Big Ask Bingo is a free printable card with 24 big asks on it, like pitching yourself to a podcast, asking a brand for a product you’d never buy yourself or applying to be on a game show. You make an ask, color in the square and keep going in any order. Five in a row is a bingo, and it counts whether the answer was yes, no or nothing at all.
Heads up: one link in this post is an affiliate link, so I earn a commission if you buy through it, at no extra cost to you. It’s for the labels the sticker sheet is sized for. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Why make big asks if most of them get a no?
Because a yes only comes from an ask you actually sent, and I’m already used to playing long odds. I’ve been entering sweepstakes since my late teens, and I know the odds on those are low. In my own sweepstakes log, 1,807 entries turned into six wins, which is about one win for every three hundred entries. I keep entering anyway, because each entry comes with a small feeling of “ooh, what if?”
Big asks feel the same to me. You’re not going to hear back from many of the people you ask, and some of the ones who answer will say no. But every so often there’s a yes in there.
The difference is the size of the prize. A sweepstakes entry might win a gift card. A big ask can turn into a hotel stay, a podcast spot or a paid project, and you get to pick what you’re asking for.
Do big asks ever work?
They do, and I watched it happen up close. Years ago, on my old blog, my sister and I used to get pitched on trips by brands. Some of the trips came to us that way, but several of them happened because my sister asked for them herself. She pitched hotels for stays and companies for experiences, and she got a lot of them.
I wasn’t the one traveling back then, so I can’t tell you what was in her emails. What I can tell you is that she asked often and plenty of people said yes.
I’m overdue for a big ask of my own. The closest I’ve come lately was filling out a review form for a fancy espresso machine, which I wrote about in how to ask for what you want when a no still stings. So I’m playing this card too, starting this month, with one big ask every Friday.
What’s on the Big Ask Bingo card?
There are 24 asks on the card, plus a free space in the middle. They’re mixed up on purpose, so one row might have a pitch, a money ask and something just for fun. Here they are grouped by type:
| Type of ask | Squares on the card |
|---|---|
| Brands and products | Pitch a brand for a huge product, ask a brand you love to send you something, ask a brand to sponsor something you’re making, ask a company for early access, ask to try something before you buy it |
| Getting seen | Pitch yourself to a podcast, ask to guest on a blog or YouTube channel, pitch a reporter to feature you, ask a bigger creator to share your post, ask for a speaking spot |
| Money | Ask for a raise, a higher rate or a discount, ask to be paid for something you’ve done for free, ask for a fee to be waived, ask for a refund you assumed you couldn’t get |
| Experiences | Ask for a free stay or an upgrade, ask for a free ticket to a conference or event, apply to be on a game show or a TV show |
| People | Ask someone you admire for 15 minutes, ask someone to mentor you, ask a big name to reply to you, ask a local business to team up with you |
| Your own stuff | Ask a store to carry your product, ask an expert to review your work, ask your followers for exactly what you need |
Each square has three little circles for yes, no and quiet, so you can mark what happened once you hear back, or once enough time goes by that you know you won’t.
How do you play Big Ask Bingo?
- Print the card and write the month at the top.
- Pick any square and make the ask. Send the email, fill out the form or say it out loud.
- Color in the square as soon as the ask is sent. Don’t wait for the answer.
- When you hear back, circle yes or no. If a few weeks go by with nothing, circle quiet.
- Five colored squares in a row, across, down or corner to corner, is a bingo.
- Write every yes in the box at the bottom of the card.
The answers don’t decide your bingo. A row of five no’s is still a bingo, because you made five asks you’d have skipped otherwise. It’s the same idea behind growing your own luck one small action at a time, just with bigger actions. Skip any square that doesn’t fit your life, and there are still plenty of rows left to finish.
This month’s practice
Make your first big ask
- Print the Big Ask Bingo card and pick the one square that scares you least.
- Write down who you’d ask and what you’d ask them for. If it’s a phone call, like asking for a fee to be waived, this phone call prep sheet gives you a spot to write it out before you dial.
- Send it today, in under 15 minutes, before you can edit it to death.
- Color in the square.
- Pick your next square before you close the tab.
To keep track of your asks in your planner, I made a sticker sheet with every square from the card, twice, each with Yes, No and Quiet boxes. Stick one on the day you make that ask. There are also 6 “I asked:” stickers for asks that aren’t on the card and 6 BINGO! stickers for when you fill a line.
Print them on Avery 5195 labels if you’ve got a laser printer, or Avery 8195 if you’ve got an inkjet. Avery lists both as the same template. Print at Actual Size (100%) so the stickers line up with the labels.
Frequently asked questions
What is Big Ask Bingo?
Big Ask Bingo is a printable 5×5 card where each square is a bold ask, like pitching a podcast or asking for a free upgrade. You color in a square when you make the ask, and five in a row is a bingo whether the answers were yes or no.
Does a square count if they say no?
Yes. A square counts the moment you send the ask. The answer goes in the little yes, no or quiet circles, but it doesn’t decide whether you get the square.
What if I never hear back?
Circle quiet and keep going. Plenty of asks get no reply at all, which happens with sweepstakes entries too. A quiet answer still counts toward your bingo.
How long should I give the card?
A month works well, and there’s a spot at the top to write which month you’re playing. If you want more time, keep going until you’ve filled a row or two.
What counts as a big ask?
A big ask is anything that feels a little too bold to send, like asking a brand for an expensive product or pitching yourself to a show you love. If it makes you think “they’ll never say yes,” it’s a good one for the card.
Do I have to do every square?
No. Skip anything that doesn’t fit your life, like asking a store to carry a product if you don’t sell one. There are still twelve possible bingos on the card.
Playing along this month
I’m playing this card alongside you, and my yeses go in the same box at the bottom. Big Ask Bingo turns a month of bold asks into a game, where every ask counts and every yes is a bonus. Print the card and send your first one today.
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