Know who your customers really are - Original Post June 10th 2010

How well do you know your customers?

Are you sure?

Do you even know who they are?

For a long time, LEGO focussed on kids. After all, kids play with LEGO. Then they realised that a huge community of adults enthusiasts had developed.

Instead of trying to take back their 'brand', by pushing the kids side of things, or by trying to impose their ''brand values' on the existing communities, they offered support. They started an ambassador program. They realised that while kids spend maybe $20 a year on LEGO, these adults were averaging $1000.

Check out the Art of the Brick or this film to see some of the work of one of their more extreme fans.

They've been able to take the lessons they've learned from the enthusiasm of the adult fans, and apply it to their younger customers. A savvy move, as some of the young fans of today will become the adult fans of tomorrow.

LEGO aren't the only example of the customer demographic being different than expected. When JK Rowling was writing her first book about a child wizard, I doubt she expected adults to be as keen to read it as children.

In both of these examples, the buyer and end user of a product aren't always the same. There are plenty of others.

Most FMCG goods are (still) bought by women for the men in their lives. Old Spice know this, which in part explains their much talked about latest ads. (I know they were big in the states, and I'm sure I've seen one run here, but I don't tend to watch ads). I might discuss these ads in a future blog, so tell me what you think of them in the meantime.

Today's right question:

Are you targetting the right people in your business?

Posted via email from mikemuses's posterous