If your marketing feels off, it probably is. But this isn’t necessarily because you’re doing it wrong. It’s more likely that you simply don’t really know who you’re talking to yet, or deeply understand the people you’re trying to help. The good news is that you can get on top of this fast. All you need to do is start by asking a few simple, honest questions. Real questions, to real customers, that help you see what they actually want, in their own words. The kind that’ll help you see your business through your customer’s eyes. You don’t need more data. You need more clarity. And that starts with a few honest conversations. But how do you ask your customers the right questions? Here’s how to go about it, and how to actually use the answers.
1. Ask them what brought them to you in the first place
Try saying this: “What was going on in your life or business when you decided to reach out to us?” This’ll give you the gold. You’ll hear real-world problems, pain points, and motivations straight from the source. These are the kind of elements you should be building your messaging around. Look for specific moments, real frustrations, and emotional drivers. The kind of things your customers might say like, “I was so fed up with…”, “I just wanted to stop stressing…”, or “I just wanted to deal with a human…”. You can even use their exact words in your copy. If they said, “I was tired of wasting time on admin,” then make it your headline. So stop guessing and start echoing.
Because when you truly understand your customers, your messaging clicks, your sales feel smoother, and your content actually hits home.
2. Ask what almost stopped them from buying
Next question – try asking this: “Was there anything that made you hesitate before you bought or signed up?” This’ll help uncover any concerns, doubts, or friction in your process. These are the silent killers of conversions. Listen for any signs of uncertainty, confusion, or missing info, anything that made them hesitate or second-guess your product or pitch. This is where you’ll identify the roadblocks. If there are active elements that almost cost you the sale, they’re definitely costing you others. Once you know what’s tripping people up, you can tackle it straight away, or talk about it upfront in your marketing. Address these concerns before someone has to ask. In your emails, FAQs, or even right on your sales page. Be the business that says what others avoid.
Remember, you’re not just selling a product or providing a service, you’re solving a problem.
3. Ask what they like (or love) most now that they’ve bought
Lastly, try saying this: “Now that you’ve used it, what did or do you like most?” This’ll help you find your hidden value, the stuff they care about more than you first realized. It might not even be what you thought was your main selling point. This is where the magic is. Because often, what people value after buying isn’t what you were pushing hard in the first place. Lean into what they really like or even love about your business. This’ll give you stronger messaging, standout quotes you can use as testimonials, and a clearer sense of what’s actually landing well with your customers. Then, you can double down on what’s already working.
So what now?
Start small. Pick 3 happy customers. Depending on how professionally close you are, call them, send them a text or even just drop them a voice-note. If you’re not too slammed for time, take them out for coffee and have an actual human conversation. Remember, you don’t need 100 survey responses, you just need 3 honest ones. From there, rewrite your homepage headline. Update your About section. Record a short reel or video using their exact words. Talk to your next customer the way your last one talked to you. That’s where things will start clicking.
The bottom line___
You just need to listen better. Your customers already have the answers, you just have to ask for them nicely. Remember to ask your customers what they were feeling, fearing, and hoping for – and then show the next one that you get it. Because when people feel understood, they buy.
If you want help turning those answers into stronger messaging, that’s what we’re here for. Let’s make your next 10 customers feel like you were made for them!