Why is the sky blue? Why does the dog stink? Why do I have to go to bed?

The questions of a child are as infuriating as they are thought provoking. Sometimes we make up the answers as we go along, combining folklore with the bits we remember from school: “Well, Johnny, it’s because the light from the sun refracts off water droplets in the sky…”

That works for a while, until Johnny starts watching PBS. The questions get more complicated and the answers less believable. The Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus disappear in a cloud of pixie dust. Ms. Jones needs to know WHY, too. Why should she shop at your store? Why will you take care of her better than Store XYZ across the street? Why do you exist?

Sometimes we get so caught up in our day-to-day responsibilities that we forget to ask ourselves WHY we do what we do. Why do you open the doors every day? Why are you in business? Why do you sell what you sell? Why do you have the policies and procedures that you do? Why do you have the people that you do? Why do you advertise the way you do?

“Because we’ve always done it that way,” is not an option.

“Because I said so,” won’t fly with Ms. Jones.

Why? Why? Why should Ms. Jones do business with you rather than someone else?