You are NOT your customer
“We know our customer, because we are the customer.”
Not true. And, if you believe it, you might be missing crucial signals from the very people you're trying to serve.
Yes, you may be the same and gender. You live in a major city, follow trends, shop online, try new brands. On paper, you are the target demo.
But being in the demographic doesn’t mean you think, act, or buy like a typical customer. If you work in the category, your perspective is fundamentally different.
Let me show you what I mean.
I was recently in the field with a brilliant team from a beauty brand. They felt deeply connected to their customer and saw themselves in their customer base - same age range, same shopping habits, same love for the category.
While we waited for research participants to arrive, we asked team members to shop as if they were buying for themselves.
It was a blast. They were excited, animated and . . . incredibly knowledgeable.
They:
Pointed out their favorite products
Explained ingredient benefits
Estimated markups
Named packaging suppliers
They even speculated on who might be next to get acquired.
Then we shopped with their customers.
They were just as excited and enthusiastic about the category but their shopping behavior was dramatically different.
They were:
Uncertain
Looking for validation
Evaluating prices based on desire versus budget
And influencer opinions carried enormous weight with them. They weren’t thinking about formulations or margins.
In fact, most had no idea what went into the products they loved and . . . they didn’t care.
Same aisle. Same brands. Completely different mindset.
Proximity ≠ Perspective
