Your FAQs

from Able Leader, July 2004

by Steve Kaye

Suppose you were designing a web site to promote yourself. And suppose you wanted to add a powerful statement about who you are. And suppose you decided to do this with a page of FAQs (frequently asked questions)?

What questions would you ask? And how would you answer them?

This is your homework assignment for next month.

I guarantee that this project will provide valuable insights into yourself and what sets you apart from others.

And to help out, here are the steps for the process:

1) Find questions.

For example:

Why you? Why should someone hire you? Why should they keep you? What do you do that makes a difference?

What makes you effective? What skills, talents, knowledge, attributes do you apply to get your job done?

How are you different? What sets you apart from everyone else? What makes you special?

Who should call you? Who are your customers? Who do you relate to best? Where do you derive most of your business? With whom do you add the most value?

What can someone expect when they call? What type of conversation will you have? What will be the mutual agenda?

Of course, you may want to consider other questions related to your business or your role in that business.

2) Answer the questions.

Begin by writing freely without worrying about whether you have the best answers. Just write. Let your imagination go. Pretend that you are talking to a good friend.

Then review your answers and revise them as new thoughts come to mind.
Finally, realize that web readers have little patience for long essays. So, cut your answers down to the minimum. Leave only the most powerful ideas.

3) Test the list.

Show it to other people and ask for their comments.

Show it to your spouse. Show it to your colleagues, coworkers, and friends. Show it to your customers and suppliers. Show it to your brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, parents, and cousins.

And ask for their ideas on how to make it better. Collect their comments. Celebrate each of their suggestions.

This includes any ideas that may seem outrageous. In fact, if you receive a truly amazing (outrageous) idea, challenge yourself to understand why the idea was offered and how it could be applied.

Realize that it is actually a compliment when someone gives you an amazing idea. It means that the other person trusts you enough to take a risk by being candid, open, and creative. Thank them and ask for their help figuring out how to apply it. Or tell them that this idea is so powerful that you need time to understand how to use it.

As a final test, show your list of FAQs to your children. Do they understand what you wrote? If any part of it confuses an 8-year old, you need to rewrite that section.

4) Let it bake.

Now put the list away for a week. Then read it. Can you think of better questions? Better answers?

I wrote the first draft of my FAQs three weeks ago and I am still making changes.

Key Point: Ask yourself the same good questions that your clients would ask.

Much success,

Steve Kaye
714-528-1300