Let’s play 21 questions
Imagine you put blood, sweat, and tears into writing the most incredible, heartfelt letter.
But the Post Office decided to run it through roulette and send it to a randomly selected person.
You don't know who it'll be sent to.
Would you be able to mail it?
Believe it or not, a lot of companies are doing this.
They publish content without knowledge of who they're talking to.
And hurt their engagement in the process.
Thankfully, there's a remedy.
get to know your customer.
It's that simple.
Start a conversation.
Here’s how…
Hop on the phone.
Ask questions.
I love this question list by Adrienne Barnes.
If they’re the buyer:
Why did you choose this tool?
What questions did you have before you purchased?
What objections did you have? How were those objections overcome?
What compelling content did the competition deliver?
What inspired you to look for the tool?
Describe the last project before you used the tool.
What do you think makes us unique?
What are we helping you do?
If they’re an early adopter:
Tell me about the first time you used the tool.
What other tools do you use with the tool? Or what’s your tech stack?
If they’re a biggest fan:
What do you love about our product?
What’s the biggest benefit you’ve experienced from using the tool?
What does the tool help you do?
How often do you use our product?
If they’ve mentioned frustration:
What annoys you about our product?
How can we better serve you?
How are you using our product?
What’s the most frustrating thing about our product?
Final Questions:
Who do you think is the best fit customer for the tool?
Who do customers think our product/service is for?
What else should I know?
create opportunities for connection
Maybe you already know your customer.
Maybe your engagement is solid.
Then what?
Ask for their opinion.
Brands are viewed 77% more favorably when they invite customer feedback (Microsoft).
Quick recap
To treat your audience well,
understand who they are
listen to their struggles
invite them to share feedback
The benefits:
better audience engagement (and more referrals)
create a better product
build a loyal following
It all starts with a conversation.
What audience conversation can you initiate today?
