When it comes to getting people to take the actions you want them to take, confidence in your message is the single most powerful ingredient in your presentation brew. The difference between people who get elected to the US Senate or Governor's mansions across the country versus those who lose and fade away into oblivion isn't intelligence, work ethic, looks or even luck.

Often times the single biggest difference is that winners have the ability and the confidence to stare strangers and friends in the face and say, "Will you contribute $3000 to my campaign?"

Those who don't win campaigns, usually lack this ability. That doesn't make them losers in life, but it does contribute to their loss at election time.

Above where I mentioned the "ability and confidence" to ask people for money, I was incorrect. It really has nothing to do with ability and everything to do with confidence. Anytime you see someone in politics and you wonder "How in the world did this mediocrity get elected to anything?" you can rest assured that either this person was either born into great wealth or he/she has supreme confidence in asking people for money or favors.

Great salesmen and women, regardless of whether they are selling their own candidacies, used cars, widgets or the next great hedge fund, have three things in common - they are confident in what they are selling, confident in the message they are selling, and confident that they are great messengers for delivering it. 

If you want to have a hugely successful environmental foundation or a huge non-profit that promotes more air pollution, your must develop confidence in your ability to ask people directly for money. When it comes to big-ticket item sales, or contributions for five or six figures, or donations to worthy causes, direct mail won't do the trick. No one will give you money because you have seven university degrees. Customers won't re-order from you just because of good service. New hospital buildings will not be donated just because of your previous track record.

If you want people to give you large sums of money or business or goodies of any sort, you must ask them. And you must ask with supreme confidence and clarity!

Without confidence in your direct request presentations, your arguments and facts will fall on deaf ears. With confidence, your message will have maximum impact. If you combine a good message with a confident messenger and your target the right audience, your success is inevitable.

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More Insights from TJ Walker & Jess Todtfeld
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