There are a multitude of ways to think about marketing and the relationship between your brand and your customer.

 Most often we hear the tried and true platitudes about the customer that go like this:

• The Customers is always right
• The Customer is king!
• Always give the Customer what they want

And you know what? Most of the time they are right. Giving the customer exactly what they want is often one of the best ways to get rich (or die tryin’).

However in many markets where what you are giving your customers is NOT the lowest common denominator commodity product or service this is often one of the worst possible strategies you can employ to build real, lasting brand engagement. For those of us in specialty, rare, artisan or just plain hard to do industries where what we are doing is the opposite of bottom line commodity we have found that a wholly different approach works best.

For the last 10 years I have operated on this principal:

Never give customers what they want.

Only Give them what you do Best.

If you do that (assuming that what you do best is truly the best AND solves a customer need whether they know it or not) then you will find that your customers are far happier, you are more fulfilled, your team is inspired and your brand will grow and attract even more loyal fans.

Or else why are you doing what you do?