The document discusses 9 marketing questions for starting a new business. The questions focus on identifying what makes the business's product or service better than competitors; how to prove its value; potential ways to delight customers; the founder's background and what qualifies them to run the business; potential early customers, partners, or investors; opportunities for referrals; and how to generate buzz and create a bandwagon effect. Answering these questions will help guide marketing efforts and lead to faster sales. The author encourages founders to revisit the questions as their business planning evolves over time.

1. Starting
a Business
9 Marketing
Questions
Judy Schramm, CEO
(and where to find the ProResource LLC
answers)
www.proresource.com Copyright 2011 ProResource LLC

2. Starting a Business
If you want a wildly successful business…
Before you start marketing your new
business, here are 10 questions to ask
yourself.
The answers will give you everything you
need to start marketing, get leads fast, and
convert them into sales.
www.proresource.com Copyright 2011 ProResource LLC

3. Starting a Business
. How is your product or
service better?
hy are you starting your business? What’s the
vision behind it? How are you delivering a better
solution than the others who are already in this
market?
www.proresource.com Copyright 2011 ProResource LLC

4. Starting a Business
2. How can you prove it?
How do people know your solution is better? Can
you measure the improvement (8x
faster)? Can you get people who know
you to provide quotes that say your
service is better or more convenient or
that your system is more foolproof? Are
you certified or tested?
www.proresource.com Copyright 2011 ProResource LLC

5. Starting a Business
3. Where is the WOW?
What’s really cool about what you are doing? Not
every business has a WOW, but see if you
can brainstorm and find one or build one
in. Maybe you can give a cookie with
every purchase. Or surprise and delight
your customers in some other way.
www.proresource.com Copyright 2011 ProResource LLC

6. Starting a Business
4. Who are you?
What made it possible for you to create this
business? Tell a story about how you
came up with the idea for the business.
What in your background let you
perceive the opportunity? What
experience makes you well-suited to run
this business?
www.proresource.com Copyright 2011 ProResource LLC

7. Starting a Business
5. Who believes in you?
Other than your mom…
Who are your partners, your first clients, your
employees? You can get a lot of
credibility by talking about who you have
convinced to partner with you in your
new venture.
www.proresource.com Copyright 2011 ProResource LLC

8. Starting a Business
6. Where are your easy
first sales?
Who owes you a favor? Who have you worked
with before? Who needs what you have so badly
that they will risk taking a chance with an
unknown? Who is a visionary and likes being the
first to try something new?
www.proresource.com Copyright 2011 ProResource LLC

9. Starting a Business
7. Can you get the cool
kids in first?
You’ll get better results from your marketing if
people your prospects respect are the first to use
your new product or service.
www.proresource.com Copyright 2011 ProResource LLC

10. Starting a Business
8. Who can refer business
to you?
Who else is involved with people who have the
problem you solve? Who do they turn to for
advice? What do they need before they are ready
for you? What do they need at the same time?
What do they need after your work is done?
www.proresource.com Copyright 2011 ProResource LLC

11. Starting a Business
9. Can you create a
bandwagon?
How can you show people that others are excited
about your company? Where can you talk about
all the new business you are getting?
www.proresource.com Copyright 2011 ProResource LLC

12. Starting a Business
For what it’s worth…
 Those are all hard questions for most business
owners to answer. Most people can only answer a
couple of them easily.
 But if you put the questions in the back of your head
as you are doing your business planning, you will
come up with good answers over time.
 The more answers you have, the easier your
marketing and sales will be, and the sooner you’ll
have a wildly successful business.
www.proresource.com Copyright 2011 ProResource LLC

13. Questions?
13
Judy Schramm
ProResource LLC
+1 703-824-8482
judy@proresource.com
Skype: judy.schramm
Twitter: @proresource
http://www.facebook.com/ProResource
www.proresource.com Copyright 2011 ProResource LLC