Most people don’t like asking for help.  Why is this?  Well, it’s because they think they’re going to be a burden or they’re going to inconvenience people. 

In a business situation people are afraid that if they ask for help their colleagues (or their boss) will think they are incompetent. But the reality is, that when you ask someone to help you understand a situation or complete a task you give them a chance to feel important – to feel good about themselves – and you often also complete your task sooner, and get a better result.

I had a situation a few years ago, when a team member really needed my help and they didn’t ask me for it.  By the time I found out about the situation it was too late in the piece to change anything and I was really, really disappointed because I could have saved that person a great deal of trouble and anxiety with the situation.  Had they come to me, I wouldn’t have felt superior – I would just have been really pleased to help, he would have been saved some stress, and we would all have ended up with a better result.

Everyone likes it when they can help or support someone else. It feels good – and it also means that you have what you need.

In a sales situation, you don’t want to sound needy – but you do need to communicate the fact that you recognise the expertise and knowledge they bring to the table.  It doesn’t matter how much you know about your own product or service, or how much you know about the other person’s industry.  No-one likes to feel unnecessary and unappreciated so one of the most effective things you can do when you are trying to build rapport is to make the other person feel important – after all, it is their business you are trying to attract.