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They Ask You Answer: A Revolutionary Approach to Inbound Sales, Content Marketing, and Today's Digital Consumer
A revolutionary marketing strategy proven to drive sales and growth They Ask You Answer is a straightforward guide to fixing your current marketing strategy. Regardless of your budget, you are almost certainly overspending on television, radio, and print ads, yet neglecting the number-one resource you have at your disposal: the Internet. Content marketing is no longer about keyword-stuffing and link-building; in fact, using those tactics today gets your page shuffled to the bottom of the heap. Quality content is the key to success, and you already have the ingredients in-house. This book shows you how to structure an effective content strategy using the same proven principles that have revolutionized marketing for all types of businesses, across industries.
Author Marcus Sheridan's pool company struggled after the housing collapse; today, they're one of the largest pool installers in the U.S., turning away millions of dollars in business they simply cannot accommodate every year. How did he manage it? He answered questions. This book shows you how Marcus's strategy can work for your business, and how to use your keyboard to bring customers through the door.
Boost your company's web presence with methods that work Build a level of trust that generates customer evangelism Leverage your in-house resources to produce winning content Utilize tactics that work, regardless of industry or sector When people have questions, they ask a search engine. If you have answers, the right content strategy will get them to the top of the search results and seen by millions of eyes every day. Drop the marketing-speak, stop "selling," and start answering. Be seen as an authority, not just another advertisement. They Ask You Answer describes a fresh approach to marketing and the beginning of big things for your business.
Author Marcus Sheridan's pool company struggled after the housing collapse; today, they're one of the largest pool installers in the U.S., turning away millions of dollars in business they simply cannot accommodate every year. How did he manage it? He answered questions. This book shows you how Marcus's strategy can work for your business, and how to use your keyboard to bring customers through the door.
Boost your company's web presence with methods that work Build a level of trust that generates customer evangelism Leverage your in-house resources to produce winning content Utilize tactics that work, regardless of industry or sector When people have questions, they ask a search engine. If you have answers, the right content strategy will get them to the top of the search results and seen by millions of eyes every day. Drop the marketing-speak, stop "selling," and start answering. Be seen as an authority, not just another advertisement. They Ask You Answer describes a fresh approach to marketing and the beginning of big things for your business.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2019
About the author
Marcus Sheridan
16 books26 followersCalled a “web marketing guru” by the New York Times, the Story of how Marcus Sheridan was able to save his swimming pool company, River Pools, from the economic crash of 2008 has been featured in multiple books, publications, and stories around the world.
Since this achievement, Sheridan has become a highly sought after global speaker and consultant in the digital sales and marketing space, working with hundreds of business and brands alike to become the most trusted voice of their industry.
Since this achievement, Sheridan has become a highly sought after global speaker and consultant in the digital sales and marketing space, working with hundreds of business and brands alike to become the most trusted voice of their industry.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 188 reviews
April 14, 2023
How does one rate a sales book trying to sell you something (& written by professional salespeople)? :) Yeah, tough cookie.
First thing first - it's a book about content marketing and inbound sales created by (as he calls himself) a pool boy - someone whose business was to send ceramic pools to folks. The industry may seem rather exotic, but (as the author claims & I agree with him) the vast majority of the content presented here is widely applicable & universal. The book is written in an extremely American style, which means that convincing is based primarily on repetition - Sheridan keeps iterating the same concepts again and again, from slightly different angles, with new examples. But he makes sure that the name of his "method" (They Ask You Answer) is always present. It may be very annoying to Europeans (some even treat it as a lack of respect for readers' intelligence ...), but ...
... the truth is that the book is worth reading. The fundamental concepts presented here (understanding the concerns of the customer, not being afraid to address the hard truths, looking for the most proper channel of communication for inbound marketing) are absolutely essential, yet so rarely implemented correctly in practice. Companies tend to follow outdated industry conventions, plainly-dumb corporate policies, or super-conservative playbooks of past eras. In theory, Sheridan doesn't invent anything particularly innovative here - he's probably just blunter than everyone else. AND he spends a lot of time proving why & how it really makes a difference.
So, YES, the book can sometimes be annoying. Sometimes too obvious. Frequently - too repetitive. But it's still worth reading.
First thing first - it's a book about content marketing and inbound sales created by (as he calls himself) a pool boy - someone whose business was to send ceramic pools to folks. The industry may seem rather exotic, but (as the author claims & I agree with him) the vast majority of the content presented here is widely applicable & universal. The book is written in an extremely American style, which means that convincing is based primarily on repetition - Sheridan keeps iterating the same concepts again and again, from slightly different angles, with new examples. But he makes sure that the name of his "method" (They Ask You Answer) is always present. It may be very annoying to Europeans (some even treat it as a lack of respect for readers' intelligence ...), but ...
... the truth is that the book is worth reading. The fundamental concepts presented here (understanding the concerns of the customer, not being afraid to address the hard truths, looking for the most proper channel of communication for inbound marketing) are absolutely essential, yet so rarely implemented correctly in practice. Companies tend to follow outdated industry conventions, plainly-dumb corporate policies, or super-conservative playbooks of past eras. In theory, Sheridan doesn't invent anything particularly innovative here - he's probably just blunter than everyone else. AND he spends a lot of time proving why & how it really makes a difference.
So, YES, the book can sometimes be annoying. Sometimes too obvious. Frequently - too repetitive. But it's still worth reading.
December 29, 2021
I heard a question this year that has had a big influence on me: "If this were simple, how would we do it?" So many of the most revolutionary things are the things that feel like once you know them, that they should have been obvious.
That is what it feels like with this book. Find the questions that your customers (in a business context) are asking, and answer them honestly and forthrightly, especially the questions that aren't necessarily the easiest or most straightforward to answer.
We all do searching multiple times a day to find out information and find the answers to our questions, particularly if we're thinking about making a purchase - the entity that answers those questions honestly is the one that is most likely to influence our buying decisions, so if you want that business to be you, being the one to answer those questions is a no brainer.
How I'll apply this to my particular venture - an ASMR channel - is something I still have to figure out, but I have been thoroughly convinced that it is something I need to do, and that I will create more findable content if I do so.
That is what it feels like with this book. Find the questions that your customers (in a business context) are asking, and answer them honestly and forthrightly, especially the questions that aren't necessarily the easiest or most straightforward to answer.
We all do searching multiple times a day to find out information and find the answers to our questions, particularly if we're thinking about making a purchase - the entity that answers those questions honestly is the one that is most likely to influence our buying decisions, so if you want that business to be you, being the one to answer those questions is a no brainer.
How I'll apply this to my particular venture - an ASMR channel - is something I still have to figure out, but I have been thoroughly convinced that it is something I need to do, and that I will create more findable content if I do so.
March 22, 2017
Pretty good primer on content marketing via educational and informational content. Recommend reading Content, Inc. as a related book.
September 25, 2023
i feel like i can’t even count this bc i skimmed the last 100 pages.
February 3, 2020
If I had to pick just one content marketing book to recommend to absolute beginners and small businesses, I'd recommend this one. Not only does it answer the question WHY someone should engage in content marketing, but it also answers the two much harder questions:
- WHAT should I write about? (answer: answer customer questions)
- HOW should I start (answer: the author recommends specific steps)
It's much easier to read one book, but it's much harder to embrace the lessons and dedicate one's time to implement those lessons, company-wide. The reality is that most small business owners will need a little help from a friendly content marketing consultant to keep them accountable and to help them make the first steps.
Great book! Highly recommended!
- WHAT should I write about? (answer: answer customer questions)
- HOW should I start (answer: the author recommends specific steps)
It's much easier to read one book, but it's much harder to embrace the lessons and dedicate one's time to implement those lessons, company-wide. The reality is that most small business owners will need a little help from a friendly content marketing consultant to keep them accountable and to help them make the first steps.
Great book! Highly recommended!
November 20, 2018
Creo que el artículo que hizo el New York Times sobre Marcus Sheridan engloba y responde de una forma elocuente lo que es este libro para el mundo del marketing. REVOLUCIONARIO.
Y cómo revolucionó el mundo? Contestando las preguntas de sus consumidores.
They ask you answer, además de estar escrito de una manera fluida, divertida y ligera, es una guía para dominar el nicho de mercado en el que te encuentres.
Los Big 5, el poder del Content Manager, la importancia de borrar la línea entre los departamentos de una empresa, que todos seamos creadores de contenido son el HOW cosa que muy pocos libros te dan.
Estoy seguro que aplicando esta guía, todos traeremos beneficios a los negocios o empresas que pertenezcamos.
Gracias totales, Marcus.S
Y cómo revolucionó el mundo? Contestando las preguntas de sus consumidores.
They ask you answer, además de estar escrito de una manera fluida, divertida y ligera, es una guía para dominar el nicho de mercado en el que te encuentres.
Los Big 5, el poder del Content Manager, la importancia de borrar la línea entre los departamentos de una empresa, que todos seamos creadores de contenido son el HOW cosa que muy pocos libros te dan.
Estoy seguro que aplicando esta guía, todos traeremos beneficios a los negocios o empresas que pertenezcamos.
Gracias totales, Marcus.S
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2018
Cuidado y no es lo mejor que he leído durante el año.
Marcus Sheridan cubre un hueco en el mercado al publicar un libro de marketing que no sólo dice QUÉ hay que hacer, sino que explica exactamente CÓMO hacerlo.
La sensación es que el autor se guarda poco o nada de su caja de herramientas: el texto está plagado de tácticas aplicables para cualquier empresa dispuesta a hacerlo. Además, el lenguaje con el que Sheridan comunica es sencillo, sin pretensiones. Es marketing para no marketeros.
Si quieres aprender realmente qué es eso de inbound, content strategy y demás, puede que este sea EL libro para empezar, e incluso profundizar, en el tema.
En pocas palabras, si quieres hacer crecer tu negocio, debes crear contenido que responda las principales preguntas de tus potenciales clientes. Puede resultar incómodo, pero debes hablar sobre tópicos como:
1. Precios.
2. Comparación de tus productos/servicios vs. los de la competencia.
El principal enemigo de la venta es la resistencia del prospecto a la compra. ¿Cómo se elimina ese escollo? Con mucha honestidad y transparencia.
Para ser un buen marketero debemos vernos a nosotros mismos y entender cómo pensamos a la hora de comprar.
Marcus Sheridan cubre un hueco en el mercado al publicar un libro de marketing que no sólo dice QUÉ hay que hacer, sino que explica exactamente CÓMO hacerlo.
La sensación es que el autor se guarda poco o nada de su caja de herramientas: el texto está plagado de tácticas aplicables para cualquier empresa dispuesta a hacerlo. Además, el lenguaje con el que Sheridan comunica es sencillo, sin pretensiones. Es marketing para no marketeros.
Si quieres aprender realmente qué es eso de inbound, content strategy y demás, puede que este sea EL libro para empezar, e incluso profundizar, en el tema.
En pocas palabras, si quieres hacer crecer tu negocio, debes crear contenido que responda las principales preguntas de tus potenciales clientes. Puede resultar incómodo, pero debes hablar sobre tópicos como:
1. Precios.
2. Comparación de tus productos/servicios vs. los de la competencia.
El principal enemigo de la venta es la resistencia del prospecto a la compra. ¿Cómo se elimina ese escollo? Con mucha honestidad y transparencia.
Para ser un buen marketero debemos vernos a nosotros mismos y entender cómo pensamos a la hora de comprar.
August 19, 2021
No matter how hard they try to make marketing into something civilized and humane, something about value and helping people - it's still all about the society of the spectacle and guy debord would've chopped their heads off for writing books like this.
Helpful to both beginner and experienced marketers though
Helpful to both beginner and experienced marketers though
February 8, 2020
It is a great book it shows how great content can bring more costumers and increase your profit.
May 4, 2021
If you own a business this is a must read book.
January 24, 2021
I read this book for work, but it’s quite good. Basically about content/inbound marketing and radical transparency in terms of pricing, right-fit customers and answering the questions customers really want the answers to.
April 15, 2024
Useful and specific information and action regarding leveraging your website and social media.
October 18, 2019
Not that good. Very repetitive. Some useful nuggets, but definitely doesn't need to be as long as it is and if you know anything about content marketing already, this is very basic 101 stuff with little in the way of useful analysis/thinking. Some useful nuggets:
-Pricing & cost: be more open to talking about these openly in various forms of content. Yes the prices are likely often changing, yes cost depends on many factors - so talk about those factors!
-The concept of the "80% Video" is good. Have the sales team/front-line people document the questions they get from prospects/customers; 70-90% of these are the same from call to call (the 80/20 rule dictates that this rough ratio will be common across most companies). And (certainly from my own experience) the majority of this tacit knowledge never becomes explicit knowledge in most companies. This is a problem. Do videos or other content pieces answering these questions, putting the question in headline of content. Phrase the headline from the customer's headspace, not the company's headspace.
-Related: Leveraging BCC'ing in sales emails to alert the marketing team whenever questions are being answered that could be used in public content. Many orgs. are spending a lot of time writing emails and not communicating this content to marketing; this could be leveraged better.
-The Wix.com UX example he uses (chapter 52) is a good one and the idea of implementing "self-selection tools" on your website is something worth exploring further.
In the Part V website section, we get trite chapters such as "Social proof" and "Site speed" which you've surely read about in a hundred other UX/web books already if you've been paying any attention. Yawn. HubSpot gets mentioned but only in a cursory manner; more of a deep-dive on this/discussion of specific workflows he had success with would have been better. The case studies he includes are more or less just all repetitions of one another - they all had success using "They ask, you answer"... we got that point in the FIRST case study, though. All the pitches for his agency get grating after a while, too. Not only does Sheridan make sure to mention his agency in almost every chapter, he also includes a section in the Appendix all about it. Overkill, Marcus. The overall idea is a good one and most companies should do "They ask, you answer". But this didn't need to be a 300+ page book.
-Pricing & cost: be more open to talking about these openly in various forms of content. Yes the prices are likely often changing, yes cost depends on many factors - so talk about those factors!
-The concept of the "80% Video" is good. Have the sales team/front-line people document the questions they get from prospects/customers; 70-90% of these are the same from call to call (the 80/20 rule dictates that this rough ratio will be common across most companies). And (certainly from my own experience) the majority of this tacit knowledge never becomes explicit knowledge in most companies. This is a problem. Do videos or other content pieces answering these questions, putting the question in headline of content. Phrase the headline from the customer's headspace, not the company's headspace.
-Related: Leveraging BCC'ing in sales emails to alert the marketing team whenever questions are being answered that could be used in public content. Many orgs. are spending a lot of time writing emails and not communicating this content to marketing; this could be leveraged better.
-The Wix.com UX example he uses (chapter 52) is a good one and the idea of implementing "self-selection tools" on your website is something worth exploring further.
In the Part V website section, we get trite chapters such as "Social proof" and "Site speed" which you've surely read about in a hundred other UX/web books already if you've been paying any attention. Yawn. HubSpot gets mentioned but only in a cursory manner; more of a deep-dive on this/discussion of specific workflows he had success with would have been better. The case studies he includes are more or less just all repetitions of one another - they all had success using "They ask, you answer"... we got that point in the FIRST case study, though. All the pitches for his agency get grating after a while, too. Not only does Sheridan make sure to mention his agency in almost every chapter, he also includes a section in the Appendix all about it. Overkill, Marcus. The overall idea is a good one and most companies should do "They ask, you answer". But this didn't need to be a 300+ page book.
July 31, 2022
Very insightful book on how to create a customer-centric culture that drives inbound leads in a digital world. Probably the most actionable business book I’ve read: it is purely focussed on implementable advice, rather than the usual high-level and vague faff that business books are so often steeped in. This is a well written instruction manual on how B2B organisations need to drastically transform their sales and marketing functions to respond to digitally savvy buyers.
October 6, 2023
Certainly idea is a very good one and worth reading the book for but the book is about twice as long as it needs to be. Seem to have been listening to it on audible forever!
April 29, 2023
An easy but comprehensive read!
Marcus Sheridan explains the power of content marketing and how it can transform a business by addressing customers' concerns and questions through helpful, informative, and transparent content. The book emphasizes the importance of providing value to customers through educational content, and here are some key takeaways:
Customers want to be informed: The book highlights that customers today are much more informed and educated than ever before. They research products and services before making a purchase, and they expect companies to provide them with the information they need to make informed decisions.
Address the customers' concerns and questions: Companies should focus on addressing their customers' concerns and questions through their content marketing strategy. By doing so, they can establish themselves as a trusted resource and build a relationship with their customers.
Be transparent: The book stresses the importance of being transparent and honest in your content. By sharing your company's strengths and weaknesses, customers will perceive your business as trustworthy and credible.
Use storytelling to make a connection: Using storytelling is an effective way to make a connection with your audience. Share stories that your customers can relate to and provide them with the information they need to make a decision.
Measure the success of your content marketing: It is important to measure the success of your content marketing efforts regularly. By doing so, you can make data-driven decisions and adjust your strategy as needed.
Answer the tough questions: Addressing the tough questions that your customers may have about your product or service can set you apart from your competitors. By providing honest and transparent answers, you can build trust with your audience and establish yourself as an authority in your industry.
The biggest area the customers are concerned when making a purchase decision are the big 5:
1. Pricing & Cost
2. Problems
3. Versus & Comparisons
4. Reviews
5. Best in Class
Happy Reading!
Marcus Sheridan explains the power of content marketing and how it can transform a business by addressing customers' concerns and questions through helpful, informative, and transparent content. The book emphasizes the importance of providing value to customers through educational content, and here are some key takeaways:
Customers want to be informed: The book highlights that customers today are much more informed and educated than ever before. They research products and services before making a purchase, and they expect companies to provide them with the information they need to make informed decisions.
Address the customers' concerns and questions: Companies should focus on addressing their customers' concerns and questions through their content marketing strategy. By doing so, they can establish themselves as a trusted resource and build a relationship with their customers.
Be transparent: The book stresses the importance of being transparent and honest in your content. By sharing your company's strengths and weaknesses, customers will perceive your business as trustworthy and credible.
Use storytelling to make a connection: Using storytelling is an effective way to make a connection with your audience. Share stories that your customers can relate to and provide them with the information they need to make a decision.
Measure the success of your content marketing: It is important to measure the success of your content marketing efforts regularly. By doing so, you can make data-driven decisions and adjust your strategy as needed.
Answer the tough questions: Addressing the tough questions that your customers may have about your product or service can set you apart from your competitors. By providing honest and transparent answers, you can build trust with your audience and establish yourself as an authority in your industry.
The biggest area the customers are concerned when making a purchase decision are the big 5:
1. Pricing & Cost
2. Problems
3. Versus & Comparisons
4. Reviews
5. Best in Class
Happy Reading!
February 22, 2017
Brian's Book Bastion review is up on YouTube! Subscribe!
November 17, 2020
Wer sich immer schon mal gefragt hat wie man denn durch bloggen Erfolg haben kann, dem sei dieses Buch empfohlen.
Marcus Sheridan hat they ask you answer zu einem Lehrstück an erfolgreichen Blog content gemacht.
Er war Inhaber einer Pool company die am Rande der Pleite entlang geschrammt ist.
Bis er für sich eine Methode entwickelt hat, durch die er Blogartikel bei den ersten Suchtreffern von Google landen konnte.
Durch diese Blogartikel kam ein völlig neuer Strom an Interessenten auf seine Webseite.
Das Geheimnis dahinter ist eigentlich kein Geheimnis, denn es geht einfach darum, die Fragen die Kunden haben, bestmöglichst zu beantworten.
Ja das ist Arbeit, doch diese Arbeit ist extrem zielgerichtet auf das, was die Kunden im Kopf haben, wenn sie beginnen zu recherchieren.
Bei diesem inbound-marketing geht es darum, zu verstehen, dass die Kunden bereits mit sehr viel Wissen in eine Kontaktaufnahme hinein gehen.
Das ist nicht mehr wie vor fünf oder zehn Jahren, sondern hat sich grundlegend geändert.
Wenn du ein Geschäft hast, egal ob Produkte oder Dienstleistungen und du bloggst gerne, dann hol dir dieses Buch.
Ich kann dir garantieren, dass du darin Ansätze findest, die Du sofort für dein Business umsetzen kannst.
Marcus Sheridan hat they ask you answer zu einem Lehrstück an erfolgreichen Blog content gemacht.
Er war Inhaber einer Pool company die am Rande der Pleite entlang geschrammt ist.
Bis er für sich eine Methode entwickelt hat, durch die er Blogartikel bei den ersten Suchtreffern von Google landen konnte.
Durch diese Blogartikel kam ein völlig neuer Strom an Interessenten auf seine Webseite.
Das Geheimnis dahinter ist eigentlich kein Geheimnis, denn es geht einfach darum, die Fragen die Kunden haben, bestmöglichst zu beantworten.
Ja das ist Arbeit, doch diese Arbeit ist extrem zielgerichtet auf das, was die Kunden im Kopf haben, wenn sie beginnen zu recherchieren.
Bei diesem inbound-marketing geht es darum, zu verstehen, dass die Kunden bereits mit sehr viel Wissen in eine Kontaktaufnahme hinein gehen.
Das ist nicht mehr wie vor fünf oder zehn Jahren, sondern hat sich grundlegend geändert.
Wenn du ein Geschäft hast, egal ob Produkte oder Dienstleistungen und du bloggst gerne, dann hol dir dieses Buch.
Ich kann dir garantieren, dass du darin Ansätze findest, die Du sofort für dein Business umsetzen kannst.
February 10, 2020
Boils down to "customers like having their questions answered" spread out over 50 pages of the author's self congratulatory backstory and then a few hundred pages of case studies with more anecdotes written in a conversational 6th grader's voice.
It reads as a stream-of-consciousness rambling trying to desperately fill up enough pages to look authoritative, with nothing of any importance. If you're been in marketing for more than 6 months, you know everything that is in this book, and you can probably explain it better than Marcus.
Instead of buying this book, order yourself a pizza and figure out how to answer your customer's questions in a clear and honest manner. There. Not only have I given you the exact same lessons in this book in one sentence, I've also fed you.
It reads as a stream-of-consciousness rambling trying to desperately fill up enough pages to look authoritative, with nothing of any importance. If you're been in marketing for more than 6 months, you know everything that is in this book, and you can probably explain it better than Marcus.
Instead of buying this book, order yourself a pizza and figure out how to answer your customer's questions in a clear and honest manner. There. Not only have I given you the exact same lessons in this book in one sentence, I've also fed you.
December 15, 2020
My boss bought us both a copy of this book and I actually can't wait to put this in practice. I attended one of Marcus Sheridan's webinars also. It's a very interesting but simple concept and it's very motivating to get up and do some basic content marketing that doesn't seem much but could change the landscape of your sales future. 4.5 stars
March 19, 2018
At its core, the writing of this book is a bit too simple, however the idea that it presents (even though simple as well) is quite revolutionary. I’m definitely applying this ASAP to improve communication with our users at the startup I work at. The book is over 200 pages, I feel it could have explained its objective in 100 pages or so (that’s the reason behind the 4 star review, otherwise this is a must read for any startup head).
April 9, 2023
This book was a great reminder of the importance of great content. I did find the structure of the book disjointed and it was long-winded. I felt the points could have been expressed more succinctly but I understand the repetition was designed to build emphasis. Overall the message is a constructive one and is still going to be useful for me, no matter what role I play.
August 2, 2022
While boasting a revolutionary approach to content marketing and cutting through the noise to speak directly to consumers, much of "They Ask, You Answer" is regurgitated guidelines and roadmaps cited throughout the content marketing world.
February 13, 2021
They Ask You Answer by Marcus Sheridan should be required reading for business owners and marketers. Maybe even for sales too. I really enjoyed this book and found it very easy to read.
April 19, 2021
If you're new to Marcus Sheridan and 'They Ask You Answer', this book is a game changer!
January 4, 2022
Really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it for entrepreneurs looking to improve their marketing. So inspiring.
January 22, 2022
This book is wonderful! I'm looking to implement this at work.
March 5, 2019
They Ask You Answer: A Revolutionary Approach to Inbound Sales, Content Marketing, and Today's Digital Consumer by Marcus Sheridan is a book that will make you see a new perspective in marketing. Marcus Sheridan writes this book in order to educate anyone who owns a business to help them move in to this new era of technology. Sheridan writes about how he turned a struggling pool company that was barely getting by into a thriving business which now has to turn away customers because they simply do not have the resources to keep up with the demand for his company. His goal is to show people how he became so successful in hopes that he will help another struggling business thrive.
In this new era of technology when customers have questions, they turn to the internet to find out, and if your company has the strategy that saved Marcus’ business and will help other businesses is to answer questions potential customers may have to build a relationship with them and in doing so earn their trust. Trust is an invaluable asset to a company, without customer trust you have no business. Trust is the key to any successful business, if a customer trusts you, they will come back and hopefully tell their friends and family and they will tell their friends and so on. In content marketing it is incredibly important to be transparent with your customers and community so they can trust in order to create these relationships in order to grow a successful business with satisfied customers.
In today’s environment it is vital to have an operational website which is up to date with current customers needs. Marcus Sheridan used his customers’ questions to help evolve his website. Every question Sheridan got from a potential customer he posted to his website, because he realized if one person has that question then many more will as well. Part of being a successful company means you have to be able to adapt, not only to the new technologies but also the economy. Marcus Sheridan referred to the failing economy as an “earthquake that no on one saw coming” shortly before the economy’s downfall in 2009 the economy was booming and business was incredibly successful. Due to strategic planning Sheridan and his partners made it through the economic downfall and are now such a booming business that they cannot even complete all their business. While this book was very informative and has made me had a greater appreciation for marketing it was written almost to simplistically and could have been less drawn out and more to the point. I strongly recommend this book even though it can sometimes be a long read, it breaks down how Marcus Sheridan helped create such a successful business.
While this book was very informative and has made me had a greater appreciation for marketing it was written almost to simplistically and could have been less drawn out and more to the point. I strongly recommend this book even though it can sometimes be a long read, it breaks down how Marcus Sheridan helped create such a successful business. This book is great for any size business owner and will help to increase bring in and maintain a loyal customer base.
In this new era of technology when customers have questions, they turn to the internet to find out, and if your company has the strategy that saved Marcus’ business and will help other businesses is to answer questions potential customers may have to build a relationship with them and in doing so earn their trust. Trust is an invaluable asset to a company, without customer trust you have no business. Trust is the key to any successful business, if a customer trusts you, they will come back and hopefully tell their friends and family and they will tell their friends and so on. In content marketing it is incredibly important to be transparent with your customers and community so they can trust in order to create these relationships in order to grow a successful business with satisfied customers.
In today’s environment it is vital to have an operational website which is up to date with current customers needs. Marcus Sheridan used his customers’ questions to help evolve his website. Every question Sheridan got from a potential customer he posted to his website, because he realized if one person has that question then many more will as well. Part of being a successful company means you have to be able to adapt, not only to the new technologies but also the economy. Marcus Sheridan referred to the failing economy as an “earthquake that no on one saw coming” shortly before the economy’s downfall in 2009 the economy was booming and business was incredibly successful. Due to strategic planning Sheridan and his partners made it through the economic downfall and are now such a booming business that they cannot even complete all their business. While this book was very informative and has made me had a greater appreciation for marketing it was written almost to simplistically and could have been less drawn out and more to the point. I strongly recommend this book even though it can sometimes be a long read, it breaks down how Marcus Sheridan helped create such a successful business.
While this book was very informative and has made me had a greater appreciation for marketing it was written almost to simplistically and could have been less drawn out and more to the point. I strongly recommend this book even though it can sometimes be a long read, it breaks down how Marcus Sheridan helped create such a successful business. This book is great for any size business owner and will help to increase bring in and maintain a loyal customer base.
January 9, 2018
So far in my studies I have read at least a half dozen books relating to content creation and management. This is by far the most impressive. It could be "merely" as informative or helpful as the rest of the lot, but where it exceeds expectations is in all the bases that it covers. The author goes out of this way to address any lingering questions that he knows the reader might be thinking as they progress through the text.
Seemingly every concern you may have while reading is addressed. Concepts are laid out and then backed up by real life examples of them working, whether it be for the author's personal business or a client he has helped with this method through his newfound sales firm. The book is chock full of statistics gathered independently that will inspire anyone to get busy with content creation.
Depending on your industry, it still may be somewhat unclear exactly how to implement all of this for your brand, but when boiled down to its essence I really do believe that there is credence to everything here.
The message is simple: Be a teacher, not a salesperson. Help your customers and obsess over answering their questions for them, even if the answer doesn't always help your brand directly (it often doesn't). If done consistently and correctly, you should be making waves in dozens if not hundreds of keyword searches with the content you've amassed, which leads to more exposure and more dollars.
My only small critique is that the book comes off as a bit of an infomercial at times, and funnily enough I find myself doing that here in this review as well. It really is just a belief in the teachings of the book though. This is no snake oil. This is proven marketing success performed once, then many times over with other companies, both B2C and B2B. It is a proven direction for business to go in the digital world we now live in, where being forthcoming and truthful are your best assets, and hiding info from the public will just hinder their trust in you.
As with other books I've read and found helpful, you will need to keep your eye on the ball as far as learning all the technical trappings of how to make these kinds of methods work. The philosophy is sound though, and the book is about a mindset that all companies should get on board with sooner or later.
Seemingly every concern you may have while reading is addressed. Concepts are laid out and then backed up by real life examples of them working, whether it be for the author's personal business or a client he has helped with this method through his newfound sales firm. The book is chock full of statistics gathered independently that will inspire anyone to get busy with content creation.
Depending on your industry, it still may be somewhat unclear exactly how to implement all of this for your brand, but when boiled down to its essence I really do believe that there is credence to everything here.
The message is simple: Be a teacher, not a salesperson. Help your customers and obsess over answering their questions for them, even if the answer doesn't always help your brand directly (it often doesn't). If done consistently and correctly, you should be making waves in dozens if not hundreds of keyword searches with the content you've amassed, which leads to more exposure and more dollars.
My only small critique is that the book comes off as a bit of an infomercial at times, and funnily enough I find myself doing that here in this review as well. It really is just a belief in the teachings of the book though. This is no snake oil. This is proven marketing success performed once, then many times over with other companies, both B2C and B2B. It is a proven direction for business to go in the digital world we now live in, where being forthcoming and truthful are your best assets, and hiding info from the public will just hinder their trust in you.
As with other books I've read and found helpful, you will need to keep your eye on the ball as far as learning all the technical trappings of how to make these kinds of methods work. The philosophy is sound though, and the book is about a mindset that all companies should get on board with sooner or later.
October 27, 2022
[3.25/5]
This book grew on me. In the first portion, I found myself thinking that he was giving me information I already knew. Which he was. But then, over and over again, I found myself thinking "God, I wish someone would tell X that". This book does create a pretty solid foundation for new marketers or people who have to work with them. Sheridan constantly is pointing to fears that even the Fortune 500 company I work for will not shake. Even though the practices are proven, sometimes the fear wins out over being straight up. Things like, sharing honest reviews, talking about competition, bringing content directly to sales, are always a work in progress. The faster a content team can understand their benefit, the more trustworthy a source they will seem to their customers.
This is probably best suited to entrepreneurs, small marketing operations or people who have pull in their marketing. This is my way of saying, as an individual contributor in a huge ecosystem, there is not much here on how to get buy-in from those above. But, the takeaways are all good to keep in mind.
Weakest portions were definitely some use cases and what other reviewers have said about the braggy tone. It's clear Sheridan is selling his program, good for him, but I think it detracts from the natural feel this book could have had. Also, I feel like I never want to hear about fiber glass pools again. But, if I change my mind, I guess I know where to go...
This book grew on me. In the first portion, I found myself thinking that he was giving me information I already knew. Which he was. But then, over and over again, I found myself thinking "God, I wish someone would tell X that". This book does create a pretty solid foundation for new marketers or people who have to work with them. Sheridan constantly is pointing to fears that even the Fortune 500 company I work for will not shake. Even though the practices are proven, sometimes the fear wins out over being straight up. Things like, sharing honest reviews, talking about competition, bringing content directly to sales, are always a work in progress. The faster a content team can understand their benefit, the more trustworthy a source they will seem to their customers.
This is probably best suited to entrepreneurs, small marketing operations or people who have pull in their marketing. This is my way of saying, as an individual contributor in a huge ecosystem, there is not much here on how to get buy-in from those above. But, the takeaways are all good to keep in mind.
Weakest portions were definitely some use cases and what other reviewers have said about the braggy tone. It's clear Sheridan is selling his program, good for him, but I think it detracts from the natural feel this book could have had. Also, I feel like I never want to hear about fiber glass pools again. But, if I change my mind, I guess I know where to go...
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