Denyse Drummond-Dunn
The 5 Essential Rules of Customer Observation for Greater Business Success
One of the best ways I know to understand your customers is to watch and listen to them whenever you can. Customer observation is a powerful, but unfortunately an under-utilised tool these days. So when was the last time you got intimate with your customers?...
The Good, Bad and Downright Ugly Parts of a Head of Marketing Job
Did you know that the average tenure of a Head of Marketing position continues to fall, reaching just 41 months according to the latest Spencer Stuart research published by the WSJ? It is still one of the shortest average terms of office of any chief in the...
A Winning Marketing Plan: 9 Questions Every Marketer Should Be Able To Answer
What does it take to write a winning marketing plan? Every marketer writes a marketing or business plan each year don't they, so how difficult can it be, right? Well, writing a marketing plan isn’t hard at all, but writing a winning marketing plan is very difficult....
How to Cheat The Customer – or Not!
Why do companies still try to cheat their customers? Is it because they think we won't notice? Or do they believe that there are enough people willing to buy their brand for the first time, that they don't need to worry about getting that...
How to Take Local Brands Global: The 5 Golden Rules
<h3i remember reading an article in the Financial Times a few years ago, that challenged companies to search for a new style of marketer. You might be forgiven for thinking that they were speaking about the current need for marketers to be both creative...
Are Smart Things Really Smart or is it Just Smart Marketing?
Earlier this year I wrote about the impact of AI and ML on digital marketing. The article is called AI and ML are Taking Digital Marketing to the Next Level." In it, I compared the positive and negative implications of technology for customers and...
You’re Not Competing In The Category You Think You Are! (How to Find Out)
Many of you know my 7-step CatSight™ Process for Insight Development. The first step is to identify the category in which you are competing. I get so many questions about this step that I decided to dedicate a whole post to this important topic. But before...
Why UX Design is Vital to User Satisfaction and Ongoing Job Security
One of the greatest changes that the current pandemic has prompted, is the increase in the use of technology. From smarter homes to an improved online experience, people have a lot to gain from the situation. This is why UX design is vital to...
How Understanding Shoppers Can Save Retail
We need to better understand shoppers. Why? Because retail is in crisis. Investment in brick-and-mortar stores has declined 30% in the US and a staggering 50% in Europe. In the UK 50,000 of the 500,000+, high street stores are empty, that’s a whopping 10%. But that level...
The 7 Keys to Word-of-Mouth Marketing
Ever wonder how to get more people talking about your business? It's simple. Offer them incredible products and services that solve their problems and fulfil their needs and desires. Then when you have converted them into customers, continue to keep them satisfied and give...
Is This Just a Reset or Does Retail Need a Full Reboot?
Will the future of retail be without physical outlets? I remember having a very interesting discussion with a new client a couple of years ago on exactly this topic. Like many CPG companies at the time, they were considering online retailing. They were already selling...
What Customers Really Want – And How to Give It To Them Today!
As a customer centricity champion, just like you I hope, I spend a lot of my time researching what customers want. And in this period of reset, understanding our customers has become more important than ever before. Just a few short months ago, I didn't...
What a Customer First Strategy Means Post Pandemic
I know, you probably don't want to read yet another article about the post-pandemic era, especially when the infection numbers in many countries are once again headed in the wrong direction! But with people having changed their purchasing habits and perspectives due to lockdown, this...
The New Qualities of Customer Service Excellence
The current pandemic has clearly highlighted those companies who care about their customers and who provide them with customer service excellence. If you claim to be customer centric are you sure you're truly walking the talk and not just talking about customer service excellence? Many...
From a Good to a Great Website: 9 Ways to Engage More Successfully
What makes a great website?What makes a website great for your customers?What makes a website great for your potential customers?The answers to these questions will help you to publish a successful website. One that encourages current and potential customers to both see and engage...
10 Ways to Immediately Improve Your Customer Centricity
We all know that customer centricity is essential; even more so these days with the lockdown in most countries due to the pandemic. Now more than ever, businesses need to put their customers clearly at the heart of their organisation. But I know that many...
How to Improve Customer Centricity in Hospitality
The title of this week’s post might surprise you. After all, the hospitality industry should be highly customer centric, as it relies on satisfying its guests. However, it can learn a lot from consumer packaged goods (FMCG/CPG), as I shared with industry experts at a...
Why Technology Won’t Help You Understand Your Customers
Were you surprised to read the title of this post? Do you believe that using technology to understand customers is the only way today? Then let me explain why I believe it's not quite that simple. In today's data-rich environment I'm not really suggesting that...
7 Reasons for Failure When Adopting a Customer First Strategy
By now, every CEO knows that a stronger customer focus is the answer to many of their business challenges. Why therefore do so many companies still struggle to adopt a customer-first strategy and culture? Read on for my own thoughts and perspectives on what should...
7 Ways to Deliver Awesome Customer Service
How can some companies get customer service so wrong?!This week I have a longer post than usual, but one that will make you smile, if not laugh out loud.It describes one recent personal example of disinterested client support, from which I have drawn seven learnings…