Customers want simplicity from marketing

The Financial Services Forum Annual Conference always attracts great speakers. 2011 was no exception and CMFG Marketing Consultancy was lucky enough to hear from  Beth Hirschhorn of MetLife, the insurance colossus from the US, Louise Fowler of the Co-operative Banking Group and Dave Trott of CST The Gate. All three extremely experienced marketers talked around a single issue; creating real change in their businesses through simplification.

Though all three approached the issue from different angles, the underlying message was the same. Too often, businesses configure the business to suit what is easiest for operations and what suits internal pressures and not what is easiest for customers. Whether it is advertising, direct or digital communication or the actual purchase processes, simple is always best.

But making things simple takes a lot of work and for customer’s works at an emotional level (http://www.cmfg.co.uk/understanding-your-customer/). And that is the real challenge for marketing within organisations; having the discipline to ensure their communication is as simple and easy to remember for customers as possible and having the influence and tenacity to ensure the rest of the business organises its operations and processes around what works for the customer.