Hard Asks Made Easy

The ask expert, LAURA FREDRICKS, JD, trains and coaches individuals, businesses, and nonprofits on how to ask. She comes from successful careers in industries known for making the toughest and biggest asks—law and philanthropy. Laura’s Five Laws on Asking and her prior six books have helped hundreds of global executives, industry trailblazers, marketing and communication leaders, boards, fundraisers, entrepreneurs, teenagers, artists, philanthropists, and everyday people get their best professional and personal life possible, just by asking. She is the recipient of the Ralph E. Chamberlain Award for extraordinary leadership in the field of fundraising and lifetime of service to the profession and the New York Nonprofit Network’s 50 Over 50 Award for excellence in media and philanthropy.

Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. The Ask—You Always Had It in You
Trust Your Instincts
Tackle the Two Devils
Push Away the Three Temptations
Takeaways
2. The Four Asking Types—Which Are You?
Overview of the Four Asking Types
Quiz Time
The Four Asking Types Quiz
Results
Type 1: The Negotiator
Type 2: The Empathizer
Type 3: The Presenter
Type 4: The Charmer
3. The Three Rules of Asking—Be Prepared, Be Personal, and Be Present
Know Your Audience
Select the Right Environment
Your Tone Is Your Superpower
Are You Listening—Really Listening?
Takeaways
4. Laura’s Five Laws of Asking—Law 1
Know Exactly What You Want, with Numbers and Dates
Organization, Stucture, Focus
5. Laura’s Five Laws of Asking—Law 2
Write Down Fifteen Things You Think the Person Will Say—and Then Write Down Your Response to Each One
6. Laura’s Five Laws of Asking—Law 3
Deliver with Confidence; It’s Time to Shine
7. Laura’s Five Laws of Asking—Law 4
Clarify What You Think You Heard
75 Percent / 25 Percent Rule
8. Laura’s Five Laws of Asking—Law 5
Plan Your Next Move at the End of the Ask
9. How to Ask the Tough Questions
Every Ask Needs to Be Two Sentences and One Question
The Ask for Help: Personal
The Ask for Help: Career
The Ask Is a Conversation, Not a Confrontation
How They Treat the Process Is How You Will Be Treated
The Ask for Money
Investment Ask
The Return-My-Money Ask
The Charitable Ask
The Ask Meeting: Always Let the Person Know It’s Not Just Coffee
Add or Subtract the Zeros—the Ask Is the Same
The Ask for Health
The Medical-Procedure Ask
The Prescription Ask
The Insurance Ask
The Ask for Spirituality
The Ask for Trust and Forgiveness
When the Answer Is No
10. Let’s Keep It Going