7 Secrets to Customer-Focused Marketing

Mahatma Gandhi once said, "A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favor by serving him. He is doing us a favor by giving us an opportunity to do so."

While many businesses like to focus promotional materials on their company story, business accomplishments, and products, they should instead focus on the customer â€" their wants, their needs, and solutions to solve their problems. Here are a few ways to show your customers you truly care about their needs:

• Educate your customers about industry trends, product training, upgrade options, and product releases.


• Provide resources that are focused on helping your customer, such as product and/or price comparisons, product reviews, customer testimonials, and customer references.


• Listen to your customers' needs, then recommend products and services that are the best fit for them, not your pocketbook. If a customer truly feels like you helped him with a buying decision, he will likely return for more advice and sales.


• Promote a solid guarantee that shows your commitment to quality and gives customers confidence in your products. Then stand behind your warranty should a customer need to use it.


• Customize marketing messages based on your target audience. Thrill seekers often respond better to upbeat, urban electronic messaging. Older audiences often prefer traditional print messaging with larger fonts.


• When customers give you the opportunity to serve them, make the extra effort to ensure every experience with your business is positive.


• And finally, be sure to reward customers for their loyalty. Throw down the red carpet occasionally by offering exclusive discounts, loyalty incentives, and free bonus gifts to your top customers.

Got any other customer-focused marketing secrets you'd like to share? Add them in the comments below.