The Question Every Marketer Should Ask (but most don’t)

This week, a CMO said something to me that really hit home:

“We need to be right on the edge of where they’re at.”

What did they mean by this?

In simple terms, this CMO is obsessed with understanding two critical factors:

1. What prospects are thinking about ‘today’.

2. Where the market [for their product] is going.

The best marketers intuitively know this. But most of us get stuck in a static mindset; optimising messaging for customers as they were, instead of where they are right now.

If your content, communications or advertising feels like it’s not landing, the problem isn’t always the messaging itself. It’s timing.

- Customers' mindset shift.
- Market conditions change.
- Competitor offerings evolve.

The question is: Are you really keeping up?

The Relevance Test

This is where a simple ‘Relevance Test’ comes in. It’s a way to check if your messages are truly resonating and if you're keeping track with the market:

1. When your audience reads your positioning, do they instantly think “That’s me”?

2. Does it speak directly to the problem they’re facing today?

3. Are you speaking to where the market is going rather than where it’s been?

Great product marketing doesn’t just describe a problem; it articulates it in a way that speaks to the customer's current state of mind, as well as the state of the market.

Make it Magnetic

Think about a product that suddenly became the perfect fit for 'the moment'.
Maybe their product hadn't changed drastically, but the market shifted and they re-positioned themselves ahead of the crowd. Apple is amazing at this.

On the flip side, how many of us have been caught flat-footed, pushing messaging that was relevant six months ago, but now feels out of touch?

When you understand both your customer’s evolving mindset and the broader market context, you create more of those "Mind Reader" moments.

That’s when content moves beyond being descriptive and becomes simply magnetic.

Check Back In

Keeping on top of all this might feel really ambitious, but it doesn't have to be. Sometimes a simple (strategic) check-in is all it takes.

Why not try this quick 'gut check':

✅ When was the last time we tested our messaging with real customers?
✅ Are we adjusting for new trends — or reacting too late?
✅ What’s changed in our ICP’s world since last quarter?

If you’re not sure, and there's still unanswered questions, I would suggest it’s time to check back in!

Speak soon.

Peter

P.S. I’m delighted to be speaking at Scotland’s Growth Meet-up 🚀, 25^th March! If you’re around, you can sign up here.