They’ll say no and you move on with your life.

    Reply
  3. Bloging for Money said on April 11th, 2008 at 11:31 pm

    Zac you’re definitely right about this. I usually ask for an upgrade of some sort when I’m staying at a hotel. Why not?

    Reply
  4. Edgar said on April 12th, 2008 at 12:08 am

    you gave me an idea, to start a woman website..

    Reply
  5. James Mann said on April 12th, 2008 at 4:57 am

    This has been my biggest problem having my own business and I’m not even a woman. I am sure it has cost me multiple thousands over the years.

    Reply
  6. IM.Hustle said on April 12th, 2008 at 3:14 pm

    Excellent post, Zac. I have no such fear. I ask, I make low ball offers :-)

    Reply
  7. Homebizseo.com said on April 13th, 2008 at 6:50 am

    You don’t need to be afraid of asking. The first step in anything is usually the hardest.You may need to ask a thousand times before a “yes” response is achieved.

    Leadership: Michael Jordan Quote
    I have missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot… and missed. And I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why… I succeed.

    Reply
  8. Jay said on April 13th, 2008 at 12:05 pm

    I guess I should be glad I always ask tons and TONS of questions, huh? lol

    Jay
    DatMoney.com

    Reply
  9. Zac Johnson said on April 13th, 2008 at 3:42 pm

    That was a good Nike commercial with MJ, I liked it.

    Reply
  10. Jackie said on April 14th, 2008 at 2:59 am

    - 2.5 times more women than men say they fear negotiation.

    Wow, that statistic about women just blows me away! Being an “Woman” and Entreprenuer, I am ALL about Negotiation, I negotiate at work and I negotiate Online (read Guest Post here: http://www.johncow.com/the-art-of-making-a-deal-online/) . Now you have me interested in the book and have inspired a Post! Crazy. I would have thought women were more “out there” now with negotiation in 2008, ESPECIALLY with how many Online WAHM (Work at Home Mom) Businesses and sites are out there.

    Reply
  11. Not John Chow said on April 14th, 2008 at 3:14 pm

    If you do not review or question yourself you will continue down a path that leads in the wrong direction. You need to stop every now and then to make sure you are on the right path.

    Reply
  12. thiago-dc said on April 15th, 2008 at 6:27 pm

    For some reason Women never like to pay the bills. They always run away from them.

    Banks love them because they always pay bank charges without any complaints.

    Reply
  13. Polly said on April 16th, 2008 at 4:14 am

    Is that thrue women negotiate less than men?…In our local traditional market, the most annoying customers are women as they always ask lower price :) ….

    Reply
  14. web design said on April 16th, 2008 at 5:27 am

    So true! I don’t know why woman fear so much. I was thinking a few days ago about why most bloggers are males… maybe women fear being bashed hmm

    Reply
  15. web design said on April 16th, 2008 at 5:28 am

    This is most of the time easier said than done :(

    Reply
  16. web design said on April 16th, 2008 at 5:30 am

    Yeah this could be to help woman expressing themselves :P

    Reply
  17.   Huh? Women don’t Ask?! by JackiesBizBlog.com said on April 16th, 2008 at 1:24 am

    [...] had recently read an article on ZacJohnson.com about how women are AFRAID to ask for what they want?! The Blogger was commenting on a new book for [...]

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