Earlier this year, I attended a national marketing conference where a group of speakers discussed methods to more effectively connecting, engaging and communicating with customers. While all of their presentations were informative, there was a single, consistent theme throughout – it was all about us.

“We” as a company, “we” as marketers, “we” as employees, with the challenge to satisfy the needs of our organization.

The customer's true needs and perspectives were not part of the conversation. There was never any discussion of how to best address customer goals, to identify them unmet customer needs, or create added value for the customer. Rather, promotion and awareness raising were the be-all and end-all.

Connected: Change your company's mission statement to inspire sustainability