Here are seven big ways to ensure that your business becomes more profitable. Do these, and your revenues will soar.

This is the introduction to the chapter “Ask For What You Want” from the book The Power of Focus by Jack Canfield. Mark Victor Hansen and Les Hewitt.

In many ways, these steps can be applied not only in business but in many aspects of life.

1.                  Ask for information

One time, our company had a project and asked some solution providers for demos. A leading software vendor came in and started to demonstrate a system that was so far from our specifications that one manager had to cut it halfway through in order to save all of us the misery. They simply did not ask what was required.

One other vendor took time to ask. They sent some people who met with the project team and inquired about details. We were only too happy to provide it for it will save us more time in the long run. In short, they bagged the contract.

2.                  Ask for business

At a talk he gave to educators, Butch Jimenez extolled the virtues of having an internet connection for schools, teachers and students. Information at your fingertips. Instant communication. Even a business.

At the last part of his talk, he asked: “Would you like to subscribe to our internet service, with a tailor-made plan for you? There are booths outside with personnel waiting to take your subscription.

End result? Teachers scrambling to subscribe. It was pure mayhem. Business was good that day.

3.                  Ask for written endorsements

“Most people in business don’t do this,” as the book explains. Amazon and Ebay use this to the hilt. Five-star reviews of books often translate to more sales. Ebay sellers with good customer feedback are trusted than those who have little or no feedback at all.

Personally, I bought the book The Success Principles by Jack Canfield on account of testimonials on Barnes and Noble. I saw some names I trusted and bought the book. Testimonials are more powerful than paid endorsement of a celebrity. You tend to trust somebody who has nothing to gain but extols the virtue of a product or a service from personal experience rather than an actor who you think is doing it only for the money.

4.                  Ask for top-quality referrals.

You experience a rejection from a customer, Mr. Reyes after presenting your pitch. You might feel a bit hurt, thinking that your time was wasted. Take opportunities like this to ask for referrals (you should also ask if it resulted in a sale). Why? After listening to you, they are in a position to point you to qualified leads. They might say “Oh yeah, I think my friend Mr. Smith will be interested in your product.” He will go on to say why.

Another reason to ask is so you can sell again to the referrer. If you are able to sell to Mr. Smith, you now have more leverage to sell back to Mr. Reyes since you can have a testimonial from someone he knows.

5.                  Ask for more business

Commonly known as the upsell, fast food chains have mastered this with “Would you like to add fries to your burger and upgrade your drink to a bigger size?” This is one of the best income generating ideas ever to hit the franchises.

Even if you don’t have additional products or services (though you should), you can still ask when their next order would be.

6.                  Ask to renegotiate

When buying, you can ask for a discount. Especially if you have been a loyal customer buying in bulk, stores will usually give you a discount. At other times, instead of a discount, you might be given a freebie or a special offer on some other items.

At a seminar I attended, I was able to get a an early bird discount despite having paid past the deadline. It was only because we renegotiated and asked.

7.                  Ask for feedback

In order to get a real feel of how your business is doing, ask for feedback. Ask what they like most about your product and if there is some other feature that would make it better. Some of the things you might hear might be unpleasant but that’s completely acceptable. It is better for you to hear them straight from your customer rather than not hear them because they placed their business with your competitor.