Can I Ask A Question?

"Part of being successful is asking the right questions and listening to the answers." - Anne Burrell

Experience has taught me that the best way to engage with people is to

1. Tell Stories
2. Ask Questions

This is true whether in person or on social media.

Recently, I had someone tell me I was interesting and creative.

That made my day and, being a student of the science of human behavior, I stopped to consider the reasons why she had said that to me.

The 'interesting' part of her comment almost certainly came from # 1 and 2 above; especially the asking of questions.

When you ask the right questions, it gives those being asked the opportunity to showcase their creative and thoughtful responses.

So, in today's Edition, I thought I would share with you some of the sorts of questions and formats that help engage those who follow me on other platforms.

I can't guarantee that these same questions and formats will be effective here on LinkedIn.

But, I will say that they might have others say that you are Interesting and Creative. ??

Common Sayings

One sort of question that is sure to get responses is to ask for verification on an often-repeated phrase.

For example:

Is it true that 'you are what you eat'?

Another way of utilizing this particular old saying is

If it is true that 'you are what you eat', what would your last meal make you?

Music

For most people, music is a big part of their life. Asked the right way, music-related questions evoke positive emotions and may even give folks the opportunity to take a 'mental vacation'.

Recently, I posed this question:

What was the first album you ever bought with your own money? Bonus points if you answer with an image of it!

Many folks answered and at least half of them shared an image of the album cover. In a way, this allowed them to relive the moments of pleasure listening to that music gave them over the years.

Btw, in a response to that question, I shared an image of the first album I ever bought with my own money. It was Led Zeppelin II. ??

Fill In The Blank

Recently, I proffered this:

It's Thursday, and I am ____________

The type and range of responses was astounding!

Another fill-in-the-blank question that almost always gets lots of engagement is name based.

For instance:

Donna __________

If you want to target a particular age demographic for responses, you can do a little research online. Go to your favorite search engine and ask:

'What were the most popular baby names in (any given year)?

Want to target folks around 40 years old? Ask about the early '80's most popular names.

Btw, in 1983, the most popular girl name was Jennifer and the most popular boy name was Michael.

Future Cast

Most people view the future in an optimistic light. One way you can help them embrace that is to ask questions about the future.

Recently, I asked:

Do you see your life changing significantly in the next couple of years?

The responses were overwhelmingly positive!

Video Entertainment

A lady friend of mine had told me about the series called Outlander.

It sounded intriguing, so I subscribed to Netflix in order to begin watching it.

Knowing there were a number of my friends who were probably Netflix subscribers already, I shared a post which read:

I subscribed to Netflix in order to watch Outlander. But, what else is on there that I should watch?

A litany of responses was the result!

And, when you think about it, sharing a response to that question provided folks the opportunity to, in that moment, relive the experience of watching the show(s) they were recommending.

Food

We all have to eat to survive. But, the foods we choose are widely varied.

So, asking questions about particular foods, restaurants, etc. will elicit many responses.

Ask about Olive Garden, Chipotle or IHOP and nearly everyone has an opinion.

Banana Peppers, anchovies or chili will have people weighing in as well.

Endless Possibilities

The possibilities for asking engaging questions is limited only by your curiosity and imagination.

I hope this Edition sparks potential questions in your mind.

What question could you pose to engage your audience?

_____________________

Are you on the verge of being left behind in an increasingly competitive and rapidly changing world? ?? You can avoid being run over by hiring me to develop ideas and strategies that will help you increase sales and reduce customer acquisition cost.

Your organization can also help develop a culture of innovation by having us train your team on methods of thinking more creatively - on purpose.

PM me?so I can help you.

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About?Bob Sager

The founder of SpearPoint Solutions, Bob’s professional background includes over three decades of experience in sales, leadership and training. Combined with creative thinking, he uses that experience to develop business strategies that help organizations increase sales and reduce customer acquisition cost. Additionally, his team of Certified Facilitators train organizations on methods of purposeful creative thinking that are crucial to thriving in the modern?economy.?

Among other accomplishments, Bob is the?inventor?of the creative thinking game, What's the BIG Idea??, author of the books, Discovering Your Greatness and 101 Freaking Brilliant Business Ideas.