Metaphorically speaking

Whoever named our sector “community” has a lot to answer for.  All too often, when we practitioners trot out the word, we’re met with blank stares.  Maybe, like poorly told jokes, it’s the way we tell ‘em, but I reckon it’s more to do with the image “community” conjures up - of chipped tea pots and plates of digestive biscuits on oilcloth-covered trestle tables, with a battered upright piano in the corner.  Hardly surprising, then, that this is not something brand-owners instantly feel an affinity with.  Which, for a consultancy business in this space, is a bit of an issue.

Our first ploy to dodge the blank stares was to downplay “community” and up-play “customer-led.”  We saw no problem with that, since in our mind they’re pretty much the same thing and we took our cue from Romeo’s squeeze, who famously asked “what’s in a name?”  Trouble is, when you probe a little deeper, not every brand’s “customer-led” approach is as customer-centric as you might believe. 

So we wondered if we might look at whether metaphors might be a better way to get our messages across.  We all love an image, right? Certainly the brands we tried them on reacted hugely positively, and could instantly see the relevance. Here are some of the examples we used.

Product-led v Customer-led

Metaphor: Lighthouse v compass

A product-led strategy is like a lighthouse that shines brightly, guiding and drawing ships safely towards their destination. The focus here is on developing and promoting a product that the company believes will attract customers. By contrast, a customer-led strategy is like a compass, constantly adjusting and responding to the changing needs and preferences of customers. It helps chart and maintain the course the company is heading in, but lets the ship tack left or right, adapting to customer feedback along the way.

Marketing-led v customer-led

Metaphor: Presentation v Roundtable

A customer-led strategy is a roundtable discussion where everyone (ie the business and customers) has a voice, and ideas and opinions are shared. This approach values collective decision-making. It encourages active engagement, collaboration, and input from everyone “around the table”. Whereas a marketing-led strategy is more of a presentation.  One person or brand is in charge of the conversation / meeting and conveys the information. Audience input might be collected, but both the nature of the data collected and the timing of when it’s gathered, are controlled by the presenter(s).

Sales-led v customer-led

Metaphor: car race v road trip

Sales-led is like a race car speeding down the track, with a singular focus on winning the race. The driver's gaze is fixed straight ahead. As the car accelerates, the surrounding scenery becomes a blur, and the driver's attention narrows to maximising speed and looking for overtaking opportunities.

In a sales-led strategy, the primary objective is to achieve sales targets. The focus is on generating revenue and outperforming competitors in the market. While this approach may bring short-term successes, it tends to overlook the broader context, including the needs, preferences, and long-term satisfaction of the customers.

All that blurred scenery can also be seen as a missed opportunity to truly understand the customer journey, their pain points, and evolving market trends. By concentrating solely on the immediate path to sales, businesses employing a sales-led strategy might fail to adapt to changing customer demands or anticipate shifts in the market landscape. This narrow focus limits their ability to build meaningful, long-lasting relationships with their customers.

A customer-led strategy is like going on a road trip with friends. And just like those pals planning a journey together, businesses that adopt a customer-led approach actively involve their customers in shaping their products, services, and overall business direction. The customers become just as important as the driver, offering valuable insights and input throughout the journey.

In this metaphorical road trip, the business acts as the driver, steering the car towards success. However, instead of dictating the route and destinations, the driver constantly engages with the passengers, listening to their preferences, interests, and feedback. The driver adjusts the journey based on the passengers' desires, making sure it’s enjoyable and satisfying for everyone.

By embracing a customer-led strategy, businesses acknowledge that their customers are the co-pilots of their success. They value their opinions and actively seek their input at every stage, whether it's designing new products, improving services, or refining their overall business approach. This collaborative road trip mindset fosters stronger relationships, builds customer loyalty, and paves the way for sustained growth and customer satisfaction.

Now the question for you is, do you want to go on that special road trip with friends? Or do you want your brand to speed down the racetrack only to discover later that all this time it’s been driving in circles?