Whether our organization is for-profitCustomer, not-for-profit, or a government agency, what we do is about the customer. Sometimes we forget that. We get so caught up in “the business” that we lose sight of “the customer.” What’s worse is that sometimes we aren’t really sure who they are.

A recent conversation with a marketing colleague centered on how many business owners and operators aren’t clear just who their customer is. As a consequence, they don’t know where they need to focus their attention and efforts to reach them, and end up playing a guessing game:

Is it the consumer? Is it the middle man? Is it both? Is it on-going? Is it a one-time thing? Do we go for a one-on-one approach or mass market? Do we go for branding or are we a commodity? Are we local or are we global? Oh, wait a minute? It IS about the customer … what is this “we”?

Who is the customer? Do I know what he or she is thinking? What does he or she need? Is it a consumer or a business? Do I target the buyer or the end user? What do they want?

The customer is in control and has the choice of what to do, where to go, what to buy (or not). So it’s important to try and find out what the customer thinks, feels, does, needs, and / or fears. The more we know about the customer increases the likelihood we are going to connect with them.

Customer-focused … Really!

When the organization is about the customer, then the focus is on doing the right things to reach them, to deliver the right products, to hone the message. Then it is also about what happens inside the organization to make things efficient and effective in delivering what the customer needs.

Our ability to compete takes place on two different levels: externally in the marketplace vying for the customer, and internally with our ability to be focused, to be targeted, to be cost-effective, to have an advantage, to be sustainable and profitable as we pursue them.

Make your business about the customer! Align your organization to sustainable and profitable in pursuing them. Whether you are for-profit, not-for-profit, or a government entity, you need to focus on the customer and create an organization that is honed to a competitive edge.

 

Copyright ©2016 Lea A. Strickland, F.O.C.U.S. Resource, Inc.

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