Most of us doing marketing skip that question. Not because we're all lazy, but because we're too busy doing things we arguably shouldn't be doing. There's a quota to hit, a pipeline to fill, and a board meeting on Thursday. So we write the website copy, design the brochure, and launch the campaign, all without ever sitting down to honestly answer the one question every single customer is quietly asking: Why you?

If you don't know the answer to that one question, then it is entirely unreasonable to think your customer will. Why, better yet, how would they? And saying you are "innovative," "customer-focused," and "best-in-class" is not a correct answer. One could convincingly argue that they are the absence of one.

That is probably obvious.

But asking open follow-up questions is one of the easiest ways to uncover deeper insights about how your marketing campaigns resonate with your target audience. Of course, the principal difficulty with them is coming up with the questions themselves in the moment. I've shared a range of questions that are widely applicable across many marketing research conversations.

Believing that others will react as we would is the single most dangerous myth in marketing. Only human beings can look directly at something, have all the information they need to make an accurate prediction, perhaps even momentarily make the accurate prediction, and then say that it isn't so.

Yes, it's important to keep abreast of the latest technological developments and tools of the moment for reasons that are not germane to this musing. And it is equally important to read (or listen to) books that reveal the consistent and pervasive variables of human nature. Why? Because within those books are timeless truths that will help you better understand how to communicate in an impactful and even meaningful way with the audience you seek to serve.

84% of purchase decisions are made before shopping even begins, according to new research tracking 1.2 million consumer journeys across 200+ categories, meaning that by the time your prospect actively shops, the decision is already made.

Over months and years, your favorite and not-so-favorite brands build neural pathways beneath your conscious awareness so that when the buying moment arrives, what feels like a rational choice is actually the echo of impressions accumulated long ago.

When resources tighten, average marketing teams scatter across channels, hoping something sticks. But we know that repeated exposure increases preference, and your audience needs multiple touch points with your message to convert, not single exposures across scattered channels.

You can't force a breakthrough campaign. You can't manufacture genuine brand passion. But you can plant seeds and create the environment where marketing mastery grows. Those seeds might not sprout for months or years. Plant enough seeds and tend the soil consistently, and breakthroughs will bloom.

• Is it testable?
• Can you prove or disprove it?
•If you reversed your hypothesis, would you care about the difference it would make to your overall logic?
• If you shared your hypothesis with any other stakeholder, would it sound naive or obvious?
• Does it point directly to an action or actions that you might take?

When you can’t nail your routine, or when, for whatever reason, your routine doesn’t leave you feeling energized or “ready,” it’s so easy to hit the mental eject button: today’s just not my day. But this isn’t necessarily true. Yes, routines really can help. Yes, every great performer uses routines. Yes, you should probably have a few routines yourself. But they are not destiny.

Like any creative endeavor, each campaign represents an experiment with unknowable outcomes. This uncertainty bogs down marketers who expect guaranteed results before investing resources. Marketing campaigns exist in a space that resists predictability and is filled with false expectations.

We mostly hear about the winners (like Facebook and Apple), not the many entrepreneurs who tried similar approaches and failed. This creates a false picture that can lead to poor business decisions.

Picture yourself walking through a graveyard where only the fanciest tombstones still stand. Time crumbled away the simple ones. Looking around, you might think everyone buried here was wealthy. You're just seeing the survivors.

Bad marketing persists and may get worse as the creation speed increases and barriers to launch evaporate. I see three factors driving this phenomenon:
First, marketing has democratized. Everyone with a product or idea now does marketing, regardless of skill, understanding, ot training. The sheer volume guarantees diminishing quality and effectiveness. Second, most people handling marketing excel elsewhere. The artisanal baker knows bread, not positioning. The hospital administrator understands healthcare systems, but less so, if at all, emotional storytelling. Most professionals treat marketing as an afterthought. Third, marketing lacks clear feedback mechanisms. Without definitive standards or immediate consequences, practitioners struggle to evaluate their work objectively, resulting in failures being misidentified as missed opportunities rather than catastrophes.

Creating the conditions for the word to spread is the job of the marketer. Spreading the word is the job of the customer. Great brand marketing doesn’t just promote a product. It creates an emotional container people want to step into and incorporate into their lifestyle, and tell other people about.

Is increased complexity the path to better performance, or would marketers be better off if they removed a few things?
Many interactions fail despite apparent attention because basic listening captures spoken words. Most people stop here, creating a false understanding while missing crucial context. The second layer involves understanding and grasping what words mean in context. The deepest level uncovers what remains unspoken in the underlying emotions, unstated needs, and hidden assumptions.

Avoid producing (and consuming) marketing junk food. Feed your audience substance and they will thank you with their attention and business.