In this episode of the Corporate Escapee Podcast, Brett Trainor interviews Marcus Sheridan, author of 'They Ask, You Answer.' They discuss the concept of 'They Ask, You Answer' and how it involves meeting the needs and answering the questions of customers. Marcus emphasizes the importance of understanding the buyer's journey and being obsessed with the questions, worries, fears, and concerns of buyers. He also highlights the power of being a rule breaker and disruptor in the market, especially for solopreneurs and small businesses. The conversation also covers the importance of video in marketing, the types of videos every business needs, and the value of networking and outreach.

Key Takeaways

• The 'They Ask, You Answer' approach involves meeting the needs and answering the questions of customers.
• Understanding the buyer's journey and being obsessed with the questions, worries, fears, and concerns of buyers is crucial.
• Being a rule breaker and disruptor in the market can give solopreneurs and small businesses a competitive advantage.
• Video marketing is powerful and can help businesses connect with their audience.
• Creating different types of videos, such as the 80% video, bio video, and product/service videos, can set a business apart.
• Networking and outreach should be sincere and focused on providing value to others.
• Being authentic and human in marketing efforts can resonate with the audience.
• Outsourcing video editing and utilizing tools like ScoreApp and PriceGuide.ai can simplify the video creation process.
• Networking can be done through sincere direct messages and thoughtful outreach.
• Being yourself and providing valuable content can help build a personal brand and connect with potential customers.

Marcus Sheridan Links

• Website: https://marcussheridan.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcussheridan/

Sound Bites

• "They ask, then you answer means we're obsessed with the questions, the worries, the issues, the concerns, the behaviors of the buyers and we're willing to meet them where they are."
• "If you take these questions, worries, fears, issues, concerns, behaviors, whatever it is, and you, instead of ignoring them, you lean into them, now they can become your competitive advantage."
• "What's so wonderful about the disruptors and the rule breakers is because, you know, in every industry, you've got these rule makers, right. And they're just establishing the norms and everybody's following them. But then somebody comes along and they break the rules, right?"

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Excitement for the Conversation

00:45 Defining 'They Ask, You Answer'

02:06 The Divide Between Sales Process and Buyer's Journey

03:58 Pushing Buyers Through Processes vs. Answering Questions

05:18 The Advantage of Being a Solopreneur

06:23 Being Your Own Media Company and Answering Core Questions

10:48 The Basics of Video Creation and Authenticity

11:39 The Six Videos Every Business Needs

16:24 Creating Different Types of Videos for Business Success

20:33 Lead Generation Tools: ScoreApp and PriceGuide.ai

23:07 Networking and Outreach Strategies

25:12 The Importance of Authenticity and Being Human in Marketing

28:31 Simplifying Video Creation with Outsourcing and Tools

30:08 Building a Personal Brand through Valuable Content

33:45 Conclusion and Contact Information