They Ask, You Answer, 2nd Edition

They Ask, You Answer, 2nd Edition

by Marcus Sheridan
Released August 2019
Publisher(s): Wiley
ISBN: 9781119610144

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Book description

The revolutionary guide that challenged businesses around the world to stop selling to their buyers and start answering their questions to get results; revised and updated to address new technology, trends, the continuous evolution of the digital consumer, and much more

In today’s digital age, the traditional sales funnel—marketing at the top, sales in the middle, customer service at the bottom—is no longer effective. To be successful, businesses must obsess over the questions, concerns, and problems their buyers have, and address them as honestly and as thoroughly as possible. Every day, buyers turn to search engines to ask billions of questions. Having the answers they need can attract thousands of potential buyers to your company—but only if your content strategy puts your answers at the top of those search results. It’s a simple and powerful equation that produces growth and success: They Ask, You Answer. 

Using these principles, author Marcus Sheridan led his struggling pool company from the bleak depths of the housing crash of 2008 to become one of the largest pool installers in the United States. Discover how his proven strategy can work for your business and master the principles of inbound and content marketing that have empowered thousands of companies to achieve exceptional growth.

They Ask, You Answer is a straightforward guide filled with practical tactics and insights for transforming your marketing strategy. This new edition has been fully revised and updated to reflect the evolution of content marketing and the increasing demands of today’s internet-savvy buyers. New chapters explore the impact of technology, conversational marketing, the essential elements every business website should possess, the rise of video, and new stories from companies that have achieved remarkable results with They Ask, You Answer. 

Upon reading this book, you will know:

  • How to build trust with buyers through content and video.
  • How to turn your web presence into a magnet for qualified buyers.
  • What works and what doesn’t through new case studies, featuring real-world results from companies that have embraced these principles.
  • Why you need to think of your business as a media company, instead of relying on more traditional (and ineffective) ways of advertising and marketing.
  • How to achieve buy-in at your company and truly embrace a culture of content and video.
  • How to transform your current customer base into loyal brand advocates for your company.

They Ask, You Answer is a must-have resource for companies that want a fresh approach to marketing and sales that is proven to generate more traffic, leads, and sales. 

Table of contents

  1. Foreword
  2. Introduction
  3. Part I A Very Different Way of Looking at Business, Marketing, and Trust
    1. Chapter 1 The Fall
      1. How I Became a “Pool Guy”
      2. 2001 to 2008: The False Economy
      3. 2008: The Wheels Start to Fall Off
    2. Chapter 2 A Massive Buying Shift and the Blur Between Sales and Marketing
    3. Chapter 3 This Book Won’t Work for You If …
    4. Chapter 4 The Discovery of They Ask, You Answer
    5. Chapter 5 They Ask, You Answer Defined
    6. Chapter 6 Brainstorming the Questions You Are Asked Every Day
      1. Putting It into Action
    7. Chapter 7 The Ostrich Marketing Strategy
    8. Chapter 8 The CarMax Effect
      1. The Beginnings of CarMax and a New Way to Sell
      2. Putting It into Action
    9. Chapter 9 The Discovery of The Big 5
    10. Chapter 10 The Big 5, Topic 1: Pricing and Cost: Why We Must Talk About Money
      1. “Every Solution Is Different”
      2. “Our Competitors Will Find Out What We Charge”
      3. “We’ll Scare Customers Away”
    11. Chapter 11 How One Article About Money Generated More Than $6 Million in Sales
      1. Putting It into Action
    12. Chapter 12 Case Study 1: High-End B2B Technology Company Generates More Than $8 Million in Additional Revenue
      1. About Segue Technologies
      2. The Snowball Begins
      3. Segue Technologies’ Astounding Growth
      4. Improving the System to Produce Content
    13. Chapter 13 The Big 5, Topic 2: Problems: How to Turn Weaknesses into Strengths
    14. Chapter 14 Addressing the Elephant in the Room
    15. Chapter 15 How Talking About Our Problems Generated More Than $1 Million in Revenue
      1. Putting It into Action
    16. Chapter 16 Case Study 2: An Equipment Financing Company Becomes a Digital David and Conquers the Industry Goliaths
      1. About Smarter Finance USA
      2. Smarter Finance USA Embraces They Ask, You Answer
      3. Smarter Finance USA Focuses on Educating Small Business Owners Searching for Equipment Loans Online
      4. Smarter Finance USA’s Educational Content Pays Off in a Big Way
    17. Chapter 17 The Big 5, Topic 3: Versus and Comparisons
      1. The Results
      2. Putting It into Action
    18. Chapter 18 The Critical Need for Unbiased Content
      1. Disarmament: The Quickest Way to Build Trust
    19. Chapter 19 The Big 5, Topics 4 and 5: Reviews and Best in Class
      1. Putting It into Action
    20. Chapter 20 Using Reviews to Establish Yourself as an Expert
    21. Chapter 21 The Impact of Discussing Competition
      1. Putting It into Action
    22. Chapter 22 Case Study 3: Small Retail Appliance Store Dominates Online and Makes Millions
      1. About Yale Appliance
      2. A CEO Becomes Head of Business Development
      3. Yale Appliance Tackles the Tougher Questions
      4. Yale Appliance’s Success with Inbound Marketing
    23. Chapter 23 The Competition
      1. The Bad Fits
      2. The Customer
    24. Chapter 24 How They Ask, You Answer Saved River Pools and Spas
  4. Part II The Impact of They Ask, You Answer on Sales Teams
    1. Chapter 25 How Great Content Is a Total Game-Changer for Sales Teams
      1. The 7 Major Benefits of Sales Teams Embracing They Ask, You Answer
    2. Chapter 26 A Dramatic Discovery
    3. Chapter 27 Assignment Selling
      1. An Example of Assignment Selling in Action
      2. The Special Rights of the Teacher
      3. What Homework Can Tell Us About a Prospect
    4. Chapter 28 How One Remarkable Couple Changed My Perspective on the Power of Content to Sell
    5. Chapter 29 Content Never Sleeps
    6. Chapter 30 How to Use Assignment Selling to Avoid Common Pitfalls
    7. Chapter 31 How to Use Assignment Selling to Determine Compatibility
    8. Chapter 32 Case Study 4: How a Healthcare Startup Became the Thought Leaders of an Entirely New Industry
      1. About Health Catalyst
      2. Phase 1: Uniting the Marketing and Sales Silos
      3. Phases 2 and 3: Live Webinars and Events
      4. Success and Plans for the Future
  5. Part III Implementation and Making It a Culture
    1. Chapter 33 The Power of Insourcing and Using Your Team to Create Incredible Content
    2. Chapter 34 Case Study 5: How Block Imaging Embraced a Culture of Insourcing
      1. The Silos Must Be Eliminated
      2. Understanding the What, the Why, and the How
    3. Chapter 35 Starting Off They Ask, You Answer with a Bang: Company Workshops
      1. Principle 1: Buyer Expectations Have Changed
      2. Principle 2: The Way Search Engines Work
      3. Principle 3: The Way Consumers Search and The Big 5
      4. Principle 4: Group Brainstorming of Content Ideas
      5. Principle 5: The Impact Content Can Have on the Sales Process and Closing Rates
      6. Principle 6: The Reason Why Everyone’s Voice, Talents, and Knowledge Are Critical for Success
      7. Principle 7: The Editorial Guidelines Going Forward
      8. Principle 8: A Look into the Future
    4. Chapter 36 The Content Manager: Qualities to Look for, How to Hire One, and More
      1. Someone Must Own It
      2. Choosing the Right Leader of Your Content Marketing Efforts
      3. Trained Journalists May Be a Perfect Match for Your Content Marketing Needs
      4. How to Make Sure Your Potential Content Manager Is the Right Fit for Your Company and Brand
    5. Chapter 37 The Importance of Having the Right Tools: Measuring Return on Investment, the Power of HubSpot, and More
      1. 1. The Continuous Ability to Measure ROI of Your Digital Marketing Efforts
      2. 2. The Ability to Track Lead Behavior and Use This Advanced Intelligence Throughout the Sales Process
      3. 3. The Ability to Test Your Website
  6. Part IV Creating a Culture of Video… In-House
    1. Chapter 38 We’re All Media Companies and the Visual Sale
    2. Chapter 39 The Selling 7: 7 Videos That Will Immediately Impact Sales and Closing Rates
    3. Chapter 40 The Selling 7, Video 1: The 80 Percent Video
      1. Putting It into Action
      2. Common Questions Regarding the 80 Percent Video
    4. Chapter 41 The Selling 7, Video 2: Bio Videos for Email Signatures
      1. Common Questions Regarding Bio Videos
    5. Chapter 42 The Selling 7, Video 3: Product and Service Fit Videos
      1. Common Questions Regarding Product and Service Fit Videos
    6. Chapter 43 The Selling 7, Video 4: Landing Page Videos
      1. Common Questions Regarding Landing Page Videos
    7. Chapter 44 The Selling 7, Video 5: Cost and Pricing Videos
      1. Common Questions Regarding Cost and Pricing Videos
    8. Chapter 45 The Selling 7, Video 6: Customer Journey Videos
      1. Common Question Regarding Customer Journey Videos
    9. Chapter 46 The Selling 7, Video 7: “Claims We Make” Videos
      1. Common Questions Regarding “Claims We Make” Videos
    10. Chapter 47 Personalized Video for Email: A More Human Approach to Direct Digital Communication
      1. 1. Choose a Simple Technology
      2. 2. Show Your Team Exactly How to Use It Until They’re Proficient
      3. 3. Teach the Power of More Effective Subject Lines
      4. 4. Learn How to Create the Perfect Thumbnail
      5. 5. Stick to the “Don’t Stop” Rule
      6. 6. Leaders Must Set the Tone with Their Internal Communications
    11. Chapter 48 How to Hire an In-House Videographer
      1. Identifying Personality Traits of a Videographer
      2. What a Good Videographer Candidate Should Demonstrate
      3. Extra Interview Questions for Your Videographer Candidates
      4. A Simple Video Assignment as Part of the Interview Process
    12. Chapter 49 Team Buy-In on Video, Performance Tips, and Long-Term Success
      1. 1. Don’t Stop
      2. 2. But You Can Do It Again
      3. 3. The 3-Second Smile
      4. The Problem with Scripts
      5. Getting Buy-In and “Embracing the Messy”
    13. Chapter 50 Case Study 6: How a Lifting and Rigging Company Became the Ultimate Example of They Ask, You Answer Success and Culture
      1. Mazzella’s Initial Approach to They Ask, You Answer
      2. Their Commitment Began to Pay Off
      3. Mazzella’s Success Came Down to Hiring the Right People
      4. Why Insourcing Outperforms Outsourcing Every Time
      5. There Are No Silos at Mazzella
      6. Educating Customers, Employees, and Entire Industries
      7. The Results
  7. Part V How to Build the Perfect They Ask, You Answer Website
    1. Chapter 51 Real-Time Conversations Are Changing How They’re Asking and We’re Answering
      1. The Way We Communicate Has Fundamentally Changed
      2. What Is Conversational Marketing and Where Did It Come From?
      3. You Can’t Dictate the Buying Process
      4. How to Start Conversational Marketing for Your Business
      5. Your Questions Answered About Conversational Marketing
    2. Chapter 52 Self-Selection: The Next Phase of Search, Sales, and the Way We Buy
      1. Wix: A Classic Case Study on Giving Buyers What They Want in Real-Time
      2. How to Use Self-Selection Tools for Your Business
      3. Common Questions Regarding Self-Selection Tools
    3. Chapter 53 Website Priority 1: Proper Homepage Design and Messaging
      1. Homepage Layout
    4. Chapter 54 Website Priority 2: Obsess Over Honest Education
    5. Chapter 55 Website Priority 3: Premium Education
    6. Chapter 56 Website Priority 4: An Equal Mix of Textual and Visual Content
    7. Chapter 57 Website Priority 5: Self-Selection Tools
    8. Chapter 58 Website Priority 6: Social Proof
    9. Chapter 59 Website Priority 7: Site Speed
  8. Part VI Your Questions Answered
    1. Chapter 60 “How Do I Find More Time to Make This Work Within My Organization?”
      1. Create Blog Posts from Emails That Answer Questions Very Well
      2. Start Talking to Yourself Out Loud. A Lot.
      3. Participate in Blogathons or Videoathons with Employees
      4. Hire a Content Manager Yesterday
      5. Remember That Insourcing Is a Very Big Deal
      6. Learn How Each Employee Best Communicates and Run with It
      7. Turn on the Camera and Hit Record
      8. Stop Doing the Thing That Does Not Bring the Greatest Returns
      9. Is It Really About Time, or Is Something Else Going on Here?
    2. Chapter 61 “How Long Will It Take They Ask, You Answer to Work?”
      1. Content Marketing the “Right” Way
      2. 5 Stages of Content Marketing Success
    3. Chapter 62 “Are Content Marketing and They Ask, You Answer Just Fads?”
      1. What Is Content Marketing Exactly?
    4. Chapter 63 “How Can I Keep My Team Engaged in the Content Process?”
      1. 10 Ways to Keep Your Employees Motivated to Participate in Content Marketing
    5. Chapter 64 “I’ve Been Told If We’re Not Adding Anything New to the Conversation, Then We Shouldn’t Be Talking About It — Is That Right?”
    6. Chapter 65 “Can I Just Hire an Agency to Do This for Me?”
    7. Chapter 66 “How Can We Afford to Do This?”
    8. Chapter 67 A Revolutionary Marketing Strategy
  9. End of Book Resources
  10. Appendix 1 Get Your Scorecard Grade Yourself on They Ask, You Answer Right Now
  11. Appendix 2 More They Ask, You Answer Resources
    1. They Ask, You Answer Scorecard
    2. Real-World Results
    3. They Ask, You Answer Playbooks
    4. Recommended Digital Sales and Marketing Software and Tools
    5. Free Templates and Downloads
    6. Recommended Books and Further Reading
  12. Appendix 3 Accelerate Your They Ask, You Answer Success with IMPACT
    1. Consulting
    2. Workshops
    3. IMPACT Live
    4. IMPACT Elite
  13. Acknowledgments
  14. About the Author
  15. Index
  16. End User License Agreement

Product information

  • Title: They Ask, You Answer, 2nd Edition
  • Author(s): Marcus Sheridan
  • Release date: August 2019
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9781119610144