Final Veggie Tale

Well, it was an interesting 31 days being a full-blown vegetarian.  I accomplished my goal of thriving during my new eating routine.  I even got to finish off my last weekend of being a vegetarian by winning a CrossFit competition, Battleat the Barracks.  Now I know it is hard for some of you meat eating, meatheads to believe that a person could eat vegetarian and be good at CrossFit; but I’m here to tell you, it can be done.  It’s not about the source of the protein going into your body that counts, it is that there is protein going in.  When you get down to basic amino acids it doesn’t matter if it was from beans or bovine.   There were three takeaways from my month that I’ll continue to pursue in my effort to “eat to perform”.  I would recommend this basic approach to anyone looking to change his or her eating habits or commit to any goal for that matter.

Plan:

I think this was one of the more important factors for completing this in the right spirit.  I made a conscious effort each day to think through about what I would be eating for each meal and where I would be getting the food for that meal, if it was not already prepared.  As I have mentioned in previous posts, eating out was a struggle for me during this past month.  However, when I knew we were eating out I started running through my head what I would be able to eat and how I could combine those foods to create a well rounded meal.

Portion (or Percentage):

I have alluded to this several times.  I am now an even bigger believer in the utility of the Zone diet.  For those not familiar with the Zone, check out Barry Sear’s webpage.  I turned to a few different websites so I didn’t have to start the food combinations for creating complete proteins from scratch.  I’m a creature of habit, so once I had a few combinations of foods I enjoyed, I would just stick with that.  Another interesting thing I realized over the past month was that I really didn’t get super full at any meal.  I ways always at the point of being satisfied, but never a food-coma type state.   

Promise:

For me, this was the whole reason I ventured into eating vegetarian.  I was challenged to take this journey and I promised that I would complete it.  I had a couple extra layers of accountability by letting people at my gym and office know of what I was doing.  I’d like to think of myself as a fairly self-disciplined person, but it never hurts to have others keeping you accountable.  For those looking to take any sort of challenge or set a goal, ensure you surround yourself with people who will be supportive when you need a little pick-me-up

So, that’s it.  My endeavor came to an end with a piece of bacon crumbled up on my salad.  [See the pic below, couldn't help myself]  A fairly anti-climactic way for it to end, but it’s over.  Although I have finished the challenge, I still see myself eating predominately vegetarian for a while.  I was amazed at how well my body felt and the ease at which my body processed the food.  I hope you enjoyed the posts and can take some tidbits away from them.

Cheers,

Dan

Eating Out Woes [Week 2 of Eating Vegetarian]

            Well another vegetarian week in the books.  Not a whole lot of complaints or issues with the past week over all.   That is with the exception of eating out.  I never realized how routine-based my life was until my wife and I went out with friends for dinner at Miguels.  Usually, a trip to a Mexican restaurant involves no thought for my menu choice.  I’m going to be getting down on some sort of burrito.  Carne asada, pollo asada, California, it doesn’t matter.  Wrap some goodies with a little meat up in a soft tortilla and I’ll be cleaning the plate. 

            However, this trip contained a whole lot of mental contemplation about how dedicated I was about proving a point.  Ultimately I ended up eating a quesadilla with some extra avocado [This is actually one of the only times I’ve eaten non-vegan during this].  I did have a fair amount of chips and salsa to fill the tank, but this is pretty much status quo when I eat Mexican food.

            Since I don’t have a whole lot this week, I thought I would add my food tracker (See clips below) from the past two weeks.  There is nothing ground breaking, but a few things about my tracker, acronyms used, and my foods. Oh and I really am not proof reading this tracker, so I’m sure quinoa or tempeh is butchered in it.

• PFB: Perfect Foods Bar (Typically Almond Butter, but I also like Carob Chip.  As an aside, I thought it was Carbo Chip until last month when Rick from Carlsbad CrossFit corrected me – and I still to this day will call it Carbo Chip.
• Perfect Smoothie: This has taken a lot of forms from the two weeks but generally it consists of a dark green vegetable base, some sort of fat (almond butter, coconut oil, flaxseed), vegan protein powder, ice, and water or on occasion almond milk. Originally taken from http://www.nomeatathlete.com
• Popcorn: I freaking love popcorn.  I could probably eat popcorn all day.
• Salad:  Usually just basic greens with organic dressing (love any type of Annie’s dressing) and sometime toppings such as almond slivers and cranberries
• Green text:  signifies my post workout meal.
• Veggie Grill: (restaurants all around North County) has come through in the clutch and it’s close to my work, which makes it my go-to for takeout.
• Protein: of choice right now is Vega One and I just use a generic BCAA
• Nut Mix:  just the little packets from Trader Joes

In the chart you see some minor comments with regard to my energy level and weight.  I should probably do a better job here, but just haven’t had the time to keep a good journal.

            To all those that keep questioning why I am doing this, thanks.  It’s been good motivation to show that you can still thrive on this type of diet.  At this point, no, I won’t follow this after the month.  However, what I will say is that I will be paying way more attention to food combinations and where I’m getting my carbohydrates from as part of a Zone-paleo approach to my diet.

Challenge Accepted. Week 1 of Eating Vegetarian

What am I really trying to do here?

If you ever want me to do something, tell me I can’t do it.  Knowing this, it shouldn’t surprise you that when my wife said I couldn’t eat vegetarian for a month I took it as a direct challenge.  I’ve always taken challenges head-on, which is why I am writing this today. 

I am one week into my month of eating vegetarian.  This is experiential learning of my part more than anything else.  However, as I continue my journey I thought that it would be beneficial to capture some key learning points for those that are so inclined to live this out in the future.

My approach to starting was pretty straightforward jumping in.  I picked out a date on the calendar and committed. I made sure to add some additional accountability in by telling some folks about it to include friends and families.  I’ve always found that sticking to your goals is made easier when you are accountable to more than just yourself.

I will stay consistent in my competitive CrossFit training through the month, which makes a detailed approach to quality food inputs all the more important.

Always Learning

Over the first week of eating vegetarian I had three takeaways.

1.    This takes a lot of planning for your first go around. 

Unfortunately, I didn’t think through all of the details of maintaining a balanced diet while trying to eat prominently plant-based foods.   I could just wing-it the whole time, but I know that would have a detrimental impact on my current fitness level.  As I starting doing some meal prep, I realized that I would need to pay close attention to combining foods to create complete proteins in my diet.  I turned to several sites online to find some creative food combinations to not get in a monotonous eating routine for the month

2. You can still get full

I was happily surprised that my meal planning and spread throughout the day kept me sufficiently full.  Even before eating vegetarian, I was predominately eating 6 mini-meals per day.  I continued the habit as I started eating vegetarian

3. You can also get fat

After day two, I realized that I would need to keep close tabs on my quinoa, bean, and grain intake.  I am not blessed with great genes when it comes to metabolism, so this is an area I’ll have to pay attention to.  It was also not surprising to me that plenty of people focused on eating vegetarian could in fact be doing some serious damage to their body by eating diets that are high in starch, grain, and fruits.

Moving Forward

Now that I’ve made it a week in successfully I tend to be fairly confident as I look ahead to my next three weeks.  I will be focusing on developing a daily intake of food that will include complete proteins and a 40-30-30 balance of carbohydrates-fats-protein.  

More to come in the weeks ahead.

This is not a weight-loss attempt, however, I'd be remised if I didn't keep track for those interested

Starting Weight:  209#  (Post-lunch at the gym) - Will try to do weight in on same time/schedule

Is Social Media the Answer For All Marketing Communication? (Week 12, The END)

Social media has become a giant in consumer communication over the past few years.  Although these tools were initially utilized by a younger demographic, recent years have seen the adoption of social media by all generations.  The users are turning to social media for the social happenings, news, information, and more.  Each platform has is strengths and niche markets.  Some sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn have found success in dominating large market segments.  However, with everything that social media sites offer - can they really obsolete the traditional marketing communication tools that marketers us?  Let's take a look at some of the tools being used today and how social media can either replace, enhance, or be insufficient in filling the purpose.

Advertising
Social media still affords companies the opportunity to advertise on the sites.  These can be via banners, pop-ups, or notifications.  However, if only social media sites were used to advertise, companies would miss out on the opportunity to adversities to non-social media users.

Sales Promotion
Notification of sales promotions could occur via Twitter, Facebook, and other sites.  The company could provide a link directly to the customer and direct them to their individual company websites.  Social media would enhance the reach of companies and avoid some of the cost associated with tradition mailings.

Public Relations
Website - Most social media sites offer companies the option to create a fan page.  However, these fan pages are all limited by the social media site framework and don't really allow companies to differentiate themselves.  When a customer simply hits a "Like" button for your business, but has also "Liked" your competitors, are you really achieving customer loyalty?  Companies will still need to host their own websites where they can interact and inform their customers.
Customer Service - This is a critical aspect of any company.  The features currently available on social media sites will not be effective in dealing with all customer issues.  The customer service department can participate in social media activities to inform customers, but at the end of the day, there needs to be an outlet for customers to call into and seek help.

Direct Marketing
There are similar aspects to the direct marketing to advertising with social media. There are numerous benefits to using social media as it allows for easier segmentation, targeting, and positioning.  However, companies would again be limited to social media users if they abandoned traditional direct marketing efforts.

Personal Selling
For basic necessities and low value items, social media may offer companies enough of a voice to sell their product.  However, for high involvement products, customers aren't going to look at 140 characters in a Twitter note and decide to buy that company's car.  Consumers will still need the opportunity for interaction during the sales process in the form of sales reps.

Although social media is a great asset for marketers to use in their future marketing efforts, it will not completely replace good old-fashioned marking tools.  Marketers will still need to be brilliant at the basics and use social media as another tool in their toolbox.

Apple: My go-to Brand (Week 10)

When someone asks you to think about brands, your thoughts are immediately filled with words, designs, images and slogans tied to a particular company.  All of these components help to differentiate the company from its competitors.  However, just because consumers recognize a brand does not mean that they will show loyalty to it or spend their money with the company.

Brand Equity
Brand equity, as defined by Marian Wood, is the extra value customers perceive that enhances their long-term loyalty to the brand.  In the pyramid below, Kevin Keller shows the process for a company to move a consumer from recognition to relationship with the brand.

For a company to truly have brand equity with a customer, it must move the customer from just being able to identify the brand to having a relationship with it.  At the top of the pyramid a brand resonates with a customer.  It is at this point that a customer will build loyalty towards the brand and continue in an ongoing relationship with it.

Apple

For me, Apple is a brand in which I have gone through the above pyramid and have ultimately come to the point of resonance.  Over the years, I have moved through each of the four categories above in my own unique way.

Identity (Salience)

I first became aware of Apple when I took a photography class in high school.  It was in the class where I first saw Apple's iMac.  At this point, I had never used the computer or had any personal feelings about the products.  However, I did immediately recognize the distinct design and logo.  

Meaning (Performance and Imagery)

I didn't think much of the brand at the time, but over the next few years I continued to encounter MacBooks and other Apple products in collage.  It was around this time that I made my first Apple purchase, the iPod.  My experience with the iPod was extremely positive.  The performance, reliability, and durability of the product was beyond my expectations.  In addition to the performance factors of the product, I was surprised at the social response to my ownership of the product.  Conversations around the iPod were either with current owners of the product or people interested in becoming an owner.  This was the first time where I started to experience the societal interaction with the product.

Response (Judgments and Feelings)

My response to the above performance and imagery resulted in the purchase of several more Apple products.  I continued to buy Apple because of the consistent quality, trust in their ability to innovate, and competitive advantage in performance in the market.  I had not had a bad experience with the product.

My personal Apple iTourage

Relationship (Resonance)

My transition from response to relationship was quite quick.  Today, I don't even do a whole lot of research on an Apple product before I purchase it.  I trust that they will only put out excellent products that exceed my expectations.  In addition to my personal loyalty, I will happily spread the Apple brand name to prospective customers of their products.

Although the example above is my personal tale, each and every customer will go through their own unique experiences in the process.  Successful companies will ensure that their marking and communication efforts help move customers through the above process to ultimately achieve brand equity with them.  

Can I Get a Hot Tub? (Week 8, Ch 8/9)

State Farm Insurance has made a big push in their marketing communications over the last few years.  If you think about insurance as a whole, they typically have very mundane advertising.  When you did see advertising it was mainly based on a rational appeal.  However, in the last 4-5 years, insurance companies have really gone out the door with a great advertising campaign.  State Farm is one of the companies that have made a concerted effort with their TV advertising campaign.

According to research done by The James Group, there are four keys to a good advertising message.  They are: a word hook, a character hook, a repeatable theme, and a unique design.  Now let's see how well State Farm has been doing with these keys to success.

Word Hook
You can't help but hum along to the jingle when it's on, so "Like a good neighbor State Farm is there" really satisfies this key tenant.  This phrase is utilized during the commercials at some points by the characters and then the commercials typically close with the statement again in print on the screen.  For the print media, this phrase is always placed prominently in the ad.

Character Hook
State Farm has been utilizing several characters over the past few years.  Most recently, Chris Paul has been making his rounds on the TV ads playing himself and his twin brother Cliff.  These commercials are playing off of sports fan's knowledge that Chris Paul is one of the best point guards in the NBA.  Typically seen as a player who assists his teammates, State Farm related this to their goal of assisting customers.
In addition to Chris Paul, State Farm has utilized numerous other characters in their TV advertisements.  Some of the more memorable characters have been during the "genie" style appearance of a State Farm agent.  One of my favorite advertisement with this theme had the agent show up with a hot tub.

Repeatable Theme
All of the characters listed above were effective because they were always promoting a common theme.  The theme through the ad campaign has been that no matter where you are, what you need, your State Farm agent will be there to serve you.  At the end of the day, State Farm is providing insurance that is intimately tied with their service; but in reality, they are providing each consumer with peace of mind.  Their advertising campaign has been about promoting the fact that State Farm will be there when you need them.

Unique Design
As I stated previously, State Farm has typically closed out all of the TV ads with their word hook and the State Farm logo.  Some may not think that this is not a strong unique design, but by always having their logo and word hook splashed on the screen it helps consumers immediately recognize a State Farm ad, print media, or local office.  An interesting point to note, is that State Farm is the only large insurance company that uses red and white only as their primary colors.  This is a point of differentiation when compared with Allstate, Geico, and Aflac.

All in all, State Farm has shown that their advertising has all the elements to make it very effective.  Although they have a large market share, it is important to continue to maintain their brand awareness and target their target market with effective integrated marketing communications.

What does this do?: Portable Music Player Revolution (Week 6, Chapter 6)

It's hard to believe that new generations of grade school-aged kids will never have to wind up the tape of a cassette again.  I happened upon a pretty funny video the other day that really highlighted how far personal music players have come in such a short time.  Some companies have found themselves on the outside looking in because they failed to stay in touch with technology trends occurring in the environment around them.

History of Portable Music Players
This is not meant to be a comprehensive summary, but rather cover the three main technology changes over the past 50 years.
In the early 1970s, the first portable cassette player was released.  However, it wasn't until the 1980's when the Sony Walkman was released that people really started buying cassettes and cassette players en masse.

Fast forward a few years to 1982, when the compact disc was released.  Shortly after, portable CD players were the new mode of choice.  The CD player improved on the cassette by allowing the user to quickly skip, repeat, and play their song of choice.  The CD quickly passed cassettes in sales over the next few years.

Finally, in 1999, the mp3 music file was released.  This allowed users to move hundreds of these files onto small mp3 players for portable use.  Although the mp3 was a significant improvement from the previous two, it was not until Apple released the iPod and iTunes in 2001 that the portable music player really changed.

Cassette player vs iPod 4 P's
In hindsight, the launch of the iPod was really the death of cassettes and CDs.  Apple truly revolutionized the Core of what portable music players were.
Product:  The iPod was a tangible good, but intimately tied to the iTunes library where consumers could purchase new music.
Price:  The iPod was priced at roughly an equivalent price to a cassette player when it was launched.  At the time of launch though, the iPod was priced higher than a portable cassette player.
Place:  The iPod could be purchased at one of Apple's stores, at another retailer, or on-line.
Promotion:  The iPod had significant influence on the industry because of its connection with the iTunes store.  Consumers could do in one-click of the mouse what used to take a trip to the store or purchase from a music catalog to secure new music.

Apple created a better tool with the iPod.  Customers value a product that provides ready access to the music of their choice.  The iPod offered a product that was easier to get, cheaper to use, and more user friendly for the consumer.  All those variables put together really make all of the old music players obsolete.  We should all be thankful the days of winding up cassette tape are over.

Office for iPad: A look at the hypothetical STDP (Week 5, Chapter 4/5)

Microsoft launched its Office Apps for iOS at the end of March.  One day after the apps went live, it held the top three spots on the App Store.  Now, similar to other apps, the true test will be to see how long the App is a popular download.  Several other apps have gone before, yet quickly fluttered out after failing to meet customer expectations.  [As an aside, the screenshot below was from 29-March; when I downloaded the Apps today Word, Excel, and PPT still held the top 3 spots]  Now presumably, Microsoft did a thorough STDP analysis on this product release, but I'll take a swing at a simplified version below.

Segmentation
It's quite obvious that Microsoft is pursuing the tablet market, specifically those consumers who use the iPad/iOS.  For this segment, the most obvious observable variable is the purchase or possession of an iPad.  One thing to note in Microsoft's segmentation though, is that the company had to have realized that there would be some cannibalization of its own table market share.  Assuming that some consumers purchasers their table, the Microsoft Surface, solely for access to Office.  It would be safe to assume that some consumers would move towards the iPad, since it is now Office capable.  However, the overall market expansion and profitability were too good to pass up.

Targeting
Since Office is already available to Android powered tablets and it comes pre-installed on the Microsoft tablet, Microsoft is targeting the iOS market and confidence that this market segment will continue to grow.  Based on the Garner data below, Microsoft saw the obvious market share with regard to operating system and decided it would be in their best interest to include iOS in its offering.   The data shown here, is the Worldwide Tablet sales to end users, by operating system.

The next table shows the Worldwide tablet sales to end users, by Vendor.  It's obvious from the data below, that Microsoft wanted an opportunity to target the 70M plus customers using Apple products.  

These customers could also be Office users on their notebook and desktop, but have selected Apple for their tablet needs.  

Differentiation

The Office product has set itself apart as the go-to for workplace and personal document platform.  What Microsoft is looking to do with Office on iPad, is get that large target market above accustomed to using the platform on their tablet.  A quick 4 P analysis below shows that Place is the key marketing-mix element for setting itself apart, but the true revenue stream will come in how they use Pricing.

Product:  Office (Word, Powerpoint, Excel, Note)

Place: Apple App Store

Pricing: Free download, for full access to platform will require Office 365 subscription

Promotion: Emphasis on ease of Office use on iOS

It's easy to see how Microsoft is looking to lure in potential customers with the free version for document viewing, but to get the creation and editing options, the user must pay for the Office 365 service.  This service costs $10 per month or $100 per year.

Positioning

Microsoft has found a valuable place in customer's minds as so many people are on the go these days and prefer the ease of a tablet over their notebook computer. I can personally think of dozens of times where Office on my iPad would have made life easier.

Microsoft's decision was certainly based on a more robust STDP analysis than what I showed, but it should offer some insight into the key decisions that were made in the marketing process.

Segment Decisions in Electric Automobiles (Week 4, Chapter 4/5)

I thought it would be fitting to discuss the electric automobile industry, since that will be the marketing plan focus for the quarter.  The electric vehicle industry provides a fuel-efficient means of transportation.  It is also attractive to those consumers who are green conscious, since the majority of these vehicles are zero-emission vehicles.  The industry is still in its infancy and makes up on about 2% of the market at this point.

Before I dive into talking about company's segment decisions in the electric automobile industry, it would be good to ensure that we're on the same page about market segmentation.  The goal in market segmentation is for the company is to divide up the market into groups of potential customers with distinct characteristics, behaviors, and needs.  The company can then choose which segment to target with their product.

Market Segments in the Electric Automobile Industry
The companies competing in the niche market of electric vehicles have two main segments to choose from.  The first segment is those consumers who are seeking the benefits that electric cars have to offer with regard to fuel efficiency.  These consumers are trying to avoid the high cost of gas and view electric vehicles as a viable alternative.  The second segment is made up of consumers who are green conscious.  These consumers have bought into the green movement and want a vehicle that is not going to negatively impact the ecosystem.
It is tough to break out demographics for each of these categories because age and gender are not good indicators of who will be pursuing an electric vehicle.  Two profiles that do stick out though are lifestyle and income.  The lifestyle is in line with the second benefit category listed above, green conscious consumers.  The income demographic comes into play as we look at the company's target market and differentiation techniques.

Big Auto

The main players in the US electric automobile market from the traditional gas-powered vehicle industry are GM, Nissan, and Ford.  The currently offer the Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf, and Ford Focus respectively.  Since electric vehicles only make up 2% of the current market, these companies have no real incentive to make a big push into the electric market.  There are no government regulations mandating a move away from gas, so why bother.  What these companies are doing, is providing an electric vehicle to keep the consumers from moving away from their brand to a competitors electric vehicle offering.  There is no massive overhaul to innovate beyond what the current market desires.
Big auto is only going after those consumers on the lower to middle economic categories.  None of the cars shown to the right would be confused with a luxury car offering.  These industry players seem OK with what they are currently offering to the market, since there isn't a massive demand for the vehicles.

The Disruptor
Tesla made a big splash in the electric car market back in 2012 with their two electric vehicles.  In fact, even two years later, they are still experiencing a back-order for their Model S and Model X.  Tesla decided that instead of just satisfying a consumers desire to have an eco-friendly car, they would offer a vehicle that would be viewed as a luxury car.  Tesla founds its current home with consumers that have more disposable income.  They also set themselves apart from big auto because the design of these cars from the start was for electric vehicles.  They didn't turn a gas-powered vehicle into an electric car.
Just providing a luxury electric vehicle alone is not why Tesla is so popular.  It is because they are revolutionizing the ease of use of electric vehicles.  It's easy to operate a gas-operated vehicles today, since there are fuel stations all over.  The problem for the electric vehicles is that a consumer must always be wary of where a charging station is or how much of a charge they have. Tesla is working on setting up charging stations within some select west coast metropolises and creating electric routes up the west coast.  They are breaking the mold of the electric vehicle as most people see them as simple commuter cars.

Market Change
As noted above, some of the actions that Tesla is currently taking could set the stage for a massive shift in the electric car market in the future.  Once Tesla is able to establish the required infrastructure to sustain electric vehicles outside of metropolitan areas, they will start shifting their segment focus.  In the coming years, Tesla has announced it will start offering more economical offerings in the electric car market.  If big auto continues to sit on the sideline of innovation, they will be left behind.  There are dozen of stories about companies who were left behind because they failed to see the change in the market.  The Innovator's Dilemna is a great book on how companies can deal successfully with innovation.  

Positioning to Simplify Marketing-Mix (Week 4, Chapter 4/5)

Positioning
I'm again relying on the article by Miklos Sarvary to provide the definition.  He states that, "positioning is defined as the marketer's effort to identify a unique selling proposition for the product".  At this point in the marketers journey, s/he has already segmented the market and targeted the particular segment the company decided to pursue.

Creating a Positioning Statement
One of the tools that Sarvary comments on is the positioning statement.  There are three questions that the statement must address.
1. Who are the customers?
2. What is the set of needs that the product fulfills?
3. Why is the product the best option to satisfy those needs?
To effectively answer the questions above, the statement will be formed in a way that is directed towards the potential customers.  The third question being addressed by the positioning statement really helps align the company behind one of the 4 P's.  The element that stands out will help the company determine its primary point of differentiation.

Simplifying Marketing-Mix
As stated above, the company can determine any one of the four P's as its primary.  The key is that the company clearly determines its position in the market and ensures its products are differentiated from competitor's products.  An example of this positioning and marketing-mix simplicity is Trader Joes.  Trader Joe's has made a niche for themselves in the grocery market by differentiated themselves through price.  There are no gimmicks, coupons, or clubs at Trader Joes.  They offer their own labeled, cost competitive products to the consumer.

Trader Joe's and companies like them succeed because they have made strategic decisions on the companies positioning in the market.  It is important to remember that before a positioning statement can be made and further honed through branding and differentiation, the company must complete the other steps in the marketing process.  Market segmentation and target market selection need to be completed to allow a proper positioning to be done.  This will allow the company to focus on the right customers through the correct marketing-mix element.

Segmentation --> Customer Obsession (Week 4, Chapter 4/5)

Market Segmentation
According to Miklos Sarvary, "Market segmentation consists of dividing the market into groups of potential customers - called market segments - with distinct characteristics, behaviors, or needs".   He also points out two types of segmentation in the article.  The first is segmentation based on benefits sought by customers.  The second is segmentation based on observable characteristics of customers.  Each marketer has a choice of how to go about these two segments, but generally it is easier in practice to identify a segment based on a demographic.  However, to be a truly effective marketer, these demographic segments must correlate in some manner to the benefits sought by customers.  Honing in on the benefits is the key step to work towards customer obsession.

Segmentation as a facilitator to customer obsession
Now some may see the word obsession and feel that it is a bit extreme, but look at the successful companies in the market and it isn't to far off.  Apple, Google, Disney, and USAA are just a few of the companies that come to mind when we talk about customer obsession.  These companies strive day-in, day-out to provide for the needs and benefits sought by their customers.  

Andreas von der Heydt has written several fantastic blog posts on his LinkedIn page about customer satisfaction and obsession.  One of the posts, titled "Help, I'm Customer Obsessed" lists two fundamental rules of customer obsession.
1. Make sure that you do everything to make your customers happy.
2. Customers first, then brand, then revenue, then profit.
The first point really goes back to your decisions made during market segmentation.  It is critical that the correct segment is chosen based off the benefits desired and the make-up of that segment.  If your company is trying to market a product to a customer segment that is not interested, the business will suffer.  
The second point gets right at the heart of being customer obsessed.  If company's always live by the default that customers are first, then their decision making process will be simplified.  This again, goes back to ensuring that the correct market is selected. 
Now both of the comments above do not mean that the company has to get their market segment perfect the first time.  The company will most likely need to be flexible to changes in the environment and economy some time after their initial assessment was done.  The key here is to continually assess the benefits being sought by your particular segment.



Sarvary, Miklos. "Market Segmentation, Target Market Selection, and Positioning". HBR No. 501-018