Everything is Marketing!
Everything? Yes everything.
The title of this post mirrors the title of a 1991 Harvard Business Review article and although it was written nearly 20 years ago, it’s amazing how many companies fail to realize that their business will rise and fall based on their marketing. While this is a pretty big statement, let me explain.
In order for your business to provide value to the customer, you have to bridge the gap between your product and your customer. Depending on how well a company listens and communicates with their customer, this will determine on how well they reduce the gap.
You ask, “What is this gap, thingy?”
The gap between a business and its customer is the relationship. The relationship is the bond between your business and the customer. If your bond is sticky, they will come back over and over again.
But you ask, “How does this tell me that everything about my business, is marketing?”
Well just like any bridge if the foundations are weak, the bridge can altogether collapse. So while you may not think the business relationship with your supplier could effect your customer relationship, it could because if your relationship falls apart with that supplier your product quality could be affected. In a service-based company, if you have a problem invoicing your customer correctly, this could take a toll on how your customer values your product. There are many scenarios that could pointed out, but I think you get the picture. Marketing has to happen on ever level throughout your company. It’s the consistent message to your internal and external customers, that everything is peachy over here. Not only do we have a great business, but in every experience throughout our company, you will see the same thing – a remarkable foundation.
This is important to a small business because you are building these foundations as we speak. And while you may have happy customers now, when (and this is the attitude you should have), when you are busting at the seams with new customers; your foundation will be tested.
How strong is your bridge? Is your foundation shaky?
