I remember reading an article in the Financial Times last year that challenged companies to search for a new style of  marketer. They weren’t speaking about the latest need for marketers to be both creative and comfortable with data. They were actually referring to the growing need for marketers to stand up to the challenge of taking local brands global. The marketer who understands when local specificities make sense and when they don’t. (Read the article here) In this networked, global market in which we live, more and more successful local brands are being groomed for global...

Like many successful entrepreneurs, I enjoy helping local associations with their marketing problems whenever I can. It seems that often simply offering a new perspective can be all that is needed to move things forward.  Recently, I ran a re-positioning session for my local outdoor sports association and during it, I realised that many of the things we were doing together would also be of value to other organisations, big or small, who are in a similar situation. For this reason I share some of the brainstorming we did, in the hope that it will inspire you to try something...

Last week I spoke about updating your market research toolbox and how to review your metrics. This week I want to take the next logical step by turning the knowledge you gather into actionable insights. Insights are the pot of gold that many businesses dream of but rarely find. Why is that? Are you one of them? If so then I have some ideas on how you can get better at developing insights. #1. Insight doesn’t come from a single market research study Management often thinks that insight is “just another word for market research”. I remember one of my previous CEOs saying exactly...

Many organisations have revamped their Market Research groups as Insight Departments in the past five to ten years. However, it takes more than a name change for those involved to achieve the recognition they deserve. If you work in or with such a department, then read on, as I have some ideas on how you can achieve this. Last month Forrester issued the results of some research they had done looking into the Future of Market Research in 2013. Their conclusions were: 2013 is the year of truth for market insights: their future will depend on how successful they are at getting increased...

Over the last few months we have heard many scandals based upon the disappointing discovery of unfounded consumer loyalty and trust. Rigged football matches, numerous athletes taking illegal drugs and more recently the horse meat scandal. Have you ever been faced with a loss of your customers’ trust in business? If so, or you believe that it could happen in the future, then this post is for you. The 2013 Edelman Trust Barometer report, published last month, concluded that there are clear signs of a leadership crisis in both business and government. In fact in many recent scandals, leaders...

There have been a lot of posts in the last few weeks suggesting we take a look back over our experience in 2012 or to start planning what we would like to do in 2013. I therefore thought I would combine both perspectives by reviewing how we can work more efficiently with customer understanding and information to develop deeper insight and grow our businesses. All organisations try to understand their customers in order to satisfy their rational needs and emotional desires. The way they go about doing this however, can make a big difference in how successful they are. There are globally four...

This is the last post of 2012, and a chance to (re)read this year’s most popular C3Centricity posts amongst professionals just like you. Read them today and join the conversation about customer centricity by adding your comments below.   #1. SOCIAL MEDIA How to Respond to Social Media. This is a guest post from Aaron Lee, one of the most successful bloggers in Asia. It shares six tips on how to respond to negative comments so they don’t escalate into a fully blown crisis. #2. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION 3 Ways to Guarantee Customer Satisfaction. Although this was posted last year, it...

The end of a year and the beginning of a new one is a great time to consider what changes you need to make in your marketing. What habits have you become so comfortable with that you don’t even notice or question them? With today’s fast-paced world, business needs to be constantly adapting and preparing for the future. These thirteen (plus a bonus one!) marketing quotes are amongst my favourites of the moment and will hopefully inspire you to consider what changes you need to make in the coming year to become even more customer centric. #1. “There may be Customers without Brands, but...

Most companies have issues with their products at times. Often they don’t immediately correct them unless they are considered to be significant and could have a direct impact on sales. You could argue that this will always be the case eventually, so better resolve them as soon as they are identified. Some companies however are creative enough to turn what others might see as an issue into a competitive advantage. Let me give you a couple of examples.   Pringles Freshness Seal Most consumers associate bulging lids and packs with a product that has deteriorated in some way. This is not...

This week’s guest post is from C3Centricity partner PhaseOne. Terry Villines, their senior vice-president shares some of the learnings from analysing the marketing communications of thousands of premium brands. Whether you work in the Luxury Industry or not, wouldn’t you like your brand to be worth more? Every product category has at least one – a brand that costs more than the competitors; a brand that, even though it costs more, is successful at building the business; a brand that has been successful at convincing their target that they have a premium offering and are worth the...