When my kids were young, we never skipped over the tv ads. They were the basis for so many family debates. “That’s dumb,” one of them would say at the end of the commercial. My response? “That ad and that product wasn’t meant for you.” Then we would talk about who they knew that the ad might be trying to attract. My goal was to foster a sense of curiosity in them so they would ask more questions before making decisions.

I think of those discussions whenever I hear someone complain that their ad didn’t work. And my first question is always the same: “Who did it target?” Followed quickly by “Why do they need what you’re selling?” The simple fact is that advertising is part of a sophisticated Life Cycle and it works best in an environment where everyone is constantly learning more about prospects, needs of the market place, and ways to connect with the audience.

It’s easy to identify a marketing team that’s fueled by that type of curiosity. There’s an energy about them. Chances are their work is likely to succeed far better than a system run on ROI. When you search for answers to questions like “What if we looked at this a different way…” or “Why do so many people think…” or “How come no one has ever…”.

Curiosity makes everything (and everyone) more interesting. It’s what gets me out of bed in the morning. When you’re curious about the world, each new day holds unlimited potential for something new and unique. It’s the #1 one reason I’m still in this field. I’m curious about so much. Channeling that curiosity helps us in our work to differentiate our clients.

Make a list of questions to consider when your marketing team gathers the next time. Here are a few to get you started:

What aspect of our brand is too vague?
In what way does our message mimic our competitors?
If you could add one new tactic to our plan, what would it be?
Does the brand promise reflect what the company really delivers?
When potential customers engage with us, how are their expectations being met… or not?

Now I’m really curious… what’s driving your marketing? I have a million questions…

If your marketing has lost its sense of curiosity, my team is here to offer resources, tools, and insights to help you reinvigorate your efforts. Curiosity drives the passion in your business, and by reigniting it, you will set the tone for a successful year to come.

About Words@Work: With our full array of marketing services, we support clients with brand reviews, market segment analysis, content and media strategy, and the tactical implementation to ensure it all happens on time, on budget, on track. Our Discovery process is fueled by our core value Curiosity and delivers insightful findings that become key action items.