Think about the last marketing campaign you planned.

Think about the last product you launched.

Think about the last anything you did and ask yourself if it was as successful as you had hoped.

If not, do you know why?

Businesses need to ask “why” far more

The single most important question that businesses can ask is, “Why?”

Often times, marketing campaigns are planned, products are built, business are even run on a gut feeling. Someone within the company gets an idea and pushes that idea forward so quickly that no one takes the time to sit back and question the validity of the venture.

If someone along the way had simply asked “why” during the process, and pushed it until they got a satisfactory answer, the project would likely have been more successful.

Whether it’s fear of the answer or an arrogance that they’re right, businesspeople often neglect to ask “why” they are doing something and end up missing an important piece of the puzzle.

So why should you ask “why” about your next major business decision? Well….

1) Not asking “why” often leads to surface-level decision making.

When you fail to question why you are doing something, just about anything goes.

If you don’t step back and say, “Why are we doing this? Why are we making this? etc.,” you are destined to make decisions on a whim or by the seat of your pants. Instead of deciding on valid reasons to do something (and defining what success looks like), you end up saying, “I think that’s a good idea…let’s do it!”

Instead, take that idea for what it is – an idea. Bombard it with quesions.

• Why is this a good idea?
• Why did I think of this?
• Why should anyone care?
• Etc.

2) Most failed marketing efforts (especially in social media) can be traced to a lack of a “why.”

You know the story.

The president comes in Monday morning, after reading an article in the Sunday paper about Facebook and says, “We need to be on Facebook. Make it happen.” Of course, since it’s the president, no one will question it, but that often sets you up for failure from the word go.

Instead, it’s important to step back and say, “Why do we need to be on Facebook? Why should anyone ‘like’ us? Are our customers even there?”

Too often, people get attracted to the newest shiny object (in this case, Facebook) and say they need it, without ever determining why they need it.

3) The answer is the key.

If the answer to, “Why are we doing this,” isn’t ultimately, “Because it’s what’s best for our customers,” you need to re-examine your thinking.

Now, this may take a few rounds of asking why, but ultimately it needs to lead to being what’s the best choice for your customers or you’ll never succeed.

So, the above scenario could be look like this.

“We need to be on Facebook.” Why?
“Because this article said so.” Why?
“Because that’s where people get information?” Why?
“Because they learn from other people there and if that’s where they want to get information from, we need to provide them with what they want, where they want it.”

That’s the key. Unless the “why” leads to a better customer experience, scrap it.

Why ask why?

Ultimately, the important part is to examine the business decisions you make to ensure that they are the best choice for everyone – not just your ego. Just because all your marketing or business friends are working on the hottest new social media campaign, doesn’t mean it’s right for you. If the answer to your “why” ends up being, “Because it’s cool and new,” keep thinking.

At the end of the day, this is just one way to get to the heart of customers’ desires. It’s at that heart where success in business lies.