People don’t buy from markets, they buy from people. And the best companies know their customers really well. We’re not talking mere demographics here. You need to get ultra deep. Know attitudes, attributes, beliefs, behaviors. What gets them up in the morning and what keeps them awake at night. What ticks them off and what tickles their fancy. Now let’s take this thought a step further.

Say hello to Susie.
Who’s Susie? She’s a real self-starter. Gained the expertise, went out on her own and is now being pulled in a gazillion different directions. The last thing she needs is another hassle or headache. Somehow she manages to balance family life, volunteers at church, saves time for a few date nights with hubby and prefers tea to coffee. Don’t mess with Susie-just give her the facts. Know it’s always best to catch her on the way to the airport.

We say, consider aligning your business on a singular customer and her needs. Once you’ve defined her, introduce her to everyone in the organization. Put her poster in your “war” room. Erect a statue of her in your lobby. Align your business on her needs and wants. Ask in your sales and marketing meetings, “Is she a Susie? She’s definitely not a Susie.” Ask the person in shipping and receiving or in accounts payable who your core customer is and see what happens. What better way to know who you’re serving or not serving for that matter.