What the 5 W’s and 1 H Have to Do with Marketing
Do you remember back in primary school when you were taught about the 5 W’s and 1 H? For me, it was 1982, and Ms. Andes hammered this into me. The terms “who, what, when, where, why, and how” are the set of questions that allow us to gather information, analyze situations, and ensure a comprehensive understanding of a topic or event.
Here’s a breakdown of each question that is included in the 5 W’s and 1 H:
- Who: Identifies the person or people involved.
- What: Describes the action, event, or object in question.
- When: Specifies the time or date of the event.
- Where: Indicates the location or place where the event occurred.
- Why: Explains the reason or cause for the event.
- How: Describes the method or process by which the event happened.
In the physical world, the equivalent is our five senses—hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, and touching. Just like the 5 W’s and 1 H, the five senses allow us to gather information, analyze situations, and ensure a comprehensive understanding of our physical place in the world.
The 5 W’s and 1 H questions are fundamental in journalism, research, problem-solving, project management, and yes, marketing. By answering these questions, one can gain a thorough understanding of your business and brand, and ensure all relevant details are considered.
The 5 W’s and 1 H for Marketers
Here is a breakdown of the 5 W’s and 1 H that marketers at Fortify ask our clients as part of our kick-off calls:
- Who: Identifies the people who are considered customers of your business.
- What: Describes the expertise, skill, or product that you offer to customers. What do you provide?
- When: Specifies when a customer might need your skills or expertise.
- Where: Indicates where you offer your services and where a customer can find you if they need your services.
- Why: Explains the reason your customers choose you to provide your skill or expertise, and not an alternative. It also answers another question – why you started the business in the first place…why you exist. The answers to both questions shouldn’t be different.
- How: Describes the method and process by which you provide services to your customers (i.e., a proposal).
The 5 W’s and 1 H for Forward-Thinking Businesses
First, live in the moment and answer these questions from the perspective of the present day, but then challenge yourself and use your vision for the next five years to answer the questions one more time. Here is a breakdown of the 5 W’s and 1 H as asked from the perspective of your five-year vision.
In five years…
- Who: Who will we consider our most valuable customers? (details matter here)
- What: What services will these valued customers need?
- When: When will these customers likely need our skills or expertise?
- Where: Where will our customers need us most? And where will we offer our services? Where will our customers find us when they need our services?
- Why: Why will our customers choose us to provide our skill or expertise and not an alternative? (People choose to work with businesses that align with their own values).
- How: How will we provide exceptional services to our future valued customers? Or, said another way, how will our process of delivering our skills and expertise change in the future?
By answering the 5 W’s and 1 H about your five-year future business, one can gain a thorough understanding of all relevant details to consider so you’re still attractive to your customers. This lays the foundation for a strong professional services brand and a business that is built for the future.