Asking too much

This posting is not about pricing. It’s about strategy. Questioning is among the best ways to brainstorm and create plans. Everything as long as it makes sense. Unfortunately it seems asking questions is becoming out of fashion. People sometimes really don’t understand the difference between settling a doubt and a direct confrontation. It’s like being the devil’s advocate. Lots of questions won’t be ever fully answered. Why did Sears bankrupt in Brazil? How come Wal-Mart is leaving Germany? Why French giant chain Carrefour cannot establish them as a brand in the US? Asking questions to different doubts should be encouraged, not to the point where marketing will become philosophy, but whenever it’s necessary to improve your plan. We shouldn’t be afraid to look like 8-year-old kids putting “whys” and “ifs” ahead of all the other words in every single sentence we say. Innovation pulls innovation. But, just like alcohol, know your limits.

Some of the useful questions I’ve made and heard while working in marketing.

“Why do they sell and we don’t?”
“Why don’t we test this?”
“If this will improve our performance, why hasn’t it been implemented yet”?
“Have you heard about (subject)”?
“Why do we have to use the same suppliers all the time?”
“How do you explain this?”
“Is there any other alternative”?
“Are you sure”?
“Did you talk to (person)?”
“Did you check (subject)?”
“Is it similar to that plan?”
“What’s the value of our product/brand”?
“How can we work this out on a different way”?
“Is it worth trying?”
“What is the competition doing”?