We all realize the truth of Peter's Drucker's famous quote, 'the purpose of business is to create and keep a customer,' published in his book The Practice of Management back in 1954. 

Yet many businesses continue to struggle with how to "manufacture" customers.  A year ago the results of the NYSE's CEO Report indicated that the 240 CEOs of the NY Stock Exchange listed companies indicated they that in 2008 all their efforts would focus on "winning the hearts and minds of the customer." 

As a result of this study and others 2008 was once again declared the year of the customer.  This has been a prevailing theme since Information Week proclaimed 1999 the Year Of The Customer. Perhaps the challenge isn't so much the need to focus on customers as it is to engage them. 

Maybe what we need is actually a focus on customer engagement.  However, the 'Online Customer Engagement Report' from cScape and E-Consultancy found that fewer than half of the companies surveyed (45%) have a defined customer engagement strategy in place.  So where do you begin?

Engagement begins with relevance. 

Relevance suggests companies are pertinent and germane to their customers.  Creating, communicating, and delivering value- that is something germane, pertinent, relevant - to customers is the primary function of marketing in any organization.

Knowing your customers' needs is what enables your company to craft more relevant customer experiences to help improve loyalty. It is marketing's job to keep the company relevant to customers. 

Do you have a marketing strategy to insure you are more relevant to your customers in 2009?  If not, we hope you make this a top priority right away.

www.visionedgemarketing.com