A couple of weeks ago, I sent a message to my email list with a question that I was hoping they’d answer. Within 48 hours, I had over 60 responses.
Let me put that in perspective:
Before this email, the most responses I’d ever received was 25.
Typically, I hear back from five people, max.
It’s not unusual for me to receive just one or two responses.
But more importantly: My audience is made up of introverts—people who prefer thoughtful, private reflection over quick responses. That’s why their engagement feels so meaningful.
As a fellow introvert, I know how valuable your time and energy are, so when someone takes a moment to share their thoughts, it’s a gift.
If you’ve ever struggled to get your audience to talk to you, you’re not alone. But it is possible to create conversations that feel natural, authentic, and worthwhile.
Why Talk to Your Audience?
First, let’s talk about why this matters. When you open the lines of communication with your audience, you:
- Learn more about them. This is your opportunity to better understand their preferences, challenges, and goals. This helps you tailor your messaging and create better offerings.
- Help them learn more about you. When you show that you’re open, approachable, and available to them, you build trust and credibility.
- Build relationships. When you talk back and forth with your audience, you foster connection, build rapport, and create a deeper understanding of each other.
In the end, you get a stronger sense of who is in your audience and they feel like they know you.
And when they respond, you start to feel like you’re talking to real people instead of shouting into the void.
Where Can You Talk to Them?
While I’m referring to my emails, this approach works anywhere, including social media, videos, networking events, and 1:1 conversations.
Wherever you connect with your audience, asking questions well can spark meaningful conversations that generate better understanding on both sides and, more importantly, creates a sense of connection.
Why is this difficult?
Why does it feel so hard to get a response from our audiences?
Because so often, when we ask a question — especially if it's in writing — it can feel rhetorical. It may not sound (or read) like you mean for them to reply.
Also, when people are consuming content, whether it be in email, social media, or a blog, are in a passive mindset. They don't even think to reply because they're jus taking it in.
That's why we get crickets. That silence can feel personal - like no one cares or don't want to answer. But that's not the case at all.
Here’s the thing: A lot of people do see your question. Many even think about their response!
The key is making it easy, and inviting them to share their answer with you!
So that’s what we’re going to focus on:
How to ask a question in a way that gets your audience to hit reply and share their answer with you.
How to Get Your Audience to Respond to Your Questions:
When I sent that email, I didn’t just get lucky—I was really intentional about how I approached it. Here are five key components that will make your audience more likely to reply to your questions:
1. Ask a Close-Ended Question
It’s much easier for someone to respond to a question that offers clear options. That's a close-ended question.
For example:
- Which do you prefer: Zoom meetings or Zoom webinars?
- Would you rather learn from a YouTube video or a podcast?
- When it comes to business tools, do you like them to have just the basic features, or do you want all the bells and whistles?
These types of questions work because with a limited number of choices, they don’t take a lot of thinking. This makes it easy for them to hit the reply button.
2. Make It About Them
People are more likely to engage when they see the value in it for themselves. That’s where the WIIFT (What’s In It For Them) factor comes in.
Example: I wanted to know whether my audience would prefer I launch a YouTube channel or a podcast. So, I asked them.
Turns out, one-third of respondents actually preferred something written. I would never have guessed that without their input.
When you show your audience that their feedback matters and will guide your next steps, they’re more likely to reply.
3. Provide Context
Why are you asking this question? When you tell them, you give them a reason to care. This creates context, and it helps build trust.
Here’s an example of what not to do: I have an Echo Show in my kitchen that occasionally asks questions like:
- Ketchup or mustard?
- Lake or ocean?
- Chris Evans or Chris Pratt? (Ok - I’d love to hear your vote on this one. For me, it’s Chris Evans, hands down!)
At first, these questions felt fun and lighthearted - I was always curious to know what today’s question was going to be! But over time, they started to feel like impersonal surveys designed to collect data on me. Without context, the questions felt invasive.
What does “providing context” sound like? I’m so glad you asked!
When I asked whether my audience preferred Zoom meetings or webinars, I said:
“Here’s why I’m asking: My goal is always to help you feel as comfortable as possible, especially when we’re meeting as a group, so I’d love to know your preferences.
Because I explained my intention, many of the replies I got expanded upon why they were answering the way they were. It was really fascinating to read!
So let your audience know why you’re asking. When they understand your intention and feel like it’s truly about them, they’re more likely to respond, and you’ll build deeper trust in the process.
4. Invite them to reply
When your audience is reading email or scrolling through social media, they're usually in a passive mindset. They're taking things in, but not actively looking for something to respond to.
So when you ask a question, it may sound rhetorical and not register as an actual invitation to reply.
If you want them to reply, say so. P
Use phrases like:
- "Hit reply and tell me..."
- "Share your answer in the comments."
- "I'd love to hear your answer. Just reply to this email."
These invitations can help move your reader into action.
5. Put your question at or near the top of your content.
If you're asking questions in your emails and audience never or rarely responds, it's possible that they just never saw your question.
I see this a lot, and I've done it myself. We want to create the context and explain where we're coming from before we ask the question There's absolutely nothing wrong with that!
But if your goal is to get them to respond, look at how much scrolling they have to do to get to your question. The more they have to read and scroll, the fewer replies you'll get.
That email that I talked about at the very beginning - the one that got me 60 replies? It was super short and to the point:
I asked my close-ended question
Told them why I was asking
Explained how their answer would help me help them
Asked them to reply with their answer
... and hit send.
That's it.
One more key thing…
If you really want your audience to talk to you, you must include this one step:
You have to mean it.
Ask your question because you want to know the answer. Because you’re curious, or because you need the information to move forward in some way.
Don’t ask for the sake of asking. Don’t engage for the sake of engaging.
Ask because it’s helpful for you to know the answer, and also because it’s important for them to think about it, too!
When you are genuinely interested, your audience can feel it - and that sparks the best conversations!
One Final Thought
Getting your audience to talk to you isn’t magic—it’s about creating an environment where they feel seen, heard, valued, and understood. When you ask the right questions (and do so consistently), your audience will start talking with you.
Start small. Send a question in your next email or post one on social media. And when someone replies? Celebrate it!
You’re building a conversation that could transform your relationship with your entire audience.
What if your marketing strategy was custom tailored to your introverted, quiet style?
