IMPACT+ for Teams vs. the They Ask, You Answer Mastery Program

Many business owners who read They Ask, You Answer find it’s the digital marketing strategy and framework they’ve been looking for. However, many who try to implement the framework on their own, typically get off to a strong start, but lose momentum. 

To support businesses implementing They Ask, You Answer, we’ve created a number of offerings and resources, including IMPACT+ for Teams, and our coach-led They Ask, You Answer Mastery Program.

Both will help you and your team understand everything you need to know about setting your business up in true They Ask, You Answer fashion — but they are each designed to help you in a different way.

In this article, we’re going to compare IMPACT+ for Teams and They Ask, You Answer Mastery based on the following criteria:

• The role of accountability between the two and how they differ.
• Which tools and services are included in each.
• The financial investment you’ll need to make.
• How to know whether IMPACT+ for Teams or the They Ask, You Answer Mastery Program is right for your business.

This way, you can ensure you have all the tools, education, and collective support you need to master They Ask, You Answer and drive more traffic, leads, and sales from your inbound marketing initiatives.

But first, a quick overview of each program and how they can add value to your business’s They Ask, You Answer marketing strategy.

Free Course: They Ask, You Answer Fundamentals with Marcus Sheridan

A quick overview of IMPACT+ for Teams and Mastery

IMPACT+ is an online learning community filled with curated courses and guided learning paths, engaging mastermind groups and community forums, and a range of tools that will help you set your inbound marketing goals and track your inbound marketing and They Ask, You Answer progress.

It’s a place where you can set your team up to take a wealth of courses as well as learn alongside others about They Ask, You Answer at your own pace, and with your own discretion.

Within IMPACT+ is the option to sign up for IMPACT+ for Teams, which makes learning as an organization a more collaborative feat.

You can purchase a number of seats and sign up your team to learn according to roles (sales professional, marketing leader, content manager, etc.) — but if you were to compare this option to Mastery, IMPACT+ for Teams is more of a DIY endeavor.

This is because IMPACT’s They Ask, You Answer Mastery Program is led by our coaches and fortified by content, video, HubSpot, and other trainers to get your team up to speed with more of a hands-on approach.

If you enroll in Mastery, you will be on a set schedule and working with our staff on a regular basis with pointed feedback and direction from our seasoned coaches and trainers. 

In short, Mastery allows you to utilize our experts on a one-to-one, personalized basis, whereas IMPACT+ for Teams enables you to go through the process on your own timeframe, and with your own team with some support along the way.

Let’s dive a bit deeper into some of the key differences that you need to understand when it comes to Mastery vs. IMPACT+ for Teams.

The role of accountability 

The biggest struggle many of our clients face when implementing They Ask, You Answer is holding their team accountable and staying focused on the tasks at hand, especially long term. 

Inevitably, alternate tasks eke in and set the team astray or, even worse, lead your team back to their old ways. When using IMPACT+ for Teams, your progress through the training and courses is up to you, meaning that momentum is more or less up to your team.

With Mastery, however, you get access to our premium coaching and training services, which means you have experts working alongside you every week.

They lead you through workshops and group and individual training and help you plan your priorities and key objectives to keep you on track.

They work to guarantee your success with They Ask, You Answer and enable you to go through the process with an expert who has a proven track record of helping countless businesses like yours succeed.

This doesn’t mean that if you sign up for IMPACT+ for Teams, you’re completely on your own, however.

With it, you will still gain access to a one-hour onboarding session with an IMPACT+ advisor that will help you get started and walk you through the tools and how to use them, such as the Digital Sales and Mastery Scorecard and which main principles to focus on first. 

You will also have someone from IMPACT reach out to you and check in with your team on a quarterly basis.

Services and tools included

Both IMPACT+ for Teams and Mastery unlock full access to our courses and event content as well as the tools and features available on IMPACT+. 

To clarify, this means if you choose to pursue Mastery and work with our coaches and trainers, you also get access to IMPACT+ for Teams.

If you decide to only use IMPACT+ for Teams, however, you get access to all the tools and courses, but not our coaches and trainers — at least not in a one-on-one and heavily personalized manner where they work with you through the process.

Our coaches frequent our community forums and mastermind groups, and you can ask questions in these forums and gain their insight. The difference is this avenue is a bit more limited than what you would get with Mastery, but here’s a breakdown of the services and offerings of each:

IMPACT+ for Teams gives you access to:

• They Ask, You Answer technical advisor: After an initial one-hour kickoff with your team, you will have regular check-ins with your technical advisor to ensure you are taking the right steps with IMPACT+ to achieve success with They Ask, You Answer.

• Courses and learning paths: IMPACT+ features a catalog of 60+ courses spanning subjects such as technical SEO, video production, content creation, and HubSpot maintenance. Your team can take entire courses that are made up of several lessons, or one-off lessons as you see fit.

  They can also utilize different learning paths that offer curated content according to their educational needs, such as learning They Ask, You Answer or getting started as a content manager. 

• Community and mastermind groups: Our community and mastermind groups provide professional support in two ways: “All communities” are part of the free IMPACT+ version and its features are available to everyone. “Mastermind” groups are for Pro members only and are much smaller scale.

  While all communities provide support to your team from everyone who uses the platform, mastermind groups are where your team can access our coaches, trainers, and members of our executive team. 

• Tools and scorecards: The accountability tool allows you to set targets for your team and track its progress. You can also track KPIs and access the They Ask, You Answer scorecard that helps you get a bird’s eye view of which areas your team needs to focus on and which are going well already. 

• Executive leadership retreats: Attend these retreats twice a year and invite up to three team members of your team. These retreats allow you hands-on time with IMPACT Principal and They Ask, You Answer author Marcus Sheridan. These events also allow you to meet other businesses using They Ask, You Answer.

• They Ask, You Answer certifications: Show your team is committed to becoming the No. 1 voice in their industry with our role-specific certifications. Depending on which IMPACT+ for Team package you purchase, you will have anywhere from one to five certification slots. 

They Ask, You Answer Mastery gives you access to:

• Everything you get with IMPACT+ for Teams: Your Mastery service comes with access to our courses, learning paths, community and mastermind groups, and everything else IMPACT+ for Teams offers. 
• Strategic planning: You will work with an IMPACT coach in detailed planning sessions to establish and chart your business’s annual and quarterly goals. Your coach, along with your account manager, will evaluate your needs and coordinate your training with IMPACT subject matter experts (SMEs).
• Leadership coaching sessions: Twice per month, your leadership teams will meet with our IMPACT coaches to review your team’s progress and quarterly priorities. You will also get the chance to discuss any impediments or priorities to be sure you’re sidestepping any potential roadblocks to your success.
• Subject-matter expert coaching sessions: This is where we help your content managers, videographers, HubSpot experts, and sales staff by ensuring they understand how to succeed at their specific roles.

Financial investment needed

Both IMPACT+ for Teams and Mastery have multiple package options available. Here is how each of those packages breaks down across both offerings:

IMPACT+ for Teams cost

Depending on your needs, you can sign up for three different versions of IMPACT+ for Teams:

• Option one: $12,000 per year. It includes technical onboarding and set up with an IMPACT+ Technical Advisor, monthly check-ins with your advisor, unlimited access to all IMPACT+ Pro courses and content for all employees, and one They Ask, You Answer Business Certification.

• Option two: $16,000 per year. It includes everything from option one, plus an invitation to two executive retreats (with up to three attendees per event) and three role-specific certifications.
• Option three: $20,000 per year. It includes everything from options one and two, plus an invitation to two executive retreats (with up to five attendees per event) and five role-specific certifications.

They Ask, You Answer Mastery cost:

Though the cost of each Mastery program option is close in price (all will be about $190,000 plus hires and expenses), the major difference is the time it takes to complete the program, which can vary based on your team and pace. 

• Option 1: Takes approximately 18-24 months to mastery and ownership, with a cost of $8,500 per month.
• Option 2: Takes approximately 18 months to mastery and ownership, with a cost of $10,000 per month.
• Option 3: Takes approximately 12 months to mastery and ownership, with a cost of $15,000 per month.

How to choose the right option for your business

Now that you understand the main similarities and differences between IMPACT+ for Teams and They Ask, You Answer Mastery, how do you know which to choose?

It really comes down to three important variables:

1. Your desired pace of play: How quickly do you want to move and successfully get up and running with They Ask, You Answer? With Mastery, you can be sure to stay on course and get all the support you need to accomplish your goals faster, especially since you’ll be led more closely by our expert coaches. Doing They Ask, You Answer on your own is absolutely achievable, but relying on only IMPACT+ for Teams might take you longer than if you were to join Mastery.
2. Team buy-in: If your entire company isn’t bought into the concept of They Ask, You Answer, it becomes immeasurably more difficult to succeed. With Mastery, we ensure your company is bought in and excited about the process, start to finish, by working with your team on a regular basis. On the other hand, with IMPACT+ for Teams, the buy-in and success is largely driven by your team, with your advisor there to provide direction along the way.
3. Team size: If you have an incredibly small team (think 3-4 people or less), it becomes more difficult to get the return on investment with Mastery that you might expect with IMPACT+ for Teams. Another option is to use IMPACT+ for Teams until you’re able to grow into Mastery, but again, the choice is largely up to you and depends where you are in your digital marketing journey. 

Also, keep in mind that if you do decide to sign up for Mastery, IMPACT+ for Teams is included in your agreement, and you will be able to use the platform regardless. It just comes down to which option is right for your business at the time.

Getting started with IMPACT+ for Teams or They Ask, You Answer Mastery 

At IMPACT, we’ve worked with hundreds of businesses across dozens of industries to successfully master They Ask, You Answer. 

You can click here to learn more about IMPACT+ for Teams or here for They Ask, You Answer Mastery.

You can also set up a time to speak with our advisors, who can provide guidance on where you are on your They Ask, You Answer journey and which package is the right fit for you. 

While They Ask, You Answer is simple in concept, it does require a lot of hard work to do well — but the rewards for being diligent with the framework make the hard work well worth it.

If you decide to work with IMPACT — whether through IMPACT+ for Teams or Mastery — you will have experts behind you who are eager to cheer you on and help you find the results your company is looking for.

You’ll have the knowledge behind you that will help take out all the guesswork and help you finally help grow your business with inbound.