This document contains questions to ask a business owner about their offerings (What does your business offer?), marketing strategies (How do you market your business?), target regions and audiences (Area, Target Audience), strengths and differentiators (Special), current challenges (Urgent), and future plans (Plans). The questions provide a framework to learn key details about a business in a 1-2-1 meeting.

1. WHATSUP
With 1-2-1s!
From John Fisher et al - BforB
June 2010

2. W
What Does Your Business Offer
• What do you offer to customers?
• Which other products / services do you offer?
• What aspect of your business is most in demand now?
• What would you like to sell more of?
• What is most lucrative to you?
• What added benefits or services do you offer eg credit terms

3. H
How do You Market Your Business?
• How are you able to offer such a great service
• How doe you currently market your business - media, leaflets, telesales, web
• How will I know when someone needs your services

4. A
Area
• Which Areas do you cover?
• Which areas do you mostly attract business from?
• Which areas would you like more business from?
• How far do you reach for? eg home visits

5. T
Target Audience
• Who are your typical customers? What is their profile?
• Who would you like to be introduced to?
• Who are good referrers of business to you?
• What type of customers are you currently seeking?
• Which type of customer would you like more of?

6. S
Special
• What is special about your business / products / services?
• How long have you been established?
• What’s the secret of your success?
• Why do your customers choose you above your competitors?
• Which offers / new lines / re-launches do you currently have?
• What do you offer that competitors don’t? e.g. choice, value, delivery etc

7. U
Urgent
• What challenges if any are you facing at present?
• What is your current priority?
• What stocks / products do you need to clear?

8. P
Plans
• What are your plans for the business?