What do my customers want? It is the only question that should always be in the back of every marketer’s mind. But, like many other dilemmas our world sees, there is clearly a gap between what we think our customers want and what they actually want.

As Brian Solis points out, Henry Ford once said, “If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from that person’s angle as well as from your own.”

According to this recent infographic by Barnickel Design for The Pivot Conference, marketers are not seeing the other side.

Let’s dive into it.

• 76% of marketers feel they know what their customers want, yet only 34% asked their customers.
• 83% of consumers seek deals, but only 53% of businesses think that’s what customers really want.
• 45% of marketers feel that rewards programs are important to customers and 70% of social consumers thought otherwise.
• 55% of consumers and 53% of marketers would like to collaborate on improving products and experiences.

Key Takeaway – Reading between the lines is not a skill you learn overnight. Brian Solis could not have said it better. “There is a difference between asking and understanding…In the end, perception is reality.”

See the entire infographic and more Solis insight at his blog.

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