This month I read “They Ask, You Answer” by Marcus Sheridan. This was one of the better business books I’ve read recently, both because of the information it shared as well as how well my perspective lined up with that of the author. Marcus Sheridan was a part owner of a pool company and they were facing bankruptcy, and because they literally had nothing left to lose, Marcus decided to implement this idea of “they ask, you answer.” It worked out really well for him and the company, so well that he started a marketing consulting company to help other businesses do the same.
Let’s start with the obvious question of what is “they ask, you answer” anyway? Essentially it’s a company taking the questions their customers or potential customers are asking and answering them in blog or video format (best for SEO, findability and permanence). To use Marcus’ company as an example, everyone wants to know how much a pool costs, but there are so many factors that determine price that there’s no easy answer to that. So Marcus wrote up a post explaining all the factors that go into determining the cost of a pool and what costs could look like. You can also use it to address potential problems and concerns, versus and comparisons, best in class, and reviews.
Why do something like this? It boils down to trust building, showing the prospects that you know what their concerns and questions are, and being able to provide prospects with the information they need to make a decision. The more trust you build with a potential customer, the more likely it is that they will choose to shop with you. Like Marcus, I do understand that there isn’t always the ability to provide a “flat rate,” so I really appreciate how you can lay things out for the prospect so that they feel like they’ve been given enough information that they can understand where the costs are coming from, and what things could end up costing if they proceed. And I also support sharing a “base fee” so that people can get an idea of if they’re even in the same ballpark as you.
Another reason to create this type of content or provide this type of information is because of how informed customers are today. Rarely do you find a customer in today’s market that hasn’t done their research before contacting you about a product or service. In fact, according to Marcus’ research in 2017 70% of the decision is made before the buyer contacts the business.
One of the marketing concepts that I struggle in some situations is the “gatekeeper” type of content, wherein content is hidden behind a gate and you have to subscribe or pay to get access to that content. This isn’t the same thing as a newsletter, but you often see it on news sites or blogs who think that’s the best way to get a return on the investment of the content they’ve worked to create. However, in the book Marcus shared about a different type of gatekeeping, and that’s requiring your prospects to do a bit of homework before you’ll set up a sales call with them. Marcus sets it up beautifully from the perspective of wanting to make sure the prospect is fully educated and prepared for the transformation to their yard that’s going to happen with their new pool, as well as answering some of the questions everyone asks. He sends this information through a video and an eBook, asks the prospect to review the content before the meeting and says that he’ll check in with them the day before the designated meeting to make sure that they’ve had time to check out that information. The check-in allows Marcus to make sure the sale is still a go, and that the customer read the material and isn’t just out price shopping to try to get the best deal, but is really invested in working with this company and getting a great product.
Finally, I think “they ask, you answer” is a great way to begin a relationship with a customer. It starts the relationship with honesty and openness, and indicates that that’s how you’re going to proceed throughout the duration of your relationship. Yes, as we’ve talked about recently, reviews/testimonials are great, but they won’t go into the depth and breadth of information that you can address in “they ask, you answer.” A side benefit is that you’re establishing yourself, your team that helps create all the content, and your company as experts and knowledgeable about the business you’re in and the work you do. Not to mention that answering all these questions in a public format means you won’t have to answer them as frequently in conversations with customers. What questions will you answer this week?