In accounting, we hear the phrase “cash is king”. And in marketing, we hear “content is king.”
I’d like to challenge that premise with content is NOT king in marketing.
Okay, that’s a pretty big claim, but I have reasoning!
You see there will be more pieces of information produced in 2020 than in all history before (TechJury). Consequently, there will be so much content that competition for eyes to read it will become increasingly more difficult. Marketing should not just be about content marketing or producing content.
But digital marketers are continuing to advise companies to work on their content marketing strategies to reach more leads. Let’s get into why content is NOT king in marketing.
Why Content Is NOT King in Marketing
Content is not king in marketing because content alone does not address this one thing… Your customer!
In fact, your content is just information clutter in the space of overwhelming data. It’s absolutely useless, time-consuming, and a waste of money… if it isn’t about your customer.
Your customer is and must be king.
Customer centricity in your business is the difference between a flourishing business and a bankrupt business.
Making Your Customer King In Your Content Marketing
If your customer isn’t the center of your business, then you have no business – or at least it won’t last much longer. They have to be the center of your business life – marketing, processes, accounting, sales, operations, etc.
If one area of your business does not serve your customer, then you are either not making it easy for your customer to do business with you, or you are not adding the value you should be. The customer, more than likely, has dozens or hundreds of other options to choose from. If they realize this, they’ll leave you high and dry.
We are a firm believer of putting the customer first. Before we even start discussing the product, we talk about the customer. Your product must solve your customer’s problem.
Examples of Companies Making Their Customer King
I could tell you over and over again that you need to be customer centric, but what does it actually mean?
We’ve compiled a few examples of companies or organizations that are in completely different industries with different products. I’m a fan of all these organizations because they make their customer king!
Every year, Google makes approximately 300 adjustments to their algorithm. Heck, SEO companies have a completely different job every two years because the algorithm is completely different. Why does Google do that? They listen to their customers.
They act as a thought leader and standardize what is quality, relevant and trustworthy. Why do you think that Google is an adjective, noun, and a verb?
In the same way, you cannot remain the same. Your customer sure doesn’t stay the same. If you haven’t changed, then you need to adjust yourself.
Costco
Costco – the member warehouse club – scores big on being all about the customer. heir mantra for operations is: “keep costs down and pass the savings on to our members” (Costco). If that doesn’t scream customer is king, then nothing does!
Facebook has recently changed their algorithms to put more posts and groups in front of users. Although this may hurt advertisers, Facebook is putting their users first – even if they aren’t spending money on the platform. If Facebook doesn’t have users, they offer zero value to their advertisers.
Chick-fil-A
“My pleasure.” This organization has a product so simple that it should be so easy to sell – chicken sandwiches. But Chick-fil-A takes their customer service to a whole other level. They greet you, thank you, serve you faithfully, and make your experience top notch. There’s been stories of team members jumping out of the drive through window to help a choking patron, restaurants opening outside of business hours to serve communities destroyed in natural disasters, and going above and beyond.
“We should be about more than just selling chicken. We should be a part of our customers’ lives and the communities in which we serve.”
S. TRUETT CATHY
That’s customer focus.
Houston Astros Baseball Team
I once heard Reid Ryan, the President of Business Operations for the Astros, speak at a luncheon. He said something that spoke to the very customer-centric culture built in to their organization. They take all their analytics and have crafted specific “nights” for their different customer personas. As a result, they have…
- Tuesday Dollar Dog Nights ($1 hot dogs)
- Friday Night Fireworks
- Saturday Kroger Family Nights (with food specials)
- Faith and Family Nights
And that’s just them serving their ticket holders! The players add to the customer experience by going out into the community, interacting with fans, and creating an experience for fans (hello World Series!).
Go ‘Stos!
Making Customers King In Your Company
Your company may be different. I want to challenge you today to write 5 areas where your customers interact with your company. Then for each of those areas, write 5 improvements you could implement.
Start by asking questions like…
- Does this add value to my customer?
- Why do my customers keep coming back to me?
- How does this impact my customer?
- Does my customer even care?
If you need help transforming your perspective and becoming customer centric, click the button below to get connected with your full-service copywriting team.
