Situation: A CEO and her team manage a growing and profitable company. She is interested in what others have done to expand their market presence and penetration. In discussion, other CEOs have been curious about her company’s marketing capabilities, and how well her team knows their customer base. The essential question that they ask is “How well do you know your target audience?”

Advice from the CEOs:

• Become a thought leader:
  • This is Inexpensive because the company is already a leader in its field.
  • Marketing through thought leadership allows the company to get its message out with fewer resources than push marketing efforts.
  • Thought leadership adds credibility and educates the customer.
• Qualify the need and/or the perception of the need. If there is no need, there is no sale.
  • It’s perfectly acceptable to ask clients about their challenges and needs.
  • Ask them to measure the need on a 1-10 scale.
  • Ask the client to play out the scenario without an adequate solution.
  • Ask the prospect how they have worked with others offering similar services to your company’s and how did that go?
• Ask your customers to help.
  • Develop a Customer Advisory Board to test a new product or concept – a “Blue Ribbon Panel”.
  • Write a paper together with them to highlight the findings.
• Use common sense, but:
  • Set measurable goals and listen to enough people to get more directed feedback.
• The company’s internal staff is also a target audience.
  • Integrate departmental cultures to assure that they don’t clash.
  • Conduct collaborative off-sites to encourage cooperation and support.
  • Create processes for all departments and staff.

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