Peter Drucker, revisited.

I've been hanging out in the archives again, thanks to Francois, over at Emergence Marketing. Here are some words from the great Peter Drucker on Marketing... and a few observations you are welcome to comment on:

"Because the purpose of business is to create a customer, the business enterprise has two--and only two--basic functions: marketing and innovation. Marketing and innovation produce results; all the rest are costs. Marketing is the distinguishing, unique function of the business."

I like the second part of that statement a lot, but I business has evolved beyond the first one: The purpose isn't to create a customer. The purpose of a business is to serve a customer. Or better yet, to earn a customer or to improve the life of a customer. Businesses can create products, markets, trends, technology, industries and lifestyles, but their aim is not to create customers. That would be... I don't know, a bit conceited.

Don't create customers. Create for customers.

"The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself. "

Amen.

"The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't said."

Maybe not the most important, but definitely the most chronically overlooked.

"Quality in a service or product is not what you put into it. It is what the client or customer gets out of it."

That should be a T-shirt or a poster or something.

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