They Ask You Answer Summary

Buyers no longer want to be sold to—they want to be educated, empowered, and given the tools to make informed decisions.

1. Recognize Changing Consumer Behaviors

The internet has shifted how consumers make buying decisions. They now research extensively online, analyzing reviews, watching videos, and exploring options before reaching out to companies. As a result, businesses need to rethink how they market and sell their products.

Most purchasing decisions today begin long before a customer interacts with a salesperson. Studies show that 70% of buying decisions are made before direct contact with a company, compared to just 20-40% a decade ago. Customers prefer proactive, transparent businesses that anticipate their concerns and eliminate doubts.

Understanding and addressing consumer fears are essential. For example, customers may worry about wasting money, hidden fees, or poor product quality. If companies ignore these concerns, they risk losing potential buyers to competitors who address them more openly.

Examples

• Studies showing that the vast majority of customers research extensively before direct engagement.
• Marcus Sheridan’s swimming pool company gained success by directly answering common customer fears about pool installation.
• Businesses that fail to provide upfront pricing see higher bounce rates as users search elsewhere.

2. Trust Through Transparency

Being transparent means openly addressing common doubts, questions, and misconceptions about a product or service, even when it involves discussing negatives. This builds trust with customers by removing the mystery around a product.

CarMax exemplifies this approach by removing the frustration of haggling from the used-car buying process through "no-haggle pricing" and offering a five-day money-back guarantee. This transparency gave customers confidence, alleviating their fears of bad deals or faulty vehicles, and CarMax became the largest used-vehicle retailer in the U.S.

Customers also value businesses that are upfront about alternatives. River Pools and Spas gained respect by openly comparing its product (fiberglass pools) with others like concrete pools. Potential customers appreciated the honesty and were more inclined to buy—even after reading about potential downsides.

Examples

• CarMax’s no-haggle pricing simplified used-car buying.
• Marcus Sheridan’s blog post outlining the cons of fiberglass pools led to millions in sales.
• Honest reviews of competing products generated website traffic and built trust with buyers.

3. Focus on Pricing, Honesty, Comparison, and Reviews

Buyers value four key factors when making purchasing decisions: transparent pricing, candid acknowledgment of pros and cons, comparison options, and access to reviews. These elements help them feel informed and confident.

Hiding pricing information repels potential buyers. Today’s consumers easily click away from websites that lack clarity, viewing such omissions as attempts to manipulate or withhold information. Transparency generates goodwill and trust.

Customers also want balanced analyses. A company would benefit from openly comparing its products to competitors, even when admitting that another option may better suit some buyers. Marcus Sheridan’s objective reviews of competing products resulted in higher website traffic and surprising loyalty.

Reviews are equally important. Buyers trust peer opinions and data more than marketing claims. Businesses that curate honest customer feedback on their platforms empower decision-making and stand out as trustworthy brands.

Examples

• Surveys showing that price non-disclosure drives away prospective buyers.
• Marcus Sheridan’s review of competitive pool brands attracted thousands of readers.
• Amazon’s emphasis on consumer reviews as a key driver of trust and conversions.

4. Stop Listening to the Wrong Voices

Failing businesses often obsess over competitors or bad-fit customers, neglecting their most important asset: loyal buyers. This misallocation leads to poor strategies and, often, to failure.

Blockbuster ignored changing customer habits as Netflix grew its mail-order and streaming services, ultimately leading to Blockbuster’s decline. Companies that overreact to competitors may ignore their unique value or fall into reactive decision-making, which serves no one well.

Some businesses also waste energy trying to please customers who are not a match. Letting go of leads that don’t align allows resources to focus on meeting the real needs of ideal customers. This mindset ensures a clearer sense of purpose and stronger overall loyalty.

Examples

• Blockbuster’s refusal to adapt to Netflix’s model led to its closure.
• Businesses that spend time hiding product downsides to match competition often lose trust.
• Focusing on repeat batch buyers allows companies to streamline their goals.

5. Inform Before You Sell

By educating potential customers upfront, companies can streamline the buying process. Information-rich content makes it easier for customers to self-identify whether they’re a match for a particular product or service.

River Pools and Spas, for instance, leveraged videos and articles tackling every conceivable question surrounding pool purchases. This saved sales staff time, while fostering a better-informed customer base. Buyers arrived ready to purchase, cutting down on wasted interactions with non-serious inquiries.

Creating educational material ensures sales teams spend less time rehashing common information. Assignment selling, as practiced by River Pools and Spas, encouraged potential customers to engage with content before scheduling any meeting.

Examples

• River Pools and Spas creating content about both pros and cons of fiberglass pools.
• Prospective customers reading hundreds of pages of content pre-sale ensured fewer failed meetings.
• Video tutorials answering repetitive inquiries, saving companies thousands of support hours.

6. Teach to Earn Trust

People trust companies that act as teachers. Educating potential customers through articles, webinars, and helpful videos offers a non-intrusive way to build relationships with buyers.

Health Catalyst, a healthcare analytics company, filled an information void in its industry by becoming a leading educational resource. Offering in-depth articles, webinars, and insightful material without obvious self-promotion, Health Catalyst earned trust and converted many prospects into loyal customers.

This commitment to education, rather than high-pressure sales tactics, solidified Health Catalyst’s role as a market leader. Businesses can replicate this by genuinely addressing buyer queries with informative, easy-to-consume digital material.

Examples

• Health Catalyst owning its field’s lack of online education through free webinars.
• Creating guides for buyers builds rapport before first direct sales engagement.
• Hosting unbiased FAQs wins commitment of sales-ready readers.

7. The Rise of Video in Buyer Decisions

Video content now dominates consumer attention. Modern buyers prefer watching videos to understand a product or see a service in action rather than solely reading about it. Companies must embrace this shift.

Video accounts for a growing share of internet traffic and often influences purchasing decisions. Clear demonstration videos, unboxing clips, and tutorial walk-throughs address shoppers’ key questions without pushing traditional marketing spin.

Even small businesses can excel in video by having authentic, relatable employees appear on-screen. Nothing creates personality or connection more authentically than putting a human face to the brand.

Examples

• Cisco projects that video will comprise 22% of consumer internet traffic by 2022.
• Tutorials clarifying pool maintenance steps reassured buyers post-purchase at River Pools.
• Real staff in explainer videos create connection far better than outsourced campaigns.

8. Be Ready for Instant Connections

Consumers seek seamless interactions with businesses, often using instant messaging platforms or chatbots. Companies that resist adapting face alienating potential buyers and losing sales to more responsive competitors.

Tools like Facebook Messenger, chatbots, and instant replies serve fast answers to customer queries. Buyers no longer accept delays when companies miss the expectation of online immediacy.

Beyond speed, this style of communication feels natural. It aligns with how people commonly text friends or acquaintances daily, crossing into business comfortably when managed authoritatively.

Examples

• Companies embracing WhatsApp increased conversion via conversational follow-ups.
• Chatbots significantly reduced help desk team hours while ensuring speed.
• Buyers now rate company response times higher than website gleam or luxury.

9. Long-Term Payoff of Quality Content

Well-crafted, timeless content acts as a reliable sales engine. Whether answering common questions or simplifying complex needs, exceptional content continues to fill leads years later.

Instead of racing to publish dozens of shallow posts, invest in well-thought-out content like buyer guides or valuable infographics. Businesses like River Pools established themselves early as dependable experts through pieces still praised online.

Remember, online information persists—even old, clumsy blog posts could resurface as liabilities. From day one, authenticity and care richly reward businesses years ahead.

Examples

• Single long blogs can drive millions simply solving repeatable customer decision paths.
• Apple product breakdown articles remain indexed and messaged daily since 2005.
• Scanning Mr. G’s own case converted 374 pages read articles hours appointment.

Takeaways

1. Build a comprehensive content library, using videos, articles, and FAQs to answer every typical customer question.
2. Use conversational channels like chatbots for immediate online responses. Customers will engage more when responses feel personal.
3. Avoid competing on shallow volume. Pledge resources exclusively on topics timeless yet deeply informative.