Download CUSTOMER PILLARS: Laying Down the Growth Challenge

CUSTOMER PILLARS: Demystifying Marketing with the M-Cubed Method
August 2006
One of the most challenging aspects for growing a small business is marketing communications.
Literally, how does your company communicate with customers so that they (a) know you exist,
(b) know what you do, and (c) have an interest in purchasing from you – now and in the future?
When lecturing about marketing communications, I usually point out that communicating in
business setting is merely another form of human communications. I joke that if human
communications were easy, there would be little incident of divorce, teenage rebellion, or wars
over religious ideals. Obviously human communications are not even close to simple.
So we should not be surprised that communicating in the business setting is equally challenging.
It is typical to hear a business owner frustrated that the market just doesn’t “get” them.
Marketing communications is, indeed, the approach of helping customers understand you and to
view your company and its products the way you desire.
Another common mistake people make with marketing communications centers around focusing
on a particular event – a promotion, themed party, or advertisement – as an individual item
versus part of a larger, more organized, and ongoing approach to connecting with the
marketplace.
In workshops, I often joke that running one ad and expecting it to produce a lot of orders is akin
to going on a blind date and expecting to get married – that night! Rarely does this happen, as the
relationship takes time to develop. Typically relationships occur through multiple interactions
over the course of time. The same is true for customer communications.
So it’s tough – you get it. What’s a good solution? Looking at customer communications through
the “M-Cubed “method is a great place to start. This method considers three “M” concepts and
follows a specific sequence: Message, Method, and Measurement.
The “message” component suggests the company get very specific and organized about what it
wants to say to the customer. If you had the ability to implant five messages directly into the
brains of customers, what would they be? This helps ensure these messages are repeated and
reinforced in any communications approach you take with the customer. By having well
developed and consistent messages in your communications, you put the company in a better
position to grow.
Once the messages are well-understood, then (and only then) does it make sense to consider the
different ways you might want to deliver those messages. Often, companies reverse the sequence.
(i.e.: they select the method they will use to deliver a message - for instance, direct mail or radio then determine what they want to say.) Focusing on the messages first, helps better direct which
methods to use to deliver the messages and helps make more profitable decisions.
Some other quick tips on selecting which methods to use to deliver your customer
communications include the following:

Use more than one method – incorporate several different ways to deliver messages,
some will cost and others will be free, the key is they all convey consistent messages

Repetition is vital – in advertising, they call this “frequency” and it is how often the
message is repeated – particularly in methods that are more “mass media,” the need for
frequency is paramount – one time shots rarely work

Look for non-paid methods of communication – companies are often communicating
with customers in many daily situations (such as answering the telephone, signage,
invoices, etc), but often these methods are not fully used to reinforce the key marketing
messages – this is a lost opportunity
The final “M” in the process is “measurement,” which merely suggests to measure the success of
different approaches. Given the process is difficult, it is important to study what we do and
assess what works and what does not. Some will clearly be better than others. Your challenge is
to observe, learn, and modify your approach accordingly. This happens through measurement
techniques, which can be as formal as entering tracking codes into your order processing system,
or as simple as a “tick sheet” you put near the cash register in your business.
Customer communications are never easy, but some of the suggestions here, including the “MCubed” method can help to demystify the process of informing and educating customer in the
ways you desire.
Curt Clinkinbeard is a business advisor and author of CUSTOMER PILLARS. He can be reached at
[email protected].