Are you an order taker or an interrogator? In this busy, fast-paced world in which we live, with tight deadlines and long to-do lists, both marketers and clients can find themselves slipping into just taking orders without thinking the action through. Other factors can also get in the way and lead us to a path of least resistance:

• Tried and True – “We’ve always done it this way.”
• Second Best – “It has to go out ASAP, so let’s just do this.”
• Past History – “Something like that won’t ever get approved.”

It’s not intentional. We all want to do the right thing. However, to develop the most successful solutions, we must act as interrogators uncovering the who, what, when, where, why and how of every new project or initiative.

Only when we understand the full context and purpose of an initiative can we provide the most value and determine the best delivery method.

In order to do so, we have to dig deep and ask the right questions. Sometimes we have to challenge conventional thinking.  Often we need to take the time to have conversations rather than a volley of emails. And always, we need to be open to new ideas and ways of doing things.

So the next time you get a request for just a brochure , an email, an ad, etc., pause and let your intellectual curiosity take hold. Play devil’s advocate. Put yourself in the mind of the consumer. And talk with your colleagues to get perspective from different areas of expertise.

Sometimes a simple deliverable is all that is needed. Or you may just find that spark of an idea or a game changing insight that will transform a program or a business.