Speed Dial: 60-Second Marketing Insight Newsletter

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The Art of Asking Questions Using "The One Thing" to Get Better Results By Marie Elwood, Brand Marketing Consultant  October 13, 2009 - Speed Dial Issue 1

Is There a Secret Question That Can Give You Dramatically Better Results?

There's an art to asking questions effectively, and if you want candid feedback that you can use to improve your brand, performance, and your relationships, here’s a question that works like magic. 

It’s a question we ask a lot at Avalaunche, especially in focus group research, because it does wonders to help people prioritize & focus their thoughts. To get better answers, use "THE ONE THING." 

• “What’s the ONE THING we should focus on to make this product a better fit for YOU?”
  
  
• “If there was just ONE THING that would make you use this more often, what would it be?”
  
  
  
• “If there was just ONE THING that would really make this company stand out from everybody else in your mind, what would it be?”

Ask your boss:

• “If there was just ONE THING you’d like me to focus upon improvin the next 6 months,
  what would it be?”

• “If there was just ONE THING we need to hit a home run on together this year,
  what would you say it is?”

• “What’s the ONE THING I can do right now to really help you through this rough time?”

The Art of Asking Questions Effectively is Just a Start- - Now Listen Carefully to the Answer

When it comes to the art of asking questions effectively, you'll find that this approach will dramatically improve the quality of the responses you get- - so focus on "the one thing", listen carefully to the answer, & use it as a springboard to get even more in-depth insights from the various groups of people in your life.

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