Reminder: Message Strategy is a principled approach to what you say and how you say it — in order to achieve a goal. There are four principles: Customer-centric, clear, compelling, and controlled. AKA the 4Cs. AKA the four things that make a message work.
What does “customer-centric” mean in messaging?
The concept of customer centricity has been around since the 60s. But who coined the term? Some say Drucker. Some say Fader. I say this: I’m tired of Googling to try to figure it out. The idea is this: Being customer-centric means making your customer your focal point, the driver of your decisions, perhaps even your sole criterion.
Definition of customer-centric
Gartner:
- Customer centricity is the ability of people in an organization to understand customers’ situations, perceptions, and expectations. Customer centricity demands that the customer is the focal point of all decisions related to delivering products, services and experiences to create customer satisfaction, loyalty and advocacy. Use customer-centricity to create loyalty.
Credit source: SuperOffice.com
This is in the context of overall business operations. But what does this mean for your messaging?
It means your customer is central to your message. It means your message revolves around them. And according to our four principles of Message Strategy, it means the message is not just for the customer, it’s about the customer.
Let that sink in. About the customer. Not just for the customer.
How do you know who — or what — a message is about? Well, you learned that in first grade. You look at the subject of the sentence.
That’s right, I’m telling you that your customer should be the subject of your sentences. Not your brand. Not your store. Not your service. As I like to say, promote your customer. Not your product.
The best way to do this? Make the subject “you.” Or the understood you. Or “your” [something]. And do this in the majority of your sentences. This way, you’re not only talking about them, but also directly to them.
(Note: When we use the word “customer,” understand that this represents any audience. Sales reps, employees, prospects, leadership, citizens, government officials, whomever.)
Let’s look at an example.
Credit source: Appsumo
In this ad, the headline is a sentence. And who is the subject of the sentence? “You.” The prospective customer. From the very first word, this ad is about the customer.
Now look at the next sentence — the first line of body copy. “We send you the hottest deals straight to your inbox.” That could have been the headline, right? In fact, for a lot of advertisers, it probably would have been the headline. But the subject of that second sentence is “we.” Meaning the marketer. And you see how much stronger the headline is.
But wait. That second sentence does have the word “you” in it. That’s referring to the customer, right? Why isn’t that customer-centric? Because the customer isn’t the subject of the sentence. It’s the direct object. (In this way, you could say the marketer has objectified the customer, rather than humanized them.) For example, if you say to me, “We want you to buy our product,” well then yeah that references me, but it’s not about me. It’s customer-oriented, but customer-oriented is not the same as customer-centric. Your customer is not the center of your message if all you do is allude to them — basically nod to the fact that they exist.
When you’re judging your message, the question to ask is “who is this about?” And not “what is this about?” If a message is about a what, then it’s about a thing, not a person. So if I’m your target audience, it’s not about me. I’m a who, not a what.
At this point, we’ve defined customer-centric messaging in two short phrases: About, not for. Who, not what. Remember those six words, and you’ll have half the battle won.
Why should a message be customer-centric?
Does it feel unusual — even weird — to make the customer the subject of your sentences? Good. It is unusual. Because usually, the subject of marketing communication is the marketer or their product. So if you’re customer-centric while all your competition is self-centric, then you will set yourself apart. It’s a low-key way to differentiate yourself. And it may be one of the most powerful ways.
Making the customer your subject also makes your message more engaging. I mean, think about it. If you’re talking about me, then I naturally care a lot about what you’re saying. I am the most relatable, relevant, and interesting topic you could ever talk about. I am my favorite subject. So if your subject is me, you’ve piqued my interest. Which means your message is probably going to be more effective. And you’re probably going to see a better ROI.
— Your prospect
Benefits and advantages of a customer-centric message
A customer-centric message:
- Differentiates
- Is more engaging
- Is more relevant
- Is more effective
- Promises greater ROI
What makes a message customer-centric?
It stands to reason that you can’t make your message about your customers if you don’t know about your customers. So first things first, you need a deep understanding of them. Put in the work. If you’re creating sales enablement materials, for example, dedicate some one-on-one time with your sales reps. Once you do, you’ll be able to use their language. Empathize. And personalize (if you have the data).
To make a message customer-centric:
- Understand your customer.
- Use customer-centric language.
- Show empathy.
- Personalize the message.
Verbally customer-centric
As a marketer, you want to minimize any self-reference. So weed out the “we,” “us,” and “our.” Not all of it, because it’s good to be personal. Just try to avoid being the subject of the sentences. As Douglas Burdett says, don’t “we all over yourself.”
By the same token, try to maximize “you” and “your,” so that you’re talking to — and about — your customer. And do go so far as to make your customer the subject of your sentences, as we covered extensively above. Do this in a majority of your sentences, but not all of them. You don’t want to wear the readers out. Sentence variety makes for an enjoyable read.
Obviously, you want to be benefit-oriented. Translate features to benefits… everybody knows that.
But here’s something everybody doesn’t know: Don’t refer in a general way to your “competition” or “imitators.” Not unless you’re making a specific feature comparison to help customers make a choice. Otherwise, if you’re just using language like “Don’t accept imitations” or “We outperform the competition,” then you’re speaking from your frame of reference, not your customer’s. Your audience thinks “That’s not about me. They’re not my competitors. That’s your problem.”
Also, try not to overstate things. Every sentence does not need an intensifier. Too many adjectives and adverbs make you sound like a used car salesman. Dial it down, tell the truth with humility, and leave your hype train at the station.
Verbal ways to be customer centric:
- Use “we,” “our,” and “us” very little.
- Use “you” and “your” as much as possible.
- Make the subject of most sentences “you” (or understood you) or “your” [quality or thing].
- Emphasize benefits over features.
- Don’t refer to “competitors,” “the competition,” or “imitators.”
- Make statements or understatements, not overstatements.
Visually customer-centric
How can your visuals be about the customer? Or at least, not about you?
For starters, don’t lead with your logo. I mean, I know you’re proud of it. But unless your logo is what’s for sale, it should not be first and foremost in your message. Your logo is your signature — the message sign-off. It should be little and last.
You wouldn’t make your signature the first and biggest thing in a letter. So don’t make your logo the first and biggest thing in your marketing.
Similarly, resist the urge to show off your manufacturing or distribution facilities. Don’t show a picture of your CEO or your founder unless it’s in support of a quotation or story. And please for the love of all that’s holy, don’t do that shot of all your employees standing in such a way as to form your logo or company initials. Come on, man.
A customer-centric message means your customers can see themselves in it. And an image is the literal and perfect way to achieve that. Just know that everybody can spot a fake — something staged or stock. So invest in photography and show real people… real sales reps, real employees, and best of all, real customers. That’s how you make your brand “authentic.”
A great example is Dove. As you may know, Dove revolutionized the beauty industry by showing skin and figures that belong to ordinary women, not supermodels. So when most women see it they think, “That’s how I look, so this is about me.” Customer-centric.
Visual ways to be customer-centric:
- Make the logo little and last.
- Resist the urge to show off facilities, the CEO or founder, employees, etc.
- Show real people and situations, not stock photos.
Are there more ways to make a message customer-centric?
You bet. Most of the above are explicit ways. But there are also esoteric ways. And there are exceptions. More on this in a future blog post.
Customer-centric messages: Further reading and inspiration
Want to learn more about making your message customer-centric? Check out these standout works.
Credit source: Ken Blanchard Books
Credit source: Marcus Sheridan
— Blaise Pascal
Weigh in: Customer-centric as a principle of Message Strategy
Your input can help us refine the principles of Message Strategy, so we in turn can help others.
Being customer-centric is a big part of what makes a message effective. Do you agree or disagree with our assertions? Hit us with your cheers and challenges.
Ready to prove or disprove the customer-centric principle? Send us some examples.
Put customer-centric messaging into practice
Are you creating sales playbooks? An ad campaign? A tagline? How would you rate your own messaging in terms of being customer-centric? Help yourself to our free assessment.
Need to ensure adoption of your sales program, new product offering, or company strategy? Let’s talk.
Related:
Message strategy: An official definition
How to make your message clear
How to make your message compelling
How to keep your message controlled