I am sure you probably had a conversation with a toddler at one point in your life. It probably was something like this…

Get ready, we're going to the store

Why?

Because we need food.

Why?

Because we are out of milk.

I DON'T LIKE MILK ANYMORE!

Why?

Because it hurts cows.

Why?

(You get the point).

Why is a very powerful word. It provokes conversations and promotes thoughtful responses. Simon Sinek thought it was so important he wrote a book about it “Start with Why”. He said that “What” is the action, “How” is the method, and “Why” is the purpose or promise. He says, “People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it.”

So if you are a toddler, it's easy to ask why over and over because you don't understand the “WHY” as a whole.

So, let's have some fun and ask you a few business Whys.

Business

Why did you start your business? If you work for someone else's business, why do you work for who you do? Most people would answer, “Because I am passionate about this or that.” Many people work to their needs and volunteer or practice their passions. It's a very rare few who can actually turn their passion into a thriving business.

I see this all the time with nonprofits. The originators have a passion that has bubbled up in their life to help people, animals, the environment, you name it. But even a nonprofit is a business (just with a different tax status). Their passion is not to collect donations and allocate resources. Successful ones can hire people (or employ volunteers) to do that.

The passion to help is at the core of any business. Someone has a problem, and you have a solution or a path to success that includes your ideas, experience, and passions. Your purpose is to get people to join in with your passion and allocate resources (time, talent, treasure) to help others solve that problem.

Your WHY has to align with their WHY. You can't get people to change or spend money if they don't want to change or spend money. But if you can get your “Why” to resonate with them by making them feel like a community of other people with the same problem or passion, their WHY becomes our WHY. They start to feel like an “Us” and part of a group that can give everyone passion and purpose to take action.

Find people who align with your WHY, and invite them to take the journey with you.

Networking

Why do you network or attend events? Why do others do the same? I can assure you that different people go for different reasons. Some come for the community, some are hunting for business, while others are looking for jobs. Some come to learn, while others could care less.

A successful networking group understands that there is a wide array of WHYs, and they have opportunities to cater to each of them. The most consistent one for me was the CCOB (Congregational Church of Batavia Small Business) Networking Group.

There was a bit of open networking (finding new and old connections), then sitting down at a table of ten (smaller groups), 3-word Elevator Pitches (short promotion),  promotion of community events (community), presentation (learning), and closing networking if you wanted (build deeper connections). All of that was done in one hour. The efficiency and WHYs were clear, accessible, and consistent. It was no pressure networking (unless you were the presenter).

Find networking that matches your WHY or start networking groups that create a community around your WHY!

Marketing

I did an interview with Mark S.A. Smith where he said that in the B2b sales and marketing world, “C-Level customers only care that you solve their problem, and don't get them fired!” I have to agree somewhat, but I want to add that they have a WHY also. Maybe it's about their family? It could be their employee or customers, or back to what I said before, it could be their passions.

If you can find their WHY you can communicate your business to them on a more personal level. It's not that you are their savior, just a participant in their overall plans and goals.

All so often we tend to focus on the “What” or the “How”. “Our software will find hidden customers.” “Our training will help you retain employees.” And, “Our machine has better up-time, leading to more profits”. What's missing is the WHY. Why do they want more customers, happier employees, or more uptime from their machines? It's not a simple answer but probably more complex issues, but while everyone is shouting the “What” or the “How”, you can stand out by emphasizing the WHY.

Finding the WHY for your products and services, helps you create differentiation, and more of a community feel that focuses on BOTH passion and purpose.

Final Thoughts

I know my WHY. I have two superpowers. One is to educate in simple yet profound ways. Second, I know how to interview (or converse) with people in a way that gets to their WHY. It helps me determine if my business and solution are a good fit for their WHY. I can tell you 80-90% of the time the answer is no. But, maybe I can connect them with someone I know who could be a better fit, or maybe they have a solution that could solve another company's WHY.

One tool that I use is Crystal Knows. It helps to create a personality profile from LinkedIn that gives me a starting point to what motivates or drives them. It's not perfect, but it beats meeting new people and trying to figure out their WHY on the fly.

Some people see things that are and ask, Why? Some people dream of things that never were and ask, Why not? Some people have to go to work and don't have time for all that. 

– George Carlin

Comment below and share your thoughts, ideas, or questions about your WHY. Why are you in business? Why did you come here and read this post? And, why did you click on it in the first place? How does your WHY align with the WHY of your best and favorite customers?

To learn more about this and other topics on B2b Sales & Marketing, visit our podcast website at The Bacon Podcast