Partners In Marketing are experts in marketing strategy.

We help our customers to act more market-oriented instead of product-oriented.

What is the normal evolution of a company?
You are successful thanks to a good product or service, so you are product driven. Then you start listening to your customers and become more market driven. Your goal however is to become market driving, because then you are in control.

Imagine that there is a competitor on your market. So you are three: you, your customer and your competitor.
What do you need to do?
Let’s go to the automotive world to explain this dilemma…

Where do you like to sit in your car?

"Where do you like to sit in your car?"

The regular answer: behind the steering wheel. Because then you decide where the car will drive to. If you have the steering wheel in your hands, and there are 2 people waiting outside (your customer and your competitor), who will you invite next to you? Your customer of course, because when he is sitting next to you you can talk with him while driving. Both of you are sitting in front of the car, with a full view on comfortable seats… Your competitor (when invited in your car) will get the back-seat. Less comfortable. He can not follow your discussion with the customer, because your radio is playing loud music…

This is the 'market driving approach': you are in control

Are you behind the wheel? PIM can assist you.

"Where do you like to sit in your car?"

Imagine that your customer takes the steering wheel (‘market driven approach’). Then there is still a chance that your customer invites your competitor to sit on the passenger’s seat, and you get the back-seat. That is not good. Your competitor will make use of the fact that he is next to the customer, the radio will be very loud, and when you are on a bumpy road, you will not feel comfortable. The customer can of course also select you to sit next to him, but this is always the choice of the customer.

This is the 'market driven approach': your customer is in control

Are you behind the wheel? PIM can assist you.

"Where do you like to sit in your car?"

It even can get worse: your competitor can grab the wheel. You will definitely be in the back-seat (perhaps even in the trunk of the car). Worst case scenario, because you need to fight against your competitor, who will have the chance to tell your customer all kinds of stories about you and your bad products. You will definitely lose, because even if you can still meet the customer, you are in a defence mode.

This is the worst case scenario: your competitor is in control

Are you behind the wheel? PIM can assist you.