A new CMO was frustrated that his team’s approach to marketing was driven by product features and benefits rather than customer need and strategy – despite him telling them he wanted the latter. He saw them as just not ‘getting it’, and the team was equally frustrated that their earnest efforts weren’t hitting the mark. Consulting with the CMO, we sensed that different problem solving styles might be getting in the way. 

Sure enough, VIEW uncovered that the CMO had a strong natural [Explorer] preference for the big picture and the ‘why’, while everyone on his team had a strong [Developer] preference for the detail and the ‘how’. This was the root cause of the disconnect and tension, and an a-ha moment for the CMO. By appreciating his team’s need for more structure and clearer guidance, he was able to adjust his language and be more directive in his ask. In turn the team appreciated his clarity and coaching on how they might reposition their thinking, enabling them to flex to better serve the business need. 

The outcome?

A more aligned team, with a greater appreciation of the CMO’s approach, and a strategic shift in marketing thinking that is leading to better results.

A direct-to-consumer subscription-based company was losing customers at a critical point of the subscription cycle – and wanted to find out what would trigger motivation to continue their subscriptions. We used VIEW to measure their preferences, and discovered a significant skew among the customer base compared to the general population – a Developer profile, suggesting a need for clarity and structure, and a discomfort with uncertainty.  At the same time, in-home observational research suggested that a particular marketing offer and invoice presentation were ambiguous and causing confusion and concern – to the point that people were canceling their subscriptions. We helped the team re-design the offer and invoice with the Developer preference in mind – improving retention and ROI by 28%. As a result the company expanded their use of VIEW to other product lines, creating a win-win situation of more actionable consumer insights, and increased consulting business.