During a recent kick-off meeting for a project, I was talking with a client about setting up phone interviews with current customers. I wanted to talk directly with some customers to find out what they really think about the client’s services.
A product manager at the table played down the need to talk with the customer base. “After all,” he said, “It’s just B-to-B.”
We were working on a video to help promote and expand a key business market for our client. The audience for our video was indeed a corporate market.
“It is B-to-B, “the project manager commented, “But that business is made up of people.”
A simple yet telling comment. We often forget that we’re talking to people with our marketing messages. Not “30-45 year old men with an advance degree who make more than $100,000 a year”, but real individuals. That demographic information is invaluable, but some research is necessary to make sure that we’re reaching them in an effective and profound way.
Are you speaking to your audience in their language? Do you understand what they really want or need to hear?
