Can you write a valuable blog post made up entirely of questions?
I think i can, but will you give me your opinion by commenting below once you finish reading it?
Should we begin? I’m ready, are you?
How’s your business going? Is it doing as well as you used to dream it would? Do you think you could improve it right now?
If you were forced to, what could you do right now that would move your business in the right direction? Are you willing to commit to doing it today? If you are willing, will you write it down right now, so you don’t forget?
Do you procrastinate? Why do you think you do it? Do you really enjoy the activities you do instead? If you had to choose, would you say it’s a fear of failure, or a fear of success? Could it just be a bad habit?
If procrastination was just a bad habit, would you be willing to create a new habit of being action oriented instead? If so, can you commit to doing that one thing that’ll improve your business (the one I asked you to write down) as soon as you finished commenting on this blog post?
Do you think this is an interesting experiment so far? Are you getting value out of it? Should I assume if you’re still reading you are? Should I continue?
Have you ever stopped and thought about how much you already know? Can you imagine how different your life might be if you applied everything you already know? Could blog posts like these that just ask questions (instead of telling you more to know) help you use more of what you already know? If so, do you think you might see more blog posts that are made up of just questions like this one?
Do you think if you share really good content with your prospects they would immediately buy more from you? What if they already had enough? Don’t we all have enough already?
Well, if good content isn’t enough to get people to buy, what does get people to buy? Don’t you think people buy to solve a problem or problems? So, what if your content helped your prospects understand their problems better and showed them how your product or service solved it? Do you see how much more effective this sort of content would be?
Have you ever read the Internet Business Manifesto? Isn’t that what I did when I wrote it?
Are you clear what problems your product or service solves? While I’m sure you know a lot about what you sell, how much do you know about the problem it solves?
Do you know more about the problems your prospects experience than they do? Don’t you think you should? Because if you did, couldn’t you write great content that helped your prospect better understand their problem? And wouldn’t they trust and like you more because you knew their problem so well?
Then when you told them about what you offered and why it was the best way to solve their problem, don’t you think a lot more of them would buy it? Are you now going to learn more about your prospects problems?
Would you like to know how I learn more about my prospects’ problems? Do you want me to tell you in my next blog post? If so, will you tell me that in the comments below? If not, would you tell me what you do want me to write about in the comments below?
So, what do you think? Would you believe me if I told you this was one of the easiest blog posts I’ve ever written? Does that matter to you anyway?
Should I write some more posts like this? Would you be willing to read them if I did?
If you had to guess, do you think more people will like this or hate this? Won’t you know after you read the comments below?
Before you go, can you do two small favors for me?
Should I say thank you in advance?
Link to this post: If you found this page useful, consider linking to A Daring Online Business Blog Post? ...
Why are there no comments on this post yet? Will someone post theirs before I finish this one? Will the comments contain only questions? Will comments containing anything other than questions get approved? Will anyone answer any of the questions that do get asked?
If I said yes, I’d be interested in reading a blog post about how you find out more about your prospects problems, would you write it? Would you also talk about how you communicate things you know about their problems that even they don’t know in a way that doesn’t lose their interest before they realize that they really do have the problem you’re talking about?
Funny Antone… I’m questioned out…glad you want to hear about the finding and communicating your prospects’ problems… I’m ready – let’s see if others agree…
Interesting challenge. After about the fourth paragraph I started to feel like I was stuck in a police interrogation room being hammered with questions until I confessed.
I wanted to stop and think about the answer to each question instead of continue reading. If you write more questions only post I’d keep them very short. Made up of only questions this post was too long. The reader is going to lose whatever point you are trying to make with question overload.
IN RESPONSE TO LIZ:
Not realy, I think this blog was fun!
All you have to do is go back to the top, and read ONE question at a time,
then answer each ONE , ONE by ONE .
Do you think the word ONE was used ONE time two many?
This is ONE time the word ONE was not used ONE time two many.
Boy, this is ONE time I think we got ONE thing going ONE good time here!
Does any ONE agree with this ONE little old me just this ONE time in ONE Million?
Well Rich, This is ONE time you have some ONE completely on your side , and we together can take on the public ONE by ONE, ONE on ONE.
If you like my reply, please let us talk. I have a proposal for you.
In Response To Every One:
Don`t worry to leave a comment saying that I need to learn how to spell.
I know how to spell. I know the word in the sentence above, in the first line of the second paragraph:“this is ONE time two many“ should be spelt “too“, but this is ONE time I felt it would be funny if I spelt this ONE word, this ONE time “two“, instead of “too“ so it would read ONE, TWO. See this may not make sense, it is a brain twister, but you have to remamber : I love to think! I do know how to spell. Just had to make this ONE point , just this ONE time.
Good questions, but it was a really challenge reading it. Would’ve been better if the questions were numbered? Easier for me to read and really think about them.
thanks elizabeth… i can see what you mean… i find that when i read a series of questions like this my mind is answering them as i read, but i can see how it might be a little disturbing the way you described.
Glad to help Rich,
I was also reminded of people who answer questions with questions. Makes you wonder what they are trying to hide. Or of a young child with the why, why, why mode that eventually drives an adult crazy and say enough. :-D
Children keep asking why, for the same reason customers want lots of info available, sort of. Children want to understand the basics of the problem. The why’s are to fill in the blanks of the picture. In their case, both the small and where it fits in the whole.
Customers want to see where things fit in the small part of the picture (theirs). So, they ask for information that puts it all in perspective for them.
Very good & inspiring post, once again you’re asking the right questions and obviously 99% of the readers should , if they’re honest with themselves, admit that there’s a lot of room for improval.
Yes I think you should write more of these for the only ones who’ll read them to the end are those aspiring & trying at “getting better at it”
Yes I would be interested to learn how you identify the wants & needs of my market” but what I think most of you smart guys underestimate is the number of people who have no market nor product or service and don’t really know what they should or would get into in spite of knowing a thing or two about several subjects..
reg
ted
thanks for the positive feedback ted, and i’ll start working on it this weekend
Now that would be a post I’d really like to read!
This one was good. I enjoyed it. But I already ask myself such questions and have long been working on answering them with increasing depth. The question I don’t know how to begin to answer is, What product or service would give me a reasonable chance of leveraging my (fairly extensive) technical skills into a profitable and enjoyable business?
Hi Robin:
Have a look at the website link and see if this might be up your alley! Contact me if you are interested in talking!
Regards,
Wendy Blair
I like the style. Most of the things that I write in my notebook are questions. I find that my brain works best when I am asking it a lot of questions.
It would be very interesting to hear how you learn more about your prospect’s problems and the best way to communicate them.
Building content around answering problems is sure to help build your business.
I look forward to your next article.
Thanks for all your hard work,
Graeme.
thanks graeme, i ask myself lots of questions in my journal too, and find my brain works best when reading questions in rapid succession like this blog post.
Rich, I think you would drive your readers crazy with blog posts like this. It was OK for the first couple of paragraphs…then it was overload.
i hear ya aidan, it certainly isn’t for everyone – i suggest trying to read it fast and let your subconscious struggle to answer the questions and keep up with your conscious mind reads it.
Thanks Rich…will give it a go. I think you are enjoying this :-)
of course i am enjoying this… there aren’t many things i do that i don’t enjoy ;-)
Rich: Great job. The reason that your suggestion about reading it quickly works is the same reason that the technique works. Your questions confuse the conscious mind and allow the customer (reader’s) mind to engage and fill in the answers in a creative way and perhaps the way best suited to their individual problems. Loved it. It is a powerful business trance induction that works. Dave
that’s right dave! you know i owned the largest hypnosis chain that ever existed… don’t you?
I did not! That is no surprise though. Again, loved the post and the insights. When you know and the customer believes that you understand their problems as well or better than they do….well, it’s easy and pleasant to do business. Dave
Great post Rich. The questions style is very engaging and revealing. Keep it up!
Here are the answers to your questions:
Yes. You can write a valuable blog post made up entirely of questions. In fact, you just did.
Yes, I am giving you my opinion now.
Yes. Let’s begin.
Yes. I’m ready.
My business is going very well.
It is not doing as well as I used to dream it would, but it’s going very well and I dream big.
Yes, I think I could improve it right now.
To move my business in the right direction, I’d create more systems to get the work done.
Yes, I’m willing to commit to doing it today.
Yes. I’m writing it down now.
Yes, I sometimes procrastinate. (Is reading and responding to this post a form of procrastination?)
Sometimes procrastinating is easier than doing the important work at hand.
No, I don’t usually enjoy the activities I do instead, because the important work is still lurking in the background.
If I had to choose, I’d say a little of each. If I had to choose ONE, I’d say fear of failure.
Yes, it could definitely be a bad habit.
Yes, I’d be willing to create a new habit of being action oriented.
Yes, I can commit to doing the one thing I listed above as soon as I finish this post.
Yes. It’s an interesting experiment.
Yes. I’m getting value out of it.
Yes. You may assume I’m still reading.
Yes. You should continue.
No, I haven’t thought much about how much I already know.
No, I can’t even imagine applying all I know, let alone how different my life would be as a result.
Yes, posts like this could help us to use more of what we know.
Yes, in that case we might see more posts like this.
Yes, I think if you share really good content with a really good prospect he or she would likely buy more. But if you share really good content with freebie-seekers and tire-kickers, they wont.
If they already had enough, they might not know it, particularly if they’re information junkies.
Yes, many of us have enough already.
Good content + desire for what it offers + belief in the provider + money to pay for it.
Yes, people buy to solve problems, but only those they know they have.
When content helps prospects better understand their problems and how the product or service solves them, that content sells more products and services.
Yes, it’s easy to see how much more effective this sort of content would be.
Yes, I have read the Internet Business Manifesto.
Yes, that’s what you did when you wrote it.
Yes, I am clear what problems my product or service solves. I’m not always as clear at explaining that as I’d like to be.
I know a lot about the problem it solves, but once again, I don’t always communicate it as effectively as I know I need to.
Not sure I know more about the problems my prospects experience, since they’re their problems.
Yes, it would be good if I could know more than they do about their own problems because…
Yes, then I could write great content that helped them better understand their problem and…
Yes, they they’d like and trust me more because I knew their problem so well.
Yes, then when I told them about what I offered, I think more would buy.
Yes, I am now going to learn more about my prospects problems… but I’m going to start with how to better articulate all the things I already know.
Yes, I’d like to know how you learn more about your prospects’ problems. I suspect it involves asking or surveying them.
Yes, I’d like you to tell me in your next blog post.
Yes, I just told you that in the comments.
You could write more about systems. I’m a systems nut.
I think many things.
Yes, I believe it was one of the easiest blog posts to write because questions are the easy part. Answering them is what requires the work, which is what makes consulting such a great business.
Yes, it matters to me, because usually I’m the one asking the questions.
You should write more posts like this if you want to.
Yes, I’d be willing to read them if you did.
If I had to guess, most people will be apathetic, the thinkers will like it, the rest will hate it.
I won’t know about the apathetic, because they won’t comment.
Yes, I can do two small favors for you.
1. I think exactly what I’ve written above.
2. I am telling others right now.
Yes, you may say thank you in advance… and you’re welcome.
David Blaise
http://www.sledgehammermarketing.com
WOW! David…. That’s amazing… and thank you!!!
I like the idea behind this post, but whom to are the readers supposed to answer to? And where are they supposed to send their answers? After all, non of us here have answered any of these questions, non were you expecting any to do that, as you simply asked for their opinion regarding this post.
tatiana – i think it’s impossible not to answer some of the questions in your mind while you read it – even if you try not to.
This post is brilliant Rich! If this does not make your readers brains work overtime then they are not ready for the level of training that you offer. I’d love to see more posts like this.
Love the idea – a different take for a blog like this.
54 questions were overkill, yes, I see that – your mind is processing answers as it reads, some of them need deeper thought, contemplation and engagement.
What I did: I just printed the post out – to highlight the questions most important to me now and scheduled some THINK time w/ those highlighted. I’m guessing I’ll highlight 1/4 of the questions.
At the of the day, I’m very appreciative of the ‘dressing down’. It’s like the “WHY” exercise with getting to the root cause of a problem that a business may be encountering. Keep mixing it up like this, Rich! Many Thanks…..
interesting idea bruce, i’d be interested if you got more out of it after you reflected on the questions. i hope you come back and reply to my reply to let me know how it goes and what your observations were.
Rich,
For me, the point you were trying to make was obscured by the gimmicky writing style.
First rule of good writing: your readers should never be aware of your style, just the impact of your content.
If this hadn’t been written by you (or one of your staff posing as you, lol), I would’ve clicked away after a couple of seconds. I agree with the poster who said it was like a young child pelting you with “why?” questions.
It’s good to try new things, but I think this experiment failed… at least for me. I hope others will be honest with their comments on this thread and not just try to kiss up. Because I won’t read another post like this… and I’d hate to miss good content from you.
I did read through to the end… after several tries… and your point was excellent. But I believe you could’ve made it with a much shorter, more forceful post.
Debbie
come on debbie, of course i wrote it (smile)
i do appreciate the feedback – and i agree, i hope no one says they like it because they are kissing up, if they don’t like it – i certainly won’t be offended. i realize it’s unusual.
while i would agree it’s a gimmick of sorts – i think it does have value – to me it turns the passive activity of reading into something a little more mentally active.
nonetheless, i respect your opinion, appreciate that you were honest, and i’m glad you felt comfortable enough to tell me what you really think.
Hi All,
I loved this post!!!
It’s unique and intriguing and the comments are almost as interesting as the post itself.
I do think it would be a bit more effective and less overwhelming if it was shorter. And, you wouldn’t be able to do this everyday!!! ;) You’d drive some people crazy!
To your success…. amy leigh
amy – i agree with the shorter version too!
i think i got a little to carried away because i loved the novelty of it.
in the future i think i might try it again but in a shorter length.
I think this was a great Idea. People can write down their answers to all your questions and review them at their leisure , then act on them.Very inspiring. Thank you
you know donna, that wasn’t my intention, so i am curious how that goes for you.
as i said to earlier commenters – my thought was that people would read it fast and yet their brain would be struggling to answer the questions as they continued reading.
it’s so fascinating to hear your take as well as others.
thanks for taking the time
I liked the post, Rich – how long did you have this idea in mind before writing it? Will you write another like it? Do you think I should try this on my site? What do you think?
Hey, this is contagious… thanks again for the post.
very funny…
i got the idea from reading a new novel… can you guess it’s name?
what i find interesting is how much easier it is to write a question than it is a standard sentence. i’m not sure why that is – but as i said in the post, it was probably the easiest blog post i ever wrote.
Really interesting. I would LOVE to know how you identify your customers problems. I create and sell personalized gifts and I’ve been asking myself that very question. This would help a great deal when it comes to writing content for my website. Keep up the great work.
cool tim,
i’m going to start working on it this weekend. so you’ll get your answer soon. what kind of personalized gifts do you sell?
Hi Rich,
I do etched and carved glass, like vases, wine glasses, beer mugs. We use the sandcarving technique and not lasers. We also do large pieces like mirrors and windows. You should take a look at my website. We also can etch photographs, which is a big part of our business. We sell a lot of Wedding and Sympathy Gifts by etching photographs on flat glass and glass mugs.
Holy Cow Rich! Some smart entrepreneur could create an entire program (and charge a bundle for it!) with just the questions you’re posting here for FREE! It’s like a coaching program I saw offered for big bucks. Never mind. Bad idea. I gotta go now, in one of your questions I promised I wouldn’t procrastinate any more. Very inspiring post Rich.
glad to hear your no longer going to procrastinate robert….
it’s true, good coaches are good not because of what they tell you – but because of the questions they ask you.
I train sales people to present using “low-profile-selling” techniques which are part of relationship marketing and trust based selling. Asking questions is the only way to sell effectively in any forum. Ask questions and answer with a story and a tie down question IE that makes since, doesn’t it? In my opinion, 54 questions online with delayed answers are about 49 questions too many. However, your point is well taken. Asking questions is selling not telling.
i agree – but i would just mention if i was selling readers on anything it was: themselves, what they are capable of, what they already know, and what they could already do.
Now that you have explained your purpose and I reread the article for content instead of the construction differentiation of questions,(due to the novel approach) I see your intent. Thanks for the clarification.
Who was it that said, “the quality of your life is determined by the quality of your questions?” You just saved a lot of people a lot of time. Now they can answer the great quality questions that you asked. Do your questions guarantee a better quality of life? I think so.
hohoho…. Rich, I know what you are getting into… the first phase of Clayton’s OPM… :-)
Didn’t like the post… Engaging the reader with questions is a valid blogging technique and good writing, all questions and no engagement = thought provoking to a point and then just boring!
I am quessing you will be making a point, on the next post?
Mr. Breslin,
You should try to be more rude and self absorbed in your next post. I wasn’t really what you were saying. not
The man is testing and questioning new ideas, what everyone should be doing. Be constructive with your critiques and everyone will learn.
Have a nice day
Kathy
whoops, got so excited I forgot a word. I meant to say I wasn’t “sure” what you were saying.
Anyway, play nice or I’ll tell your mother!
Kathy,
Sean gave his honest opinion, which was solicited. I don’t think his comment is rude, self-absorbed, or attacking.
Marla
Rich,
I appreciate your point of providing content to solve your customer’s problems, and the point was driven home by the question-only format. And yes, I want to learn how to identify customer problems within a market. I also agree that asking questions is a good way to build rapport, stimulate thought, and learn about your customer’s problems. So, the question-only format works with this content. However, this style becomes laborious and distracting after the first few paragraphs and should be used sparingly in the future.
Renee
Hi Rich: I find that I get more out of this post with all the questions if I print it out and then write down the answers after some thought. I guess my subconscious is not delivering very fast!
With that in mind, I do appreiate the content and the intent of the post. I am still working on the written part of the exercise, but I have found that a large part of the questions apply to me and need to be answered in a form that can be kept around for future study or review. I will be looking forward to your future posts, with more questions and/or some of your answers.
Thank you
Now that’s ingenuity Roger… I too found the same benefit by printing out the blog post of questions… Then I could under score or highlight items of interest.
I’m thinking that Rich is setting a new course of action by his post here; call my a skeptic but he never does things just for shear boredom factor.
Maybe Clayton’s OPM system is taking effect?
What say you Rich? lol
That’s for being a mentor
Loyd La Rue
http://twitter.com/LoydLarue
Hi Rich,
I’m gonna wrap those questions up and create
a product and sell it for $997, no make it
$497, no actually $297, no I’ll make it $197,
Oh I’ll give great value and offer it for just
$93.
How about we go 50/50 on it?
Would you be into that?
If not why not?
Would you agree thats a challenge?
Have you done anything like this before?
Do you think I’m joking?
Do you think I’m serious?
Do you think I’m mad?
Do you think I’m being sarcastic?
Would you think about it?
Would you say yes?
If not would you say yes anyway?
Putting that aside do you think you
should include good content mixed in
with some questions as well?
As well as internalising peoples thinking
by asking questions, since they are looking
and reading your blog, they need to read
content as well so as to keep them focused
on your content, do you think?
Now think about my little JV deal, then
would you get back to me with a yes so
I can get the ball rolling?
If not why not?
)
As others have suggested, I found it kind of mindnumbing. Maybe if it had been organized into meaningful topic categories and the questions used bullet points, it would have been a little easier on the eyes. It might work better by chunking the information in this manner. Then it can perused rather than plodded through.
This is a very interesting post, a very powerful way to communicate, creative and funny !
I will use that technique in my nitch for sure and take action right now.
I will be glad to read more posts like this one.
Thank you
thanks joel… when you use this technique post a link here so i can read it. and read tolani’s interpretation below
Questions open the doorways to understanding. They force you to think about what you know and don’t know. While challenging for many to read, these are compelling questions that can transform businesses and lives. Imagine what could happen if you took the time to explore these questions–even a few every day for a week. Excellent work!
Nice post Rich!
I never thought of doing a post with all questions, but I think this went off really good and I just might plagiarize your idea and implement it right away! ;-)
Thanks for the awesome inspiration Rich, Greatly Appreciated it!
Jeff Parker
Fitness Dude
please plagiarize the idea jeff – and when it’s written post the link here so i can read it. you might want to read tolani’s comment below because she’s pretty close on the structure of the post.
looking forward to reading your interpretation…
I think this post is genius. I read it fast and my
mind was answering the questions in the background just like you suggested.
Rich, I hope these recent blog posts means you are coming back to Internet Marketing becuase you’ve been noticeably absent for the past year or two.
You’re a genius. Everyone I know recognizes that fact. I’ve received so much value from all your reports and your programs. I was dissappointed that you haven’t created a new program in the last year and a half.
I’d love to know how you get your head around your prospects problems. Everytime I read one of your reports it feels as if you been stalking me and you’ve articulated my challenges spot on. I’ve often wondered how you do that. I hope your next post shares some of those secrets.
Also, are you planning on releasing any new reports this year? Now that’s a question I would really like an answer to.
Glad you’re back Rich.
well jeez ronald… thanks. yeah i’ve been absent from the IM game for a while – but The League of Extraordinary Minds had some crossover.
i plan on addressing why i’ve been absent and why i am coming back.
It’ll be in a blog post. just not sure when i’ll write it though cause it requires some more soul searching on my part to be able to clearly articulate it.
I loved your post. Often times we spend our days asking others questions and don’t always internalize the questions we ask on our own business or self. Thanks for the insightful, thought provoking questions. You always ad value to your community and are appreciated.
thanks lisa – glad you enjoyed it.
i’d love to see others try post like these – cause there’s huge value in asking yourself the right questions.
Rich:
The questions were very effective for introspections! For me, the number of questions were just enough.
I would definitely be interested in similar type of soul seraching!
Thanks.
glad to hear it suresh – i’m curious… did you read it fast or slow?
Why is there nothing but females pictures on the ads on the right side bar?
Is it because you have mostly a female demegraphic to relate to?
Or is it because of testing you find that people tend to click on pictures/banners with females on them a higher percentage?? (Because guys like the pretty ladies)? :-)
Not being facetious, just curious?
great point mike… we’ll have to ask todd, our director of marketing…
That was fun to read! Very interesting way to write and yes it did make me think!
glad it made you think shawn… next step… a blog post that assists in taking action
This is one of the best posts I have ever read. And its really simple to see why. You see, its egaging and in most cases rhymes with the conversation already in my mind. How can I grow my business profitable within a short time. And then it answers the question – Know your customers more than your competitors and know their problems more than they do. Then it gives you the system of how to achieve the success you desire … be the best solution to your customers problems. And they will love you for that.
definitely, there are tons of wisdom in this one blog post and all i have to do now is read it slowly and answer those questions.
What I find more interesting however, is that this is exactly what you’re doing … finding your market’s greatest problem at the same time. This is just a work of genius and I commend you for that Rich. I’m currently learning from you through The Founders Club and The League of extraordinary Minds – and have read all the Business manifesto Reports — all I can say is thank you for turning my life around … my life will never be the same again.
And those who find this posts ‘boring’ you don’t know what you’re missing. Rich is the real deal! Period.
i’m blushing tolani… but aside from the praise you nailed it!
some readers thought the content was haphazard, it wasn’t – there was a reason for the questions i asked and the order i asked them in.
so kudos to you – and thank you for all the kind words.
i like this a lot because i get tired of people just thinking that i want/need/must have what they are selling when they know soooooo little about me.
but just like tim ferriss, i’ve narrowed my focus and eliminated what i didn’t need or the junk period. as long as you continue making very good stuff like this Rich you will never be on my eliminate list.
thank you
steve
Yes, there is a reason why the “Socratic Method” is one of the most effective teaching methods for centuries. Questions make you THINK!
Telling me what I already know or have heard before makes me tune out some times. But asking me deep and profound questions (or even simple questions), compell me to think about the issues. Those “pontificating” blog posts are simply not effective, at least, to me.
Yes, Rich: blog posts of only questions can be effective. Only, keep the questions short and focused … as many other commentators have already said.
Thanks for getting me THINKING!
Patrick
Great innovative idea Rich!
When I was at my first job with , we had to write weekly progress reports to our division manager, but the reports were circulated among the whole department. The idea was for everyone to know what was going on IF anyone read the reports. So, to make sure mine were read, I wrote one as one long sentence; one in verse; one in limerick; etc., until my boss sent me a memo that such actions demonstrated a “cavalier attitude.”
But they did get read.
(And I cavalierly quit and took a dream job with a software startup. Aaaaa, those were the days…)
Also, I think people are missing the point that you are not overtly selling anything here, so it doesn’t need the “call to action” that they are craving, or the 12 or 18 or 27 points of a salesblog post. Sometimes a post is just a post. Right?
Rick Carter
STRESS JUDO
P.S. The point is to be always questioning, right? I didn’t miss that, did I?
Great post…
Being in the question means you’re learning. It’s when you reach conclusions, you’re in trouble. Most people like being told the answers, it makes them feel safe – but questions make you think, and if you think, you create…
Loved it – do some more!!
These questions open up our mind to think clearly/introspect. I also think, this is one way to learn what your target market wants and create a service/product that can help solve their problems. Personally I would like some questions and answers in a blog post. Thanks for the questions.
Did you get this idea from Socrates? Is this an experiment to see the effectiveness of Socratic Method? Does questioning the question uncover more answers? Is it better than informations being shove down our throat? Should our educational system be build on Socratic method just like some law schools practice? How much can we bear this questioning madness? Is questioning in moderation better for our sanity? Will a questioning use 80/20 principle make the question meaningiful?
Hi Rich,
Your post was brilliant, Thank you. I love what you said and the way you said it totally engaged the unconscious mind.
Anyone who doesn’t get the wisdom and genius you just shared is truly missing the gift!
I appreciate you showing us how to engage with our clients and prospects via email. I am a natural and inspiring speaker and coach. When I speak with people I ALWAYS ask questions and get great results.
Transferring my speaking skills to blogging has been a frustrating although worthwhile journey. Your post just unlocked the genie herself.
Thank you.
Kim Kasparian, Success Genie.
Hi Rich, I really enjoyed this post – however, I think if you were going to do posts like this often it would be better to make them a little shorter. I personally like questions, especially when they are the right questions they really make you look within to seek the answer. We have access to so much great information on what to do, how to do it but many never actually DO anything at all. I find questions that get you thinking will help to disperse the information learned and help you to find what it is you should be focusing on “right now”. It’s a great way of reflecting – It won’t work for everyone though.
I also see that you will get some great insight from the comments on this post as to what your readers like and dislike – what they are looking for and how they learn best – very clever!
Great Post! Questions require answers. Answering Questions requires thought. Ask the right Questionis and the answers require action. This really got me off my ass…thanks. This is the way people learned for years…the Socratic Method. Psssssssst, I did already know this.
Yoda said….
“There is no try… Only Do”
What if people took all those ebooks sitting on their harddrives and did?
What if people cracked the shrink wrap on their products they bought and played them in their DVD players while taking notes for action steps?
Then, what if people hired good virtual assistants to help them implement the ideas and do the really hard techy stuff for them…?
Would we see more people successful?
Yes…. we would.
There is no try… Only Do… Do something with what you have, you don’t need more.
Jeff Mills
jeff… how is your comment related to this blog post – other than there are questions in your comment. it seems you are simply advertising here – sorry if that wasn’t your intent – but that’s what it seems so i am removing your link in the comment box.
OMG!
so I continue the meme you started by asking more questions and I drop a sig and you bum out?
Here is how it’s related to your blog post….
You said:
“Have you ever stopped and thought about how much you already know? Can you imagine how different your life might be if you applied everything you already know?”
I am responding directly to that question by asking more questions to get people to focus on taking action on getting stuff done.
People, you already have a ton of good information on your hard drives and shelves that you can apply and use now to become successful.
Then I showed people getting stuff done is easier when they use a team, staff, employees or virtual assistants to help them.
Then I simply provided a signature, is that not allowed here?
jeff – you and i have a history whether you realize it or not…
your videos have included screenshots of my slides without attribution (as in they were used as your own) – like my “you” slide, which is stealing my intellectual property.
so i’ve got a problem with you advertising your stuff on my blog
doing a free offer on my blog is not appropriate – especially considering your violation of my copyrights, and the possibility that your “free” offer might even have my IP inside it.
I’ll answer your questions first. Yes, it was too many questions, at one time, but not too many otherwise. I would have had a shorter list, and a connection to a longer “action list.” The questions do make you think, especially in rapid fire form.
To answer Robin’s question about a product. I would pick up a copy of the book “What Color is your parachute?” Then, instead of finding your “ideal job,” it could help you find an “ideal product.” In order to sell an ideal product, you need to understand what you know and are passionate about. Then, you need to look for what people need. Start with the idea that if you, or a business person you know badly needs it, others almost certainly do, as well.
For example, I’m working on a book for micro businesses about how to Advertise, Market and Sell more effectively. Right now, I’m waiting for final editing comments. I hope to make it available by the end of Feb., if all goes well.
Yes to many questions at one time.However, you did
an excellent job getting your point across.Thanks
Awesome Rich, I loved it and would definately read more like it. I think the style is great and personally need the momentum to keep me interested in whatever i’m doing. You’ve entered a whole new arena in the copy realm, how can thier problem be solved if they don’t know they have one ?? Of course until you ask the question!
Rich,
As always you’re pushing away at the boundaries of our industry.
This was a fun post to read, but I have to agree with some earlier posters that this was also a challenge to read all the way through. My brain was certainly working overtime on certain questions so I skipped over others.
So for me this was one post I had to bookmark and come back to. I have to say that it was easier to read second time around, and the more I read it the more I got out of it. You’ve certainly got me thinking about how I get a better understanding of my prospects problems., and, Rich, I would certainly like to know from you how you learn more about your prospects’ problems.
When I’m watching training videos or reading reports my note-taking is almost always in the form of questions , so the approach does resonate with me. You had some really thought-provoking questions in there. I will be tweeting this post , and I have already created my own blog post on your article for my own readers to experience.
Always appreciate the thought and effort that goes into your work.
Thanks
Phil
Do you really want an answer to that question?
If I told you would you do anything with my answer?
Do you know what I’m thinking………….?
Neither do I-half the time!
Which is why I love this post-very thought provoking.
Best wishes
Mike
Hi thank you strategicprofits,giving us the tools to break the walls we build around by building brigdes through the ability to ask great questions.
Yes the ability to ask great questions is very important in our quest to business and personal success.
After all high qualify questions bring equilibrium to the mind and balance to our percepion.Therefore instead of being fuzzy we have clarity.
So I made a long time since I came in contact with your company and the abrahamgroup to always question evreything and more importantly ,the why is key to all these questions.
Best wishes
Jerome
Why did I like this post? Was it because of the intriguing subject line? Is that why I opened the email and clicked through to the blog?
Was it too long? If it was would I have read right through to the end?
Did I find it good enough to post a comment?
Did it make me think? Did it make me question some of the things I do or don’t do?
Did I enjoy it?
Very much
Thank you
This is great! It is thought provoking and insightful. It actually made me think – Wow!
David Blaise beat me to the way I has going to answer your post. Great idea with asking questions to get us thinking. “Great questions get great answers.” Right????
I am a student of Jay Abraham too. Thank you for the download of his mind map. I will spend time studying it and developing my own.
Your posts are awsome.I think I have info overload and tell myself I need to stop collecting more when I read another great idea or breakthough.
I read and write every day. Love learning at 72 more than ever. I can’t believe over 95% of adults don’t read a book a year. Actually I can because I have three adult boys and know others that don’t. askthewYman. I have answers and so do you.
Hi All,
I found the “question blog” different and a very refreshing change from a content blog. I like it! Wish I’d thought of it myself.
Gerri
Hello ,
i like this kind of exercice because I think it activates our subconscious mind. And, in my opinion, that is where all our problems lies.
I mean, for example, I want to to be successful. I want in so bad, but my subconscious tells me to be afraid of it.
Maby this is just human nature? The saying “The risk of faliurre is bigger than the desire to succeed” can’t be made up ot nothing.
So here is my million-$ question!!!
How do my conscious mind win over my subconscious mind?
Regards
Fredrik (big fan in sweden)
I found that as I was reading through the post, my mind was (subconsciously?) hard at work trying to come up with answers to the questions. That was in many ways a lot more powerful than just reading a bunch of information and not having it really make an impression.
Did you know that asking questions is one of the most effective forms of teaching and guiding a lecture or class discussion. Did you know it was because of many of the prior posts that indicated their mind was at work trying to answer the questions while they were listening. Great Job! Thanks.
This was not only clever but extremely thought-provoking – sorta like brainstorming as I read.
You really helped me see that I have more of the answers that I need already in my head, if I’ll take the time to dig them out AND USE THEM!
Thanks again, Rich! You really are good at what you do!
Your friend and fan,
Brennan
Wow, that was impressive. I’ve never thought about a piece of writing done in this fashion – it had the effect of making me feel un-nerved, un-resolved. Fascinating.
hi Rich you know reading your blog post really makes me think
am i really fulfilling the needs of my clients. am i really providing value.
I think i better read the internet business manifesto again.
Was this funny or What? Makes you think, doesn’t it?
Thanks Rich.
Rich,
Here I am again. Your blog is very confusing. I read your posts, but there is NOWHERE to post a comment. When I click on “comment” It leads me just to beh bottom of the page. I clicked on EVERYTHING DOWN THERE!!!!!
tHERE IS NOWHERE TO POST A COMMENT ON TODAY’S POST.
SO YOU NEED TO GET THAT FIXED BROTHER.
oH WHAT WAS I going to say? Oh yea, good content. i like your post today. It makes sense.
Hal Merrill
Now it looks like I did post on today’s post after all, after about 7 minutes of flipping back and forth trying to figure out where to post.
I think I will try that technique though. Posting more questions on my blog, and try to get more people involved. Thanks for the idea, Rich.
Sincerely,
Hal Merrill
p.s. looking to fixing that comment feature. I can’t be the only one confused by it.
I like the post. In fact, I do this frequently on my blog. I learned from my private coaching program that new Internet marketers have tons of questions left unanswered.
Franck
Hi Rich,
Only made it through to the paragraph that starts with
the Procrastination questions because without anything to break up the questions it did become a tiring exercise not unlike what my 3 year old does when he constantly bombards you with questions for 10 minutes and there’s no other interaction.
Obviously I’m in the minority on this but you asked for feedback & I dig your stuff usually so here you go :)
By the way, ran into Brian Johnson at John Carlton’s ACTION seminar last weekend. Great guy with lots of useful info he shared.
Hang onto that guy—he’s a class act!
Cheers!
Michael
sorry you didn’t like it michael… i think that generally happens when people try to answer the questions consciously instead of reading it fast and answering them subconsciously.
totally agree with you about brian – he’s the real brains behind the talent (that’s me) and makes it easier for me to focus on you while he focuses on (and grows) the business. the same goes for everyone at strategic profits btw.
I found it pretty interesting and reasonably enjoyable. No time to read the 100 plus comments. I did a few though and I didn’t get the “interrogation room” sense, probably cause I wasn’t there (in an interrogation room – a nice point about the questioned serving up the questions at their pace on their terms).
I did get kind of a sense of vagueness about half way in. Probably my ADHD. haha Probably could of been that I started skimming faster too, due to time, now here I am blabbing away.
I think questions are an effective means of selling and agree with your basic premise. I would say this was maybe just a little too long… too many questions. Your point of solving clients problems is well taken and I think empathy and understanding are key here.
Carry on with your project, good job so far… I will skim through the rest, I think I got baited by an email. Titled “Blog this way to get a traffic surge”. I do blog a lot and would love more traffic both for google juice, but also just to feel like I am not waisting my time spewing out facts, opinions and advice that no one is reading… ouch! So I think whats holding me back is “fear of failure”. To me to have no readers is failure.
You can check out my blogs at:
http://www.MontroseGoldTeamBlog.com
http://www.YourCOREAdvisor.com
http://www.TheDivorceWorkshop.com
http://www.SoldCORE.com (is my main real estate website)
http://www.IdeasThoughtsWhatevers.blogspot.com – a wild rant blog.
My question is:
Will you, Rich, Antone or anyone read them or at least skim and glance and give me feedback and non viagra sales comments?
Hey Rich,
Funny you should make this post. I got your email about the third post in this series which directed me here. Now, what is funny, is that I had thought about offering an ethical bribe to potential subscribers in return for filling out a survey on their most pressing problems, not two hours ago. This is not BS. I was in the process of of drawing up a list of questions when I opened the email. I think I was doing this because of all that I have learned from you. I feel a need to find out more about the problems out there in order to connect with potential clients on a personal and conversational level. After reading your post I think I’m on the right track.
Adding to the previous comment, I am going to do this. Any suggestions? Thanks for all of your valuable info. Greg
fantastic! please post a link in the comments here so we can all check it out…
glad to hear it greg – i hope your subscribers give you the answers you are looking for.
anyone in particular that’s more important than the others?
Hehehe … those many questions in the head of the poor Internet entrepreneur.
Frankly, I couldn’t read your post. You know … the innocent human brain starts immediately trying to find an answer to every question you bring here. After the 3rd or 4th question it’s too much for my mind and it simply shut down.
All the best
Estani
Hi nice blog post, it made me feel dizzy. Lot’s of questions which made me think about lots of answers. I got your email to read the last post in this series but it said to read the first 3 first so this is what I’m doing.
I don’t know if anything in the series will help me get to where I want to be in my business but I’m going to read all the post in this series before I decide.
I know one thing for sure, this seems like a good way to do some client research and it seems mildly fun so I guess I would read more posts like this if they were geared toward my interests.
Thanks and on the the next post… :)
Brilliant post. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the post. Thought provoking and intriguing questions.
Hi Rich
Thank you for posing these questions.
There’s a lot of clarity in these few simple questions. Yes, I need to take action to change the habits that are blurring my focus on finding and solving the pressing problems that my prospects have, for only in solving their problems do I really provide value.
Thank you for the reminder, Rich
Anthony
Rich,
I haven’t read all the comments, but my take on this post is a little different than the comments I have read.
As I was reading through the questions, I kept thinking what a great technique this would be for sales letters or for building rapport with an email list. Not using all questions, but using questions to get people involved. By answering the questions, people are selling themselves. After all, how can they say no when it is their idea? It also makes them think the person asking the questions is an expert.
Maybe this is marketing 101, but it was new and refreshing for me.
Thanks for the great ideas,
Dan
Awesome post Rich!
You’ve just given me weeks worth of content ideas ; )
I’ll Tweet this and then read the rest of the post that brought me here in the first place.
Cheers,
F®ankie
Wow, I read the entire post just to see if you could not only follow through with it, but pose interesting questions as well. Like one of the readers above, I began to feel like I was being interrogated after a while.
I do think that this method has its merits, though. Questions are excellent tools in the challenge of getting your readers involved. Sometimes, blogging can feel like a one-sided conversation. Maybe using a reasonable number of questions in this way can sometimes break up the monotony a bit. It seems to say, “I care about what you think and value your opinion” to your readers.
Rich,
1. This post was creative and can certainly be effective if used in proper context and limitation. The reality is that occasionally a mental check is in order to make sure we are assimilating such information for application rather than just for more and more knowledge. Helps visualize internal metrics.
2. No. You should not continue to write more blog post like this if simply an exercise. It would lose any degree of effectiveness for when actually appropriate. I can not see such a post being routine. An occasional short blog post would be adequate to point people back to any worthwhile series of questions, like this, without being redundant or excessive.
Hi Rich,
What originally made you think to make this post? Was it questions your readers have asked you? Questions you have asked yourself?
They are all questions we should ask ourselves from time to time. I would be willing to bet the answers would not always be the same…
Ha! It is amazing how often I stop myself from asking too many questions when I am writing a blog!
Lol.. now I will go right ahead and write them. They certainly stimulate MY knowledge and curiosity :-)
Thanks for your post. I have begun tweaking my website with more questions.
The other thing to keep in mind – remember to mention ‘connection’ and ‘connecting’ in your blog posts – and all promotional material – to cater to the women.
Men will always look for answers to problems; while women will always look for ways to connect.
Thanks,
Jacqui
http://www.nHarmony.co.nz
What have I done. Reading through yesterdays post I’m embarrassed to say the least. But you see, I’m one of the people you talked about in the first post, who is practically bankrupt because they have spent all this money and time on internet marketing and haven’t made any money at it. And we get these emails from you and you’re making millions and we wonder how you do it. So it’s good, good that you share these ideas with us. I’ll try your suggestions. And look forward to your post today.
Hal
Rich,
Thanks for a great post. By now I’ve figured out that to post a comment on TODAY’s post, you have to go to the page from Yesterdays post to put in your comment. For all of you who might, like me have difficulty with such things.
I think you’re right on about adding value. That’s the most important thing. And then there’s people, you have to have people recieiing that value. I think I had a great value for the websites I have, but my problem is getting traffic to those sites.
I’m wondering if anyone else has the challenge of spending so much time developing the website that you have no time left over to add more value or get traffic to the website? That seems to be where I’m struggling. That’s why I mentioned earlier that it takes hundreds of hours to do this stuff, I really have put the work in, and it’s still not working. Any suggestions?
Hal
How to get onto today’s comments? Sign in somewhere?
Hi I guess I’m blocked out from being able to comment on today’s post. I thought it was pretty good. That’s too bad. Maybe you can let us know how to login or whatever it takes to post a comment?
Hal
what are you talking about hal? your comments are here
Rich – My brain hurts. I must be one of those who try to stay in the conscience zone and answer the questions and keep reading at the same time. Thanks for posing the questions – now I’ll be going back to re-read and answer slowly. No sales can happen in my business untill you actually interact with people. The only way they buy is if you ask them to. Thanks again for the LEOM too. re-reading my notes at bedtime each night. Blocked at Blogging – personal problem – Nike Just Do It – Eric
LOEM was fantastic – the insights were pure gems… i’m staying in contact with a lot of those experts and my life has improved because of it – keep reviewing those notes… and, more importantly, put them into practice.
what’s the problem with blogging? no time? don’t know what to write? do tell…
Hi Rich,
Read a few questions until I started to feel myself distracted. But it did get me in responsive mode. I had absolutely NO intention of leaving a comment today, but it looks like your experiment worked in that I feel compelled to say something about it. (I also read many of the comments, so you also scored some serious reader engagement that way.)
Rich, I decided that you were a brilliant man when I met you and Deb in Atlanta a few years ago. You were the first one to tell me (us) about Twitter a couple of years later and I continue to look to you for innovative and inspiring ideas and experiments.
Once I found out you were as interested in Coca branding as I was, you had a fan for life.
Tsufit
Author, Step Into The Spotlight! : A Guide to Getting Noticed
http://www.spotlightbook.com
thanks for noticing i was talking about twitter way before anyone else in our market – sometimes i feel like i’ve broken lots of new ground in our market – but the world moves so fast these days – those accomplishments or accurate observations account for too little.
you gave me a copy of your book (or you sent it to me – i forget) and i read it and loved it – great job! actually, now that i think about it – you gave it to me after i wrote either the attention age doctrine 1 or 2 because you agreed with the premise.
glad you commented it’s nice catching up with people you haven’t interacted with in a while!
So glad you loved the book Rich!
I look forward to meeting you again soon,
preferably at my adjoining beach office.
It’s icy up here in igloo country.
Tsufit
Author, Step Into The Spotlight! : A Guide to Getting Noticed
http://www.spotlightbook.com
Hi Mr. Schefren; I have seen many many of your E-mails and quite frankly forgot who you were from many years ago I read some of your material and liked it and continue to get your communications without opening them. I felt like exploring today and opened this one WOW!!! I will pay more attention to your E-s in the future. Thank you for opening my eyes this morning with your barrage of mind provoking salvos that exploded in my head to answer and create more questions of my own. Thinking is the most profound experience when titillated and agitated to further realms of experience heretofore not attained on our own by someones brilliance to question and to learn is the Great Conversation.
Thank you,
Robert Fargo
Should I leave a comment? :-) Interesting way of writing using only questions, isn’t it? Will I try and do the same on my Learn Lead Guitar blog? I think I might, how about you?
Hi Rich,
I think the questions in you blog are quite ingenious! It immediately starts the ENGAGEMENT on a thoughtful interactive level, rather than a one-way conversation.
Question 1: I got out of this post that I do have a valuable product, a guide to saving money, and my customers are real people like me that work hard and want the peaceful life that comes from sharing with neighbors and friends.
Question 2: How to make them aware of the above and aware of what it can do for them.
Thanks for sharing these insights with us. I’m not sure about how to do the tweet thing.
Hal
You started me thinking and stopped me waiting.
I’m gonna answer real fast: yes, i liked the post. Yes, i’d want to read more. Yes, yes, yes.
I don’t have much time writing you more, i have a business transforming task to do that i’ve written down just a few minutes ago. Do you know where that inspiration came from? :)
Thank you.
Sebastian Schertel
Good Morning?
I do find questions a nice change of pace. Makes me want to think of an answer before I can even stop my mind from doing so.
But as a slightly suspicious person when people ask a lot of questions I know that are just waiting for me to take a deep breath so they can tell me their answers.
Does that sound familiar?
Thanks Rich, it was a interesting way to start my day and yes it is hard to fill a cup that is jammed with information already.
Hi Rick,
Questions are powerful things. They tickle the subconscious and beg for answers. Your post certainly makes me take a hard look at what I need to do and demands some necessary self examination. Great post! I’m wondering how many blogs it will take to answer all those questions? Oh, that’s the idea, right?
Ah, This is exactly what I was looking for! Clears up
a few contradictions I’ve read
very interesting. I was not engaged by the questions; just skimmed them. The post obviously generated quite a few comments, many of which I did read. :-)
I do so enjoy your “humor”. Don’t start writing for people that only have a fifth grade reading ability. High standards create superior performance from people. This was a super post that I picked up from Todd. I’m running behind on the rest of my e-mails. (including yours)
It did take a bit to get through the list. However, I was thinking about my answers. This has given me a different insite into the way I intend to approach my customers and other team members.
Yes, I would enjoy more of these posts and yes, I certainly would read and appreciate your thoughts. Trish
Man what a strange day it has been! Its good to see another sunset and will be looking forward to another dawn. Happy Valentines day 2010!
I just love sitting down on a SUnday morning having a coffee and doing some work. Makes you feel that the rest of the week is going to be just as exciting….. wait on…. I’m going to New York tomorrow. WAHOO!
Hi Rich,
I find the concept of asking question quite brilliant.
My questions to you are as follows:
Are you still smoking? Do you smoke in front of your children?
Why do you smoke? Do you find it smells nice? Do you know that 443,000 Americans will die this year from smoking related illnesses? Does this worry you? Why do smokers of cigars think that it is not as dangerous as cigarettes? Have you thought of quitting? If the answer is yes why haven’t you quit? Knowing the dangers to you health and damaging affect to your self esteem why have you not yet stopped smoking?
If you say you enjoy it let me ask you one more question ok? If you enjoy it so much would you like your children to smoke? If the answer is No Defintely Not – Why not? I rest my case – do you agree?
Wow… But my answers may surprise you. Yes I still enjoy smoking cigars. No I don’t plan on quiting. No I can’t imagine my daughters smoking cigars. And yes they are safer than cigarettes since you don’t inhale. But thanks for asking.
Hmmm… that’s like saying that a knife is safer than a gun. But they’ll both kill you. Carcinogens are cancer causing chemicals(toxins), it doesn’t matter if you inhale or ingest, toxins cause your DNA to mutate. Cheers ~ Frankie
Ah, This is awesome! It Puts to bed
some misnomers I’ve read lately.
Health is basic part of life we must care for it therefore i read the article and found the nice tips which are useful for us
i used this post at night when i think about my friends and family so i really thankful for providing very knowledgeable information for further help
Health always need assessment but we are lazy to continue to get the full fitness therefore to maintain its consistency we used different articles for its protection and find the nice article for review
i used this post at night when i think about my friends and family so i really thankful for providing very knowledgeable information for further help
Health always need assessment but we are lazy to continue to get the full fitness therefore to maintain its consistency we used different articles for its protection and find the nice article for review
Rich:
That was awesome! A different approach with both entertainment, and information value. I like how using nothing but questions created interaction between the reader and the writer.
thanx :)
caretakerray
There seems to be lots of hype at the moment about what is best for SEO and SEM? so what do we all do?…panic are we doing this right and we doing this wrong!. As ever there are right ways and wrong ways and there still seems to be lots of spam websites getting picked up by google and yahoo and getting high rankings.I have always used good keywords and obtain a url with the keyword you are after as this goes to the top in any search and does not cost very much.