--- title: "Marketing Matters: Identifying the Real Customer" description: How common is it for a company to misidentify who their real customer is? Renewing customer profiles are a key to small business branding... image: https://www.fennec.co/hs-fs/file-18490236-png/images/identifyyourcustomer3.png --- [![2020 Fennec Group.png](https://www.fennec.co/hubfs/2020%20Fennec%20Group.png.png "2020 Fennec Group.png")](https://www.fennec.co/) [![2020 Fennec Group.png](https://www.fennec.co/hubfs/2020%20Fennec%20Group.png.png "2020 Fennec Group.png")](https://www.fennec.co/) - [Home](https://www.fennec.co) - [Services](https://www.fennec.co/services) - [Our Team](https://www.fennec.co/our-team) - [Testimonials](https://www.fennec.co/testimonials) - [Blog](https://www.fennec.co/blog) [![phone-icon](https://www.fennec.co/hs-fs/hubfs/images/phone-icon.png?width=35&name=phone-icon.png)](https://www.fennec.co/contact-us-2016)   [![email-icon](https://www.fennec.co/hs-fs/hubfs/images/email-icon.png?width=35&name=email-icon.png)](https://www.fennec.co/contact-us-2016) CONTACT US 1 ![featured image 1](https://www.fennec.co/hs-fs/file-18490236-png/images/identifyyourcustomer3.png) Business Identity # Marketing Matters: Identifying the Real Customer ![](https://www.fennec.co/hubfs/images/daviddallaire.jpg) By [David Dallaire](https://www.fennec.co/blog/author/david-dallaire) January 1, 2013 ### Posts by Topic - 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Two reasons come to mind: - ### Very often there are internal factors, legacy processes or political issues that keep everyone focused on a certain stakeholder group who may no longer be as relevant as another group. - ### Often it is an unbalance of reseller vs. end-user, paymaster vs. customer, internal vs. external or the all-too familiar mis-emphasis of shareholder vs. customer. ### How often do you set aside time to re-evaluate your customer profiles just as you would re-evaluate your product lines, your marketing plans or your resource planning? ### Fennec Consulting offers [strategic planning workshops](https://www.fennec.co/meetings-and-workshops/) that cover this critical element, and we work with each client to map out every stakeholder and identify their real roles and their drivers. [![Strategic Planning Workshops](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/172834/664d8a8b-bb24-44ba-8697-b65b16e8dd2b.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/172834/664d8a8b-bb24-44ba-8697-b65b16e8dd2b) ### To identify the problem and re-align with your true customer base, the process of stepping away from the day-to-day and looking at all your moving pieces objectively is critical to getting it right. ### We like to start with a look at current customers, resellers, partners or distributors. Listen to and observe what their real motives are for being a buyer - or why they stopped. We find patterns in profiles, preferences and purchasing processes that often create surprises like: 1. ### The decision-makers are not always who you thought they were. 2. ### Sometimes it is the accessory product that brings them to you, not the product you thought was your core product. 3. ### Alternate uses for your product or ideas for an extension of your product line that broaden your potential audience. ### Stepping back and examining your client list a bit more carefully often results in a fresh direction for a business, both broadening your potential audience and simplifying your messaging in the process. ### One thing to remember:  You are most likely NOT your own customer.  Your likes, dislikes, experience and life preferences will not be the best way to judge your customers. ### To make it happen much more quickly, you can contact us to help you with research and analytics in regards to identifying your real customer:   [![marketing research and analytics](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/172834/632f8d6c-7dfa-475e-b812-5ce188647fc5.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/172834/632f8d6c-7dfa-475e-b812-5ce188647fc5) ### Subscribe to Email Updates ### Recent Posts ### Posts by Topic - [Customer Centric (18)](https://www.fennec.co/blog/topic/customer-centric) - [Customer-first (17)](https://www.fennec.co/blog/topic/customer-first) - [Leadership (15)](https://www.fennec.co/blog/topic/leadership) - [Marketing Strategy (15)](https://www.fennec.co/blog/topic/marketing-strategy) - [Branding Strategy (12)](https://www.fennec.co/blog/topic/branding-strategy) - [Strategic Planning (12)](https://www.fennec.co/blog/topic/strategic-planning) - [Brand (9)](https://www.fennec.co/blog/topic/brand) - [Business Identity (6)](https://www.fennec.co/blog/topic/business-identity) - [Communication Strategy (6)](https://www.fennec.co/blog/topic/communication-strategy) - [Execution (4)](https://www.fennec.co/blog/topic/execution) - [Planning (4)](https://www.fennec.co/blog/topic/planning) - [Relationship Marketing (4)](https://www.fennec.co/blog/topic/relationship-marketing) - [Social Media (4)](https://www.fennec.co/blog/topic/social-media) - [Innovation (3)](https://www.fennec.co/blog/topic/innovation) - [Management (3)](https://www.fennec.co/blog/topic/management) - [Market Research (3)](https://www.fennec.co/blog/topic/market-research) - [Marketing (3)](https://www.fennec.co/blog/topic/marketing) - [Marketing Message (3)](https://www.fennec.co/blog/topic/marketing-message) - [Product Development (3)](https://www.fennec.co/blog/topic/product-development) - [Video Marketing (3)](https://www.fennec.co/blog/topic/video-marketing) ![mt-0447-home-bg6.jpg](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/383029/hubfs/Assets_Crystal_Theme_2016/Image/mt-0447-home-bg6.jpg?width=1900&name=mt-0447-home-bg6.jpg "mt-0447-home-bg6.jpg") ![fennec-trans-3](https://www.fennec.co/hs-fs/hubfs/images/Fennec%20Logo/fennec-trans-3.png?width=273&name=fennec-trans-3.png)   [david@fennec.co](mailto:david@fennec.co) 1-425-605-7700 21240 NE 10th Pl, Sammamish, WA 98074 CONNECT WITH US [![icon_facebook](https://www.fennec.co/hs-fs/hub/172834/file-1361201356.png?width=32&name=file-1361201356.png)](https://www.facebook.com/Fennec) [![icon_linkedin](https://www.fennec.co/hs-fs/hub/172834/file-1361201346.png?width=32&name=file-1361201346.png)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/fennec-marketing-group) [![icon_twitter](https://www.fennec.co/hs-fs/hub/172834/file-1358650864.png?width=32&name=file-1358650864.png)](https://twitter.com/FennecListens)    Copyright ©Fennec Marketing Group Privacy Policy