Ask: The Counterintuitive Online Method to Discover Exactly What Your Customers Want to Buy . . . Create a Mass of Raving Fans . . . and Take Any Business to the Next Level

Unlike many marketing books, this has quite a conversational style, with the first part of the book used to describe Ryan's own story that led to the creation of the ASK method and the second half, is a description of the methodology.The basic concept is quite simple yet very effective as it addresses a fundamental question: why create the service or product without first knowing if there is even a market for it? Whilst this is certainly not a new concept in marketing terms, what Ryan has managed to do is simplify the process as well as provide a step-by-step guide to achieving the results. Very easy read - highly recommend it.

This is one of the many books that I have read recently, but the difference with this one? I was hooked! And for good reason.First off hearing Ryan's story first hand really made me realise, if you want it, you can get it. Life will throw you a curveball sometimes but there are many ways to go round it and get the things you really want, and what else? LEAP, Ryan made the leap when people told him he would be wrong, he took the risk, some people would be happy with comfort but Ryan has literally found a formula that works and used it over and over again to prove that when he took the leap of faith it was the right decision.Now, even though I have only read this book recently, in the past week I have implemented strategies in here to get more engagement and find out what my niche in the nutrition industry really want, by asking them what they DON'T WANT to happen again and it has been very helpful in helping me brainstorm the ideas for my next venture.Even in the past week, just by asking and engaging with my clients this has lead to double the amount of sign ups that I would usually get and with my first podcast episode now in it's second week the downloads BEFORE I asked were minimal around 25 and the second week they are up over 400% already! JUST by one thing....Using the ASK formula.Yes it is early days to translate into direct sales from the formula but right now I have no reason to believe the information in this book has already changed my life, just by my way of thinking and the engagement with my avatar. I KNOW IT WILL WORK.

You will see that another reviewer has copied and pasted my review into his review, adding very little. I'd be grateful if you could like my review to get it above the one that effectively "stole" my thoughts.Here is the review...I get suspicious when a book has many more five star reviews than anything else in case friends and family have been press-ganged or there's been some kind of marketing campaign to drum up support.The book splits into two parts - his story as part one and the Ask process as part two. He correctly suggests that some people might prefer to jump straight to part 2 and I wish I had. What I learnt from reading the cloying first section is that he's very bright and he's prepared to work hard for what he wants. He also admits to be influenced by two marketing experts that I admire - copywriter Gary Halbert and digital marketer and researcher Glenn Livingston.The Ask approach is based on finding out what customers want and then delivering it to them through a website and email sales funnel. Yes, this is about INTERNET MARKETING but it can be used for physical products.I think we can all agree that different people in a product-market have different needs and wants and there are only three options:1) A business might have many different but quality products that genuinely fit different needs and has a challenge to match customers to the right products.2) A business has one or a small number of products and should pre-qualify customers so that they know whether they are a suitable fit or not.3) A business has a few products or many poor products and aims to sell them to all the different needs through lying, deception and manipulation. I bet you've met sales people you thought you could trust to help find what you need only to be disappointed afterwards. If not, you've been very lucky.As customers won't have seen the products, the Ask process can be used for options 1 and 3. It's less relevant for option 2 since customers can easily qualify customers in advance. The author wants readers to use it the right way but recognises that it can be used with bad intentions.At its best, the Ask process imitates and automates a one-to-one selling relationship based on talking and listening. In the same way that a sales person will adjust to what's been revealed by the buyer, so can the Ask process.The first survey aims to investigate the market and to capture the thoughts of potential customers on a no risk, low involvement basis. Then the data needs to be analysed. It can be used to help design products and to develop marketing messages. It is used to design the second survey which is used to match customers to products based on their needs. The third survey asks people who did not buy, why not and the answers can be used to adapt the marketing messages again. The fourth survey pivots to further new products.Adding to the process is the explanation of emails built into funnels for buyers and non-buyers. At its limit, there is a thin line between effective marketing and preying on weaknesses to get someone to buy something they don't really want or need. That's why buyer's remorse and Internet returns can be high.The Ask process is very clever in the same way that Jeff Walker's Product Launch Formula is clever, although as methodologies, they are very different. The author would like to think that it can become the standard approach for e-commerce and Internet marketing. That depends on it being used to sell products that deliver good value to committed customers. Like the PLF, if it is abused, it could get a bad reputation and customers would learn to recognise the approach and actively resist.The author shares plenty of his approach but it's also a long pitch for his products and services. First there is the software needed to run the surveys, next is a training course to give you more details, third the option to join a mastermind group to share experiences and finally, you can, of course, buy the entire process from his company.I'm left admiring the methodology and I'm glad I know about it but many businesses have discovered that there are limits to customer research. As Henry Ford remarked, if he'd have asked, people would have requested a faster horse instead of the car. As I was reading it, I couldn't see a use for it in my business. I fit into category 2 where I have a very limited range of services and I can qualify customers in advance. I'm rating it as a four star book. I didn't like part 1 and I would have liked more insight in the case studies along with less blatant marketing.About my book reviews - I aim to be a tough reviewer because the main cost of a book is not the money to buy it but the time needed to read it and absorb the key messages. 4 stars means this is a good to very good book.Paul Simister, a business coach who helps business owners who are stuck, get unstuck.

There is a great deal of solid, actionable information in this book. I am not yet sure exactly how to apply it in my business but I certainly intend to work it out! As someone who is not temperamentally a "data geek" the nuts and bolts may be challenging but it seems worth the effort to me. Well written with none of the hype that characterises so many books in this genre.

I'm sceptical to buy books that help you to improve and the kind of "give it all" for £6. However, I have to say that Ryan gives a lot of insights that you can apply to your business.The downside of the book:The first half of it is a waste of time but the second half of the book is that good that deserves 5*

You could definitely save your time by start reading the book after chapter 13 but even most headings author is mentioning are basic principles as he is not going deeper on his analysis. Therefore, i found the subject really interesting at first but there was no wow factor within the content.

I loved this book. I heard it being recommended on the She Means Business podcast and grabbed a copy. I am already implementing the approaches and have my Deep Dive Survey ready to send out to my email subscriber list. The lessons in the book make so much sense when you think about them. The trouble is, we've all taken on board the so-called 'common sense' approaches to business, which can often prevent growth. But this book smashes through those and gives you practical, actionable steps you can take right now to grow your business.

Interesting ideas and an easy read.

Fui en contra de todos mis principios y no termine de leer el libro. La primera mitad te la puedes saltar COMPLETAMENTE. Son decenas de hojas de su historia y de como surgió el sistema. Básicamente quiere construir credibilidad para la segunda parte. En la segunda parte describe su "increíble" sistema que básicamente es spamear a gente con encuestas para venderles un producto. En otra review lei que si tú negocio es de vender Y YA, entonces este libro te puede ayudar. Si quieres construir una relación a largo plazo con tus clientes, hay mejores libros. Mejor invierte tu tiempo en:Ultimate Guide to Facebook Advertising de Perry MarshallUltimate Guide to Google AdWords de Perry MarshallSell with a story de Paul SmithQuestion based selling de Thomas FreeseO cualquier otro libro de marketing/ventas

Ask is the next step after Choose.I will introduce this to my business. When it works, I will update my review.

Este pequeño material se basa en una idea central que defiende que a la hora de idear un modelo de negocio debemos corroborar lo que asumimos como cierto antes de seguir adelante. En otras palabras, que no siempre lo que creemos que sucede es lo que sucede en realidad y que siempre debemos preguntar (de ahí el título del libro) antes de dar una idea por cierta. Esto pasa en el mundo del emprendimiento, que es a lo que está enfocado el material pero también en cualquier ámbito de nuestra vida.Lo recomiendo para los emprendedores porque puede ahorrar muchísimos dolores de cabeza, tiempo de trabajo y por supuesto dinero.

Ryan Levesque é um dos principais autores de marketing americano. Neste livro conta sua biografia e sua fórmula. É um guia passo-a-passo para implementar um funil de vendas baseado em perguntas. Dá dicas de como fazer as pessoas responderem questionários, como formular produtos que as pessoas querem. Descreve um sistema de sequenciamento de emails e dá fórmulas para escrever conteúdo que engage e atraí. Como Ryan tem formação de Neurocientista, sabe quais gatilhos mentais disparar e em qual ordem. Acho que vale muito a pena para empreendedores e marketeiros de pequenas, médias e grandes organizações

Like I mentioned in a comment on the NLM Mastermind Facebook Group, I purchased the book on Monday, finished reading it on Tuesday and joined the Facebook group on Wednesday. Once I got into it, I couldn't put it down.If you are in a business that needs leads, you know that the most effective leads are those that are coming to you, with cash in hand ready to buy. But how do you get that laser focus that allows you to identify those prime leads?Simple. Buy this book.Ryan has created a funnel system through a series of surveys, that is simple, effective, and so unobtrusive that customers will identify themselves to you without any objection. And it can work for any industry or niche.In a word, brilliant!Now I said it is simple in it's concept, but as Ryan says in the book, "The devil is in the details." However, even if there is some work to getting it up and running, once you do one, you will do a hundred surveys.I read through it the first time, fairly quickly because I understood what he was explaining and my excitement was almost uncontrollable. I knew that I could do this and it would work, because I know I've filled out numerous surveys in my time with barely giving it a thought.I think this is could easily be the most important tool in your marketing arsenal...period. You need leads, but more importantly you need the right leads and Ryan teaches you exactly how to find them.Again. Brilliant.