WHO – “Who” is the core customer of the enterprise. This defines the potential customers most likely to buy the product or service in the quantity required for optimal profit.
Is your juice box customer the 4-year old who drinks your product or the 25-40 year old, well-educated, Internet-savvy Mom? Robert Bloom helped Nestlé move from an also ran juice box company to #1 by recognizing that Mom was their customer and targeting the well-educated health conscious Mom in all their marketing.
Personalize Your Customer
Bob Bloom, author of “Inside Advantage,” is the grand master helping identify the “Who.” The key is to personalize your customer. This is more than understanding your target market; it’s about putting a face, name and persona on your customer. “Getting to know your customer by thinking about her or him in human terms – not as a statistic – will help facilitate a positive sales outcome”, says Bloom.
- Start with the demographic attributes of your core customer.
- Move to the psychographic characteristics.
- Then make it personal. It’s ok to stereotype here, we’re looking for the 80% not the entire 100%.
A. What are their likes and dislikes?
B. What other interests do they have?
C. Are they comfortable on the Internet or are they low tech?
D. Is there something truly unique about your buyer that might distinguish them?
Curves is a classic “Who” study. A middle-aged woman, ready to be fit, not too athletic, hates spandex, little or no exercise experience. With this “Who” in mind, Curves not only shaped their marketing but shaped the entire customer experience. The Curves workout is a set of easy to follow stations that fosters social interaction. Understanding their “Who”, you won’t find the classic exercise mirror wall in a Curves. Curves knows it’s “Who”.
80% Ain’t Bad to Define Your Core Customer
Inner Circle founder Norm Stoehr often talked about his restaurant experience with a house dressing that 80% of his customers loved, 10% thought it was too spicy and 10% thought it was too bland. Our tendency is to fiddle with our 80% approval rating to satisfy what may simply be outliers. Do not mess with success. The 80-20 Rule is alive and well when it comes to your Who.
Figure out who your “Who” is, keep it dynamic, let it evolve as you sharpen your understanding what motivates your best core customers.
