I’m currently reading “Ogilvy on Advertising” and came across a point that cannot be forgotten when developing a marketing strategy.

After spending time in London, a partner at Ogilvy described British advertising at the time by saying, “There seems to be a realization in England that maybe, just maybe, the product being sold is not the most important thing in the consumer’s mind. The decision as to which dishwashing liquid to buy, which beer to drink or which toaster to purchase, is not a life and death decision. Realizing this, the British are able to present their product to the consumer in perspective…..In short, they have a sense of proportion.”

As we come to understand the target audience members’ purchase behaviors, online and offline media habits, demographics and other variables, we have to remember that each person is a complex individual. Fostering a longstanding, profitable relationship with a member of the target audience means being able to relate (hence the word relationship) to them. Demographic characteristics will change as they get older and heavier or when they lose their job. Online behavior can change the day the customer buys a new computer or makes their first online purchase. The day a consumer has their first kid, purchase priorities will almost certainly change.

Going back to the quote above, the products we are marketing are rarely the end-all-be-all in consumers’ lives. Keep in mind the words perspective, proportion and context when creating a marketing approach. Developing a strategy to manage customer relationships should consider more than just the phase in the customer lifecycle. Realize that each prospect, new customer or loyal customer is also an individual who is changing every single day. Our ability to relate to them on a deeper level requires understanding the other events in their lives. How we respond to their ever-changing circumstances will ultimately influence whether we succeed in relationship building.