Frankly I was both surprised and at the same time reassured that a simple but so compelling and relevant message was reiterated at our Annual Masters of Marketing Conference earlier this month. That message – customer insights are the key to success. AG Lafley showed us several very specific examples of how P&G now listens better and then uses the insights they’ve gained to change the way they market. As he reiterated at this conference "The Consumer Is Boss" – he first told us this in 2000 when he was once again our keynote speaker.
Why am I surprised? – one after another, each speaker in turn said much the same thing. Listen to your customer, they will tell you what they want, when they want it, and how they want it. Pretty simple, huh. Must not be or why would each of our speakers, who when asked to demonstrate how they have reinvented marketing at their organization, first touted both their need and ability to listen to customers. Dave Thomas, Wendys’ founder often said "Simple is hard". It must be.
Why was I reassured? – because the same message "listen to your customers, let them tell you what they want" was not only repeated, but also each of the CMOs who illustrated how they expertly reinvented their marketing efforts demonstrated how "listening" paid off. How by better understanding their customers they were able to rebuild, rejuvenate and reinvigorate their brands and their company’s organic growth efforts. Becky Saeger, Charles Schwab's CMO, focused the Schwab brand on being approachable, trustworthy, and consumer centric. These are critical aspects the Schwab Company had walked away from and the industry had abandoned. Then to me the brilliant part, was the way Schwab communicated their brand reinvention message in terms I could understand, the way I would talk. Again they listened to their consumers and talked to them as if they were friends, not clients. What a concept.
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