How would you do on the Newlywed Game?

How would you do if you and your clients (and prospects) were on the Newlywed game?

The Newlywed game was a classic game show (it ran from 1966 to 2013–I thought it ended in the 70’s but that’s the problem with watching too much Netflix).

In the game the host would ask one member of the married couple questions about the other while their spouse was kept offstage and unable to hear. Then the second member of the couple would be brought back and answer the same questions. Couples scored points when their answers matched. Here’s some sample questions to give you an idea:

• Who is better at handling money?

• What was the first meal that you ever cooked for your spouse?

• How many cousins does your spouse have?

• What is your spouse’s favorite restaurant?

• When is your mother-in-law’s birthday?

• What was the first movie that you both watched together?

• When was the first time you kissed each other?

The concept of the game is to see how much you know about your spouse. The implication being that couples that understand each other better will have a happier marriage.

So what would happen if you played this game with your clients?

Would you know what your client would answer if the host asked them questions like these?

• What are your top 3 goals at work right now?

• What are the top 5 projects you are working on right now?

• What are your plans for achieving these goals?

• What are the typical challenges you will face trying to achieve these goals?

• What tools and technologies are you going to use to get these projects done?

• Who do you need to work with on these projects?

• How do you make sure your boss sees your projects as a success?

• How are you measured? When does this measurement take place?

• What do you look for in a vendor?

• How do you evaluate tools and technologies your are considering using?

• Who gets involved in choosing a new vendor?

• Why did you decide to work with us?

So how would you do if you had to answer these questions about your clients? Would your answers match theirs?

In business we’re not monogamous. We don’t stop when we have one client and live happily-ever-after. We go out and look for more clients. But most of the time we go out and look for new clients who look quite similar to our current clients.

To better attract those new clients it helps tremendously if we understand our current clients. We need to understand what problems we solve and how those show up in our buyer’s world (and words).

It’s going to help a lot to know the answers to these type of Newlywed Game questions about your clients–and hence your prospects.

So how would you do on the Newlywed Game?