Questions before Answers

48 Sheets, Facebook pages, TV commercials, mobile apps, Pinterest boards, etc. are not questions. Rather, they may be the answer...maybe!

To get to the answer, we need a specific question - a question based on a business specific challenge/opportunity/etc. (i.e. our NPS is low, our conversion rate a low, retention keeps declining, our call center calls are doubling, we're losing margin, we have a random group of people who have found a new use for our product, etc.), while centering it around the customer's needs - what's the outcome/result we're trying to achieve for the customer.

It's important to map out the customer's journey in relation to the client's objectives to determine the task. Mapping the journey begins to identify gaps, pain points and other opportunities the organization to can solve to enhance to person's experience, providing them with genuine value. Once you have a particular gap identified, you can begin to frame your question/task.  And only at this point can you start to explore the types of technology and/or platforms you can leverage to solve this question.

So, the next time you think your brand needs an app, ask why? What am I really trying to achieve here? Maybe an app isn't the right solution, maybe there's a more effective and meaningful solution at the heart of my actual objective.

The same goes for agencies - the next time your client asks for a Pinterest idea, etc., ask why before saying yes. Determine the root business challenge they're trying to solve. Then say yes to solving that question, which may result in a partnership program, a bespoke community, a new product, who knows what it could be, but at least you can be sure your client's objectives are being met with the consumer's interests and needs in mind, resulting in an effective, insight driven piece of work that matters.