But will it sell cheese?

By Ken Gasque

Have you seen the ABC program Shark Tank?  If you are interested in business, marketing and branding you will enjoy the Shark Tank.  Each program has 3 or 4 ideas pitched to five investors (Sharks) and they question the entrepreneur’s strategy, tactics, focus and a variety of other factors to decide if they want to invest in the entrepreneur’s company.  Every show has 3 or 4 ‘mini case studies’ in which the Sharks decide to buy in or pass within minutes.  I love it. It’s the best business show on TV http://abc.go.com/shows/shark-tank/episode-guide   (although The Profit is a very close second) http://www.cnbcprime.com/the-profit/

Quite often the ‘Sharks’ have to point out to the entrepreneur that they have lost focus and they need to get back on track. It reminded me of a story about selling cheese.  It started in 1941 with Admiral Nimitz in the South Pacific.

Admiral Nimitz took command on December 31, 1941.  Every battleship in Pearl Harbor had been either sunk or damaged.  Assuming command at the most critical period of the war in the Pacific, Admiral Nimitz successfully organized his forces to halt the Japanese advance despite the losses from the attack on Pearl Harbor and the shortage of ships, planes and supplies.

Admiral Nimitz had a strategic question to focus his command on his goal of victory over Japan. Of every plan or suggestion he asked, “Will it get us to Tokyo?” Tom Daniels served under Admiral Nimitz and heard the question very often and took note of how it focused the staff.

After the war Tom Daniels got a job with Kraft Foods and remembered the impact the question had on his thinking. He modified the question to “Will it sell cheese?” Kraft Foods is grateful.

This is a strategic thinking question. It communicates and focuses on the goal and it makes the listener consider how his actions align with that goal.

When you are communicating, simplicity and repetition are powerful forces–combined they are overwhelming. Asking the question makes you and the listener think. And this question is applicable to any business. If you sell products—“Will it sell more brakes?” If you are in the service business—“Will it help the patient to better health?” or “Will it help our client be more profitable?”

Communicating effectively is challenge number one for most businesses. Our messages are often too complex to be repeated often enough to be make an impression. That is the magic of this question. It’s simple and direct. It focuses on the goal and it’s easy to bring in the conversation.

Try it. Will it sell…

© Copyright Ken Gasque 2014 all rights reserved

Ken Gasque is president of Gasque Marketing and Advertising, a brand development and marketing planning company in West Columbia, SC.   www.gasque.com He can be reached at [email protected]