Don’t touch the stove, please.

Why?

Because it’s hot.

Why? 

Because we just cooked dinner.

Why?

Because we’re hungry. 

Why?

Because we’re human.

Why?

. . . And that’s where the toddler stumped me.

Any amount of time spent with kiddos involves a certain amount of questioning. Kids are inquisitive because they’re learning about the world around them. It’s cute, annoying, and challenging all at once.

But I’m thinking we can actually take some advice from toddlers to improve our marketing.

What vs. Why

We see a lot of marketers ask what.

What can we do right now? What is going to get immediate conversions? What are our competitors doing?

Personally, I think these questions move the focus away from strategy. What questions aren’t seeking insightful answers as much as shallow details.

Toddlers don’t ask what. They ask why because they need to understand the function behind an action.

You should, too.

Inbound digital marketing aims to educate buyers through curated content sent at the perfect time in an individual customer’s buyer’s journey.

This process is full of opportunities to ask why: 

• Why should you choose a certain content channel over another?
• Why are your leads choosing your business (or not)?
• Why are you different from your competitors?
• Why should you pursue digital channels versus traditional marketing?
• Why didn’t a certain campaign work?

Why questions like these push the conversation toward strategy. There are data points to back up all of these questions, and doing the research will encourage your team to make thoughtful marketing decisions.

You might not be as cute as a three-year-old asking why, but the constant questioning will benefit your business and improve your overall advertising.

Ask Us Why

Are you stuck on the what and not on the why?

The 9 Clouds team has a childlike fascination with asking questions about marketing. Why do you need help? We want to know.

Reach out and take us up on a free digital marketing audit. Even if you don’t work with us in the future, this audit will give you insight into the questions you should be asking about your marketing.