The consumer value stream mind set

I saw this today, and it cracked me up.  It's an insightful (and funny!) one-panel exposition on the importance of understanding consumer motivations -- the things that are important to them, what they are trying to accomplish.  In microeconomic terms -- what creates "utility" for them. 

How consumers go about realizing that utility -- that value -- is  the consumer value stream.  If you're not familiar with the concept of a consumer value stream, it's similar to the concept of a value stream in the enterprise context -- just from the consumer perspective.  You can read more about the consumer value stream here.   

Net-net, this mind set can help you as a digital marketer identify new ways to empower consumers as technology and virtual worlds become more and more intertwined with the physical world.  How a consumer experiences your brand as part of their personal value stream determines whether you are empowering and enabling their total value stream... or are just another (replaceable) step along the way.  Rule of thumb: the more you are empowering your consumers the more loyal they will be.  

Thanks to Marc Braseel for highlighting this cartoon, and pointing to more good stuff at Skydeckcartoons.com. 

Technorati Tags: digital marketing , brand , consumer experience , consumer value stream