If you have a business and are -
- Launching a blog
- Revamping your website content
- Creating a new website
- What is the very first question you should ask yourself?
More and more, I’m coming around to the conclusion that there is one and only one correct answer to this question.
What is the correct answer? I’d love to hear your thoughts, and later in the week, I’ll share mine.
My guess – What do our customers and other key stakeholders want to achieve from a visit to our site or blog?
Andrews last blog post..Should nightclubs pay for cops?
Andrew, Oh … so close!
First or not, that is a great question to ask as often as possible.
Brad Shorrs last blog post..Take the Online Marketing One Question Quiz!
“Who am I talking to?”
I have no idea really – tend to jump straight in!
BTW – this is a great way to engage in conversation and generate ideas
Joanna Youngs last blog post..10 Questions to Think About In Relation to Your Comment Policy
Hi Joanna, I hope you’re right about that! There are lots and lots of good responses to my question … I’m looking forward to asking Andrew’s next chance I get.
Brad Shorrs last blog post..Take the Online Marketing One Question Quiz!
Hi Brad – I may be wrong but I guess the first question I’d ask myself is, what am I hoping to achieve through doing this?
Cath, Yes, another good question. Very good. But I’m hoping that on Wednesday I will convince you it’s not the best first question …
Brad Shorrs last blog post..Take the Online Marketing One Question Quiz!
My guess…What makes my business unique?
Tara Joyces last blog post..Innerpreneur Spotlight: Rebecca Stees
I don’t know if this should be the first question, but one very important question for me is why do they come to the site. How they find it and who they are is important, but why they are there helps determine what answers (solutions) they are looking for.
Alina Popescus last blog post..Rule #1 to Effective Replies to Customer Emails: Read and Understand the Inquiery
Oh, Alina, you are sooooooooooo close! And, another great question. This conversation is in danger of becoming more useful than my follow up post.
Brad Shorrs last blog post..Take the Online Marketing One Question Quiz!
Hi Tara, Thanks for stopping by Word Sell! Another excellent question. Is it the best first question …? We shall see on Wednesday.
Brad Shorrs last blog post..Take the Online Marketing One Question Quiz!
Brad, great conversation starter! When I read the post the very first thing that popped in my head is “Why?” It is definitely one of the questions I ask clients when working through these issues but I wanted to be honest about the first thing that came to mind for me. I look forward to your wisdom on Wednesday.
Karen Swims last blog post..Savoring the Now
Karen, Why not ask why? It’s an excellent question, but do you find clients get annoyed if you ask too many “why” questions? They definitely force you to think!
Brad Shorrs last blog post..Take the Online Marketing One Question Quiz!
Hey Brad! I tend to ask it a bit more eloquently but at the root of my questioning are the answers to “why” then we can move on to “who” “what” “when” and “how? Clients have not ever been annoyed, but often you’re right it forces them to think through their business and reveals holes (or lack thereof) in their strategy. Many clients have focused on a tactic(s) without having a clear strategy. I take them back a step to plan. Otherwise, if you have decided prematurely that you’re a hammer then everything looks like a nail!
Karen Swims last blog post..Savoring the Now
I would say:
Where am I NOW?
To where do I want to GO?
How do I get THERE from HERE?
I owe my math college degree for that philosophy – it’s carried me thru my entire professional career.
Data points, Barbara
Barbara Ling, Virtual Coachs last blog post..Twitter Affiliate Marketing
Hi Barbara, Three great questions that apply to so much more than online marketing. As a matter of fact, most of these questions do. Thanks for sharing your wisdom!
Brad Shorrs last blog post..Take the Online Marketing One Question Quiz!
Who is my target audience?
I’ll side with @karenswim to start with Why? and keep going Why?
Steve Sherlocks last blog post..job search notes: presentation zen for your resume
Hi Dennis, A fine question! Sometimes that can be a difficult question to answer, especially in a business that serves many types of consumers or businesses. I can see I’m going to have to do a whole other post based on this conversation.
Steve, The “why camp” is growing … and with good reason. Karen’s point about focusing on tactics rather than strategy is a common problem, and why questions get to the root of it.
“This conversation is in danger of becoming more useful than my follow up post”
What, you mean you’re not using this post to generate the most compelling answer?!
Joanna Youngs last blog post..8 Things I’m Up To (and where you fit in)
Something I learned at SOBCON08 from a session hosted by Lorelle…”Can I tell my viewers what I’m about in 10 words or less?” This advice is so important because if your website viewer doesn’t get how you can help them, and quickly, they’ll leave. Is that it, Brad?
Mary-Lynns last blog post..Is it Time to Buy a House?
Hi Joanna, I have a very, very specific answer to this question, yes … but I may be in for an argument. Since there’s been such a great response, I’m going to share my answer Wednesday and create a whole new post to delve into all these other ideas.
Hi Mary-Lynn, Another fine answer, but not my answer. (Don’t be disappointed, though. I think in a way all the answers, including mine, have a lot in common.) Your/Lorelle’s question has enormous value on so many levels I could easily write an entire post about it. It touches the issues of brevity, customer focus, benefits rather than features, and more.
Brad Shorrs last blog post..Take the Online Marketing One Question Quiz!
Is what they want and what I want (them to get) the same thing?
***
Denniss last blog post..Sick of the experts?
Hi Dennis, That, too, is a good question, assuming we know who “they” are. For sure, if the answer to that question is “no”, we have some serious problems to address before we can begin to do any sort of marketing or content writing.
Uh . . . (starts singing) “What’s it all about, Alfie . . .?”
Terry Heaths last blog post..Creative Writing, El Kabong and Unexpected Snow
Brad,
Well, need to say that your web savvy is showing big time. Great level of response to your brain teaser! The question is, whether you think so or not, is “is this the most effective use of time and resources for what I want to achieve? If not, can I expect to generate sufficient personal reward from the undertaking to make it worthwhile and override any redirection of business focus?”
Realize this is two questions but, as you know, verbosity is a problem with me.
Hi Terry, As a Michael Caine fan, I have decided to move your question to the top of the list.
Bill, Those are good, challenging questions. For my scenario, I’m assuming we’ve answered those questions in the affirmative and are ready to launch or rebuild our website/blog. If there is any doubt, then I agree we should back up and evaluate our plans a bit further.
Brad Shorrs last blog post..Take the Online Marketing One Question Quiz!
Hmmm, If the above fine comments are not your question, I am beginning to fear the introspection that might be caused by your next post. Here’s my stab – What am I passionate about? I know that’s not consumer-centric, but given the high blogging burn out rate (been there) might your own inspiration be as important as your readers’ motivations?
Fred H Schlegels last blog post..The Slash and Burn Prune.
how would end-users search for my site/blog/services?
or, said differently, what types of keywords are important to my online presence?
so says Jorge the SEO. kind of like Pliny the Younger.
Hi Fred, Your question, like Bill’s is fabulous but probably precedes this entire exercise, at least the way I’m thinking about it. If you aren’t passionate about your business blog or website, you’re probably not passionate about your business and you should consider folding the tent.
My answer to the quiz, which I’m posting tomorrow, is on a much different wavelength from most everything else in the discussion so far. I’ll leave it to you to decide whether I’m on the right wavelength or not; all I can promise is this will be the longest post ever on Word Sell.
Hi Jorge, My favorite cartoon from the New Yorker complete cartoon book is in Heaven, and a photographer is taking a group shot with millions of people in it. The photographer says something like, “Lucy, please move to the right. You’re blocking Pliny the Elder.” And that’s all I have to say about your response.
Brad Shorrs last blog post..Take the Online Marketing One Question Quiz!
Maybe I’m late to this particular party, Brad, but I still say the first question to ask is “Who are we, exactly?” Can’t get too far without bein’ able to coherently answer that one!
That’s a good question, Robert, but I was thinking about it a little closer to ground level. I assume if a company is to the point of launching a site they’ve already covered that one. Sometimes not, though!
Brad Shorrs last blog post..Mark Heuer Puts Face on Billboard to Find Job
Hi Brad Shorr,
How i Creating my first blog and promot it?
My first question is How can I start doing all this and from where to start?
Tell me how can we make money through online internet?
http://www.swapmycouncilhouse.co.uk/
Nice post. I think one of very important question for me “How they find and why do they come to the site and for what solutions they are seeking for” Thanks for sharing back links.
Thanks for sharing this nice post. My first question i think should be “what types of keywords are important to my online presence?”.