That\u2019s the moment when you should reach out and ask someone for help<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this blog post, we\u2019ll learn how to ask for a favor professionally and how to get the other person to say ‘Yes’.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Asking for a favor can feel awkward and nerve-wracking. But, we all need help sometimes \u2014 and there\u2019s no shame in that. If you want to get the job done better, faster, and easier, ask someone for help<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your results and performance won\u2019t be the only things that will improve \u2014 helping each other nourishes relationships and builds trust within your team<\/a>. It almost goes without saying, but asking others for help means that you are also willing to give others a hand when they need it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do you worry that others will see you as incompetent if you ask for help? <\/p>\n\n\n\n In a positive work environment<\/a>, asking your coworkers for help is not seen as a sign of weakness or unskillfulness, but quite the opposite \u2014 it shows self-awareness and willingness to improve and do your job right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n Improve collaboration and cut down on emails by moving your team communication to Pumble.<\/p>\n\n How to ask for a favor in the workplace?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some things to keep in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First things first \u2014 make sure you\u2019re asking the right person for a favor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Imagine going through the whole hassle just to find out that what you\u2019re asking is out of their expertise \u2014 or there\u2019s someone else who could\u2019ve given you better insight. You\u2019d waste both your and their time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To prevent that, do your research and\/or ask around who\u2019s the best person to reach out to when you need help. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2757 Important<\/strong>: Once you find the right person, don\u2019t forget to acknowledge their expertise. If you particularly like some of their work, you can mention it \u2014 everyone likes a genuine compliment. Besides, asking people for a favor because you know they\u2019re skillful at something sounds better than asking them for a favor because the task is boring\/difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n Collaborate with your team in Pumble<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n If the person you are contacting for a favor is not someone you\u2019re regularly working with, briefly introduce yourself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You don\u2019t need to share your whole life story (check the next tip!), but let them know:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your message should be short and sweet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Include all necessary details, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n But, be concise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Work environments are fast-paced and people are busy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t ramble and make the recipient spend too much time to get to the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another thing to bear in mind is to format your message properly \u2014 make it clear and easy to read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2757 Important: <\/strong>Don\u2019t forget to proofread your message! Check if there are some grammatical errors and misspelled words, as well as if you included all the attachments. Be considerate \u2014 ask for a favor as early as possible or as soon as you realize you need it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n People should have enough notice to be able to plan their time and possibly juggle around their schedule so they can fit you in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This is especially important if you\u2019re asking for a bigger favor \u2014 the earlier you do it, the better. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you do it last minute, the likelihood of them saying ‘Yes’ dramatically decreases.<\/p>\n\n\n I feel like Captain Obvious for saying this, but you should be polite. \u201cIf you\u2019re mean to people, they won\u2019t want to help you\u201d isn\u2019t a groundbreaking new discovery \u2014 I know you already know this \u2014 but I still feel obligated to mention it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Assuming we all know how to not<\/em> be rude to others, here are some additional tips for being a considerate team member:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s see how the request would look following these tips:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHey, this article needs proofreading.<\/em>\u201d \u274c<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHey, can you please proofread this article for me? The deadline for my article is tomorrow and you\u2019re the best proofreader on our team. If you\u2019re busy too, I understand. Thank you so much in advance!<\/em>\u201d \u2705<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s nothing worse than going out of your way to help someone and they end up being ungrateful. Always show your appreciation to those who gave you a hand, and be sincere and genuine about it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After all, if you want your relationships (both work and personal) to be beneficial, you have to put the effort into maintaining and nourishing them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Imagine if you helped someone and they ignored you after they got what they needed from you \u2014 you\u2019d be hurt and you\u2019d never want to help them again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, depending on the size of the favor and how close you are to the person who did you a favor, you can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udca1 Pumble Pro Tip<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Learn more about the importance of saying \u201cthank you\u201d and what phrases are best to use:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Elevate your workplace communication with Pumble<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n By now, you probably have a pretty good idea of how to ask someone for a favor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But, do you know how to get them to say ‘Yes’?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s go over some tricks (backed up by psychology) that can help you increase your chances of people agreeing to do what you\u2019ve asked them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mindset matters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you go into this thinking they will 100% say ‘No’, don\u2019t even ask. In other words, don\u2019t approach people with a mentality that you must be bothering them or wasting their time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our thoughts affect our actions, and our actions shape our reality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ask for a favor with a mindset that they\u2019ll say ‘Yes’, and you will:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tell people why you need that particular favor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After all, research conducted in 1979 by Ellen Langer at Harvard<\/a> illustrated the power of the word \u201cbecause<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Langer made people ask if they could cut the line to use a busy copy machine on a college campus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some just asked if they could use the machine, some of them added a valid reason (\u201cbecause I\u2019m in a rush<\/em>\u201d), and some of them just added… well, a reason (\u201cbecause I have to make copies<\/em>\u201d).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Results were the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, providing any reason will help.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n But, the most convincing reason is explaining how performing the favor benefits the recipient of the question. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Think of it as making a sales pitch \u2014 a good salesperson won\u2019t make you buy their product by telling you how much it will help them<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Unless you have a connection to that particular salesperson as a person, you don\u2019t really care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They convince you to buy from them by telling you how you<\/em> benefit from it and what it can do for you<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, if you need to convince someone to do you a favor, make sure to explain what they can gain from it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n Discuss, share & collaborate with Pumble, a team communication app by CAKE.com.<\/p>\n\n Do you need a big favor or a small favor? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Try the foot-in-the-door technique<\/strong> if the former is the case or the door-in-the-face technique<\/strong> for the latter situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The foot-in-the-door (FITD) technique was coined by Johnathan Freedman and Scott Fraser<\/a> of Stanford University in 1966. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s a compliance tactic that aims at getting someone to agree to do something big by first getting them to do something smaller (but of similar nature). <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If they have already agreed to do you a small, reasonable favor, they would find it more difficult to refuse a bigger favor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the self-perception theory, FITD is effective because internal thoughts drive people\u2019s behavior, while external pressure is not as powerful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n People like to stay consistent in their beliefs and actions \u2014 which is why it\u2019s important for two favors to be connected.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, if you want people to donate to a cause that\u2019s important to your organization, asking them to follow the company\u2019s social media (as a first, small favor) won\u2019t do much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, asking them to sign a petition related to the cause might give better results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, if you need a small favor, try the <\/strong>door-in-the-face technique<\/strong><\/a>(DITF)<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s the opposite of FITD: <\/p>\n\n\n\n The fact that they declined you the first time increases the likelihood of complying with the second request.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Again, two requests should be of similar nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s see how DITF would work in our example of raising money for an important cause. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You would have to ask for a larger donation than you would normally expect \u2014 let\u2019s say $100 per person. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When they start making excuses (not many people would downright refuse to give money to charity), ask them if they can at least give $10\u201315. They will be much more likely to comply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Robert Cialdini<\/a>, psychologist and academic: <\/p>\n\n\n\n “People will help if they owe you for something you did in the past to advance their goals<\/em>. That’s the rule of reciprocity.<\/em>“<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n He also quoted archeologist Richard Leakey, who stated that the urge to reciprocate is the essence of our humanness: <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe are human because our ancestors learned to share their food and their skills in an honored network of obligation.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n That is a tendency that transcends cultures and societies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Social psychology aside, it\u2019s (common) knowledge we\u2019ve all learned at some point: you have to give something to get something<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Do favors for others and they\u2019ll be more likely to want to do you favor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can follow every single one of our tips, but, if someone has their heart set on saying ‘No’, that\u2019s what their answer will be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can do everything right and still get rejected \u2014 that\u2019s life.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If that happens, don\u2019t take it personally. <\/p>\n\n\n\n They may already have too much on their plate or feel underqualified to do the task successfully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Respect their answer, thank them nevertheless, and think about your next move \u2014 what are your other options to solve the problem? <\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udca1 Pumble Pro Tip<\/strong> In most workplaces, email communication is still a prevalent form of communication.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n So far, we\u2019ve provided plenty of phrases that can be used to ask for a favor in person or via a team messaging app<\/a>, but emails have their own etiquette.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keeping everything we\u2019ve mentioned in mind, here\u2019s the formula you can use to ask for a favor via email:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dear [Title + Name],<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n [Brief introduction]<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n [Connection to the recipient \/ why you\u2019re asking them a favor]<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n [What\u2019s the favor + all necessary details] [Reasons and\/or benefits]<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n [Expressing gratitude]<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n [Your name]<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n [Your contact information]<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s how it could look like put together:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Dear Mr. Smith,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m Mark Jones and I work as a PR Specialist in XYZ Company. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n In your most recent blog post, I saw that you recommended our product, [Product X]. Since we\u2019ve recently started conducting interviews with our customers to hear their experiences and share their stories, we would love to do an interview with you.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The interview would be done via Zoom and it would be published on our YouTube channel (Product X, 200,000+ subscribers). The questions would revolve around your background, your blog, how you found our product, what are your favorite features, and your overall experience with [Product X]. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n We would also include a link of your choice in the video description.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re interested, please contact me to discuss further details. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019re looking forward to collaborating with you!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sincerely,<\/em> 555-555-555<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n \u2757 Important: <\/strong>Don\u2019t forget to add a relevant email subject.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n A communication app for teams of all kinds. Discuss, share, and collaborate.<\/p>\n\n With Pumble, a team communication and collaboration app by CAKE.com<\/a>, there are plenty of ways to ask your coworkers, managers, or employees for help with something. You can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n And, always remember \u2014 if you want help from others, make sure you return the favor when they need it. After all, good work relationships are a two-way street, beneficial for both parties.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhy it\u2019s important to ask for a favor?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If you never ask for help and attempt to do everything by yourself, here are some of the possible outcomes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
![\"Illustration\"](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/default@2x.png)
\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n\n\n\nTips for asking for a favor professionally<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Determine who\u2019s the right person to ask<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Example](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Example-of-acknowledging-someones-expertise-when-asking-for-a-favor-on-Pumble-a-team-messaging-app.jpg\")
Introduce yourself<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"Example](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Example-of-introducing-yourself-before-asking-for-a-favor-on-Pumble-a-team-messaging-app-1024x561.jpg\")
Give all necessary information, but be concise<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Double-check if all provided information is correct (especially names and numbers).<\/p>\n\n\n![\"Example](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Example-of-including-all-necessary-information-when-asking-for-a-favor-in-Pumble-a-team-messaging-app-1.png\")
Ask in advance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Example](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Example-of-asking-for-a-favor-in-advance-on-Pumble-a-team-messaging-app.jpg\")
Be polite<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Show your gratitude<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"An](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/An-example-of-showing-gratitude-on-Pumble-a-team-messaging-app.png\")
How to get people to say ‘Yes’ to your favor question<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Have a ‘Yes’ mindset<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Provide a reason<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"Illustration\"](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/features@2x.png)
\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n\n\n\nTry a compliance tactic<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The foot-in-the-door technique<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
The door-in-the-face technique<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Use the Rule of reciprocity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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If you get a ‘No’, respect it<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If you are that person who wants to say ‘No’, we got you covered too:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Example of asking for a favor professionally via email<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/em>Mark Jones<\/em>
<\/em>markjones@email.com<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Illustration\"](\"https:\/\/pumble.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/templates@2x.png)
\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n\n\n\nWhen you need help, ask for it via Pumble by CAKE.com<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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