Book Review: They Ask, You Answer by Marcus Sheridan
If you're looking for a marketing strategy that actually works — one that builds trust, drives leads, and shortens the sales cycle — then They Ask, You Answer by Marcus Sheridan should be at the top of your reading list.
This isn’t a book about marketing gimmicks. It’s about doing the one thing most businesses avoid: answering your customers’ real questions — openly and honestly.
What’s the Big Idea?
At its core, They Ask, You Answer is built on one deceptively simple concept:
If your buyers are asking questions, you should be the one answering them — better than anyone else.
Instead of relying solely on ads, cold outreach, or sales scripts, Marcus Sheridan advocates for a content-first approach. He discovered this strategy during the 2008 financial crash when his pool business was on the brink of collapse. With no budget left for marketing, he started writing blog posts that answered his customers' most common questions.
The result? His business not only survived — it became one of the most trafficked pool websites in the world.
The Big 5 Content Topics
Sheridan argues that while businesses get nervous about being “too transparent,” the topics customers care about fall into five core categories:
Pricing and Costs
Problems (and potential drawbacks)
Comparisons (vs. alternatives)
Reviews (of products, services, or competitors)
Best-of Lists / Recommendations
These topics often go untouched on company websites — but they’re exactly what prospects are Googling before they buy. The businesses that lean into these topics (rather than avoiding them) are the ones that build trust and win business.
Why It Still Works
The book was first published in 2017, but the ideas have become even more powerful in 2025. Buyers are more sceptical, more informed, and more independent than ever before. They don’t want to be “sold to” — they want to self-educate.
If your content doesn’t help them do that, they'll go somewhere else.
This philosophy aligns perfectly with today’s digital marketing tools — especially CRM and automation platforms like HighLevel. You can:
Turn FAQs into blog posts and videos
Use nurture sequences to educate prospects automatically
Build landing pages that give honest answers to real objections
Track which content influences conversions
Use AI tools (like ChatGPT) to help draft content quickly
Sheridan’s approach gives you the strategy. Tools like HighLevel help you deliver it at scale.
Who This Book is For
Small business owners who want to take control of their marketing
Marketing managers frustrated by ad-hoc content and random campaigns
Sales teams who are tired of handling the same objections over and over
Anyone building a HighLevel-based marketing system — this book lays the strategic foundation
Click Here to get your copy of They Ask, You Answer (Note: this is a non-commission based link)
What I Loved
The case studies are relatable, especially for service-based businesses
It’s not full of fluff — the framework is actionable and backed by real results
It bridges the gap between marketing and sales beautifully
A Couple of Caveats
Some examples are US-centric (though the principles are universal)
The book can be repetitive at times, but that’s often a good thing when you’re trying to build habits and change how you think about content
Final Verdict
They Ask, You Answer is one of the few business books that genuinely changes the way you approach sales and marketing. It’s not about tricks or hacks — it’s about trust.
If you’re serious about using content to drive revenue — and you want a strategy that fits perfectly with platforms like HighLevel — this is essential reading.
Rating: ★★★★★
Want help putting this into action?
At MarketerM8, we help small businesses build trust-first marketing systems using HighLevel. From strategy to automation, we’ll help you apply the They Ask, You Answer approach to your content and CRM.
👉 Book a free discovery call and let’s plan it together.
