This marketer leveraged the power of customer feedback to his advantage! Find out how!

From the desk of Miles Everson: Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you all had a good weekend. Let’s begin the week by delving into the insightful journeys of extraordinary individuals in marketing and business. Today, we’ll highlight the career of one outstanding marketer. Are you ready? Continue reading to know more about this “Marvel!”

This marketer leveraged the power of customer feedback to his advantage! Find out how! With a market capitalization of over USD 3 trillion, Microsoft is currently one of the world’s leading and most valuable tech companies. The company became famous for developing and selling the Windows Operating System (OS) used in laptops and personal computers (PCs).  As the years went by, the tech firm shifted its focus to cloud computing solutions through Azure, its proprietary cloud computing platform.  Eventually, Microsoft turned its attention towards artificial intelligence (AI) and is currently reaping the benefits of its partnership with AI firm OpenAI. The tech giant’s current success cannot just be solely attributed to the shrewd moves made by its CEO, Satya Nadella. We need to look at Microsoft’s marketing as well, since it also played a huge part in the firm’s present success. So, for today’s “Marketing Marvels” we’ll be taking a close look at the career of Chris Capossela, the former Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Microsoft! Capossela graduated from Harvard University with a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1991. Growing up, Capossela was deeply passionate about technology, which led him to create a reservation for his family’s small Italian restaurant on an early version of an IBM PC. After graduating from Harvard, Capossela joined Microsoft as a marketing manager, occupying various positions such as product manager, general manager, and vice president in a variety of business units. In 2011, he became the CMO of Microsoft from 2011 until his departure in 2023.  During Capossela’s tenure as Microsoft’s CMO, he played a key part in leading the tech firm’s global marketing, advertising, and brand research activities. More importantly, he helped out with the tech giant’s rebrand when it pivoted to cloud computing and AI. Capossela was heavily involved in the launch of Microsoft’s cloud tools and services such as Azure, Office 365, and Microsoft Teams. Upon ending his tenure at Microsoft in 2023, Capossela succeeded in helping the tech giant with its brand and market presence. Here are the secrets to his success: Utilized Data to Build Direct Connections with Customers Capossela prioritized data-driven communications. For example, Xbox, Microsoft’s gaming brand, sent personalized gaming insights to over 20 million players based on individual gameplay data and preferences. Doing this allowed Microsoft to identify touchpoints with customers and utilize the data gathered to build brand loyalty and innovate offerings.  Leveraged Storytelling to Connect with the Target Audience on a Deeper Level Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools marketers have at their disposal when trying to connect with their customers. During the product launch for Microsoft’s Surface Studio tablet, a launch video was created, highlighting the designers behind the offering and featuring the artistic passions that went behind it. This shows that rather than going with typical promotions, Capossela sought to highlight human stories and connections through Microsoft’s offerings. Gathered Customer Feedback for Product Improvement and Innovation One of the best ways to improve and innovate products is to gather customer feedback. More often than not, customer insights enable a brand to improve its offerings or create new ones. In the case of Microsoft, Capossela made it a point to listen to customer feedback since it was a way to propel the tech giant forward in terms of innovation, customer retention, and product improvement. —  Capossela’s tenure as CMO helped Microsoft achieve great progress in its branding and marketing efforts. His willingness to listen to customers is what truly allowed him to excel as a marketer and a business leader. So, as you navigate the challenges marketing has to offer, use the insights you learned from Capossela. These lessons just might be what you need to truly elevate your brand!  Hope you’ve found this week’s insights interesting and helpful. EXCITING NEWS AHEAD The world of work has shifted, and there’s no going back. The barriers to entry have never been lower for talented professionals to work independently, and today’s massive external workforce is hardly a pandemic-produced fad. Business owners can only survive in the new work landscape by partnering with this deep talent pool. With decades of experience in both small-business entrepreneurship and executive management at PwC, I truly believe that the future of work is independent. With that, I’m happy to share with you that my book, co-authored with Walter Scott Lamb, is now available for pre-order on Amazon! Free Birds Revolution: The Future of Work & The Independent Mind This is an essential read for both independent professionals and corporate executives. Here, we provide educational and practical guides to unpack the ever-growing workforce and offer you crucial ways to become a client of choice. Click on the link above to pre-order your copy. Let this book help you future-proof your career and organization in the new world of work. Stay tuned for next Monday’s Marketing Marvels! How would you describe the digital landscape in one word? Learn more about Ryan Holiday in next week’s article!