Ask: The Counterintuitive Online Formula to Discover Exactly What Your Customers Want to Buy...Create a Mass of Raving Fans...and Take Any Business to the Next Level

Ever wonder why your email list isn't buying despite your best efforts at providing value? This book revealed the massive blind spots I had in my business and offered a clear path to fixing them. Ryan does a fantastic job of explaining why we shouldn't just ask customers what they want—like Henry Ford’s faster horse quote. The step-by-step process for discovering 'hyper-responsive' buyers is worth much more than the price of the book. I’ve already seen a huge uptick in my engagement rates after applying just the first few chapters. This is essential reading for serious entrepreneurs.

In my experience, most marketing books are all theory and no action, but this one provides a clear blueprint for success. I first heard about this through a funny podcast interview where the host’s accent made the title sound like 'Ass,' and I’m so glad I investigated further. The system for using open-ended surveys to collect consumer language is pure gold for copywriting. It’s a well-researched and informative guide that empowers you to stop making assumptions about your market. If you follow the instructions, you will gain a deep, honest understanding of who your customers actually are.

Look, this book will change your life if you are willing to put in the work and ignore the critics. I used to rely on my gut feeling for product launches, but now I rely on the 'Ask Formula' and the results are undeniable. The level of detail provided—from the types of questions to the timing of the emails—is exactly what I needed. It’s a profound system that turns vague market research into a predictable sales machine. Don't let the autobiographical parts distract you from the fact that this is one of the most practical business books available today.

Finally got around to reading this and it's actually a very practical guide for segmenting customers into specific buckets. The step-by-step instructions are clear and make the process easy to follow, even for those of us who aren't tech-savvy. I particularly appreciated the concept of the 'Single Most Important Question' to identify market hot buttons and objections. To be fair, there is a lot of personal backstory to wade through before you get to the actionable data. However, the value for money is high once you start applying the actual survey templates to your own business.

Ryan Levesque offers a solid, well-researched framework for anyone looking to understand their audience on a granular level. The book stimulated some useful thought around my own email automation processes and how I categorize my leads. Instead of taking a one-size-fits-all approach, I’m now using his methods to speak to different segments of my market quite differently. Some of the claims about the formula being 'dangerous' or 'evil' are definitely hyperbole, but the core strategy is sound. It’s an informative read that provides substantial information for internet marketers looking to scale their profitability and reach.

As someone who has always struggled with market research, I found the practical advice here to be incredibly helpful for my boutique business. The idea that people don’t know what they want, but they know what they hate, is a simple yet profound realization. This book helps you fine-tune your demographics so you aren't wasting money on Google AdWords or Facebook ads. I discovered my ideal customer avatar was nearly a decade older than I had originally assumed! While the autobiography felt unnecessary, the actual system for gathering open-ended data is brilliant and relatively easy to implement.

Picked this up after hearing about it at an online conference, and despite some initial skepticism, the methodology is robust. The instructions are laid out in a way that takes the guesswork out of writing automation sequences and survey questions. I’ve started using the 'Do You Hate Me?' survey on my non-buyers, and the honesty of the responses has been eye-opening. It’s definitely a must-read for anyone in the digital space, provided you have the patience to skip the fluff. The focus on using natural consumer language to mirror your audience’s needs is a complete game-changer for conversion.

Not what I expected given the hype, especially with that long-winded email to his mother included right in the middle. While the 'Deep Dive Survey' provides some genuine nuggets of wisdom regarding hyper-responsiveness, the follow-up strategy is incredibly aggressive. Can you imagine sending twelve emails to someone regardless of whether they actually purchased anything? I found the technical advice on segmenting customers into 'buckets' useful, but the tone of the book is very 'salesy.' Look, it’s a decent resource if you can ignore the massive ego, but please don’t spam your audience the way he suggests.

The chapter on customer surveys promised something revolutionary, but it ultimately felt like a watered-down version of a first-year marketing textbook. Truth is, most of the 'Ask Formula' is common sense—if you want to know what people want, you simply ask what they don’t like. Ryan Levesque spends half the book on an autobiography that has zero connection to the business strategy he is trying to sell. It is a very long-winded way to get to a simple concept of market segmentation. You are better off buying a classic marketing manual instead of this glorified sales funnel for his software.

Wow, I really wanted to like this, but the first sixty pages felt like a narcissist's diary entry. Between the bizarrely detailed letter to his mother and the constant mentions of 'neuroscience' without any actual brain science, I felt like I was being conned. The author basically teaches you how to be a professional internet spammer. He suggests emailing people until they break down and give you money. Frankly, it’s a lot of fluff designed to sell his high-priced consulting programs rather than provide genuine value. If you value your customers' privacy and your own time, stay far away from this aggressive and repetitive approach.