One of the biggest challenges I see with small businesses isn’t a lack of effort or ambition — it’s clarity.
At a past Vouch event, I had the chance to hear Stephanie Quantrill from Cue Marketing speak about this exact issue. What she shared stuck with me because it put language around something I see all the time: businesses working incredibly hard, but not always in the right direction.
Not because they’re doing things wrong — but because they haven’t clearly defined who they’re really trying to serve.
Stephanie’s talk centred around the idea of market orientation, and once you understand it, a lot of marketing confusion starts to make sense.
Most businesses think they know their customer
But knowing isn’t the same as understanding.
One of the first questions Stephanie asked was simple:
“Who here thinks they know their target customer?”
Most hands go up.
The harder question comes next: how well do you really know them?
Not in a vague “anyone who needs my service” way — but in a clear, grounded way:
- Who actually buys from you?
- Why do they choose you?
- What problem are they really trying to solve?
Market orientation starts with being honest about these answers.
Marketing doesn’t start with tactics. It starts with clarity.
A lot of businesses feel pressure to “do marketing” — run ads, post on social, build funnels, create content.
But without clarity, all of that becomes noise.
Stephanie shared that market orientation flips this approach on its head. Instead of starting with tactics, you start with understanding:
- Who is buying from you right now?
- What patterns exist in those customers?
- What do they value most about working with you?
Once you understand that, marketing becomes simpler, calmer, and far more effective.
Your existing customers are your best data source
One of the most practical insights Stephanie shared was this:
You already have the data you need.
You don’t need expensive research tools or complex reports. Your existing customers are already telling you what’s working — if you take the time to listen.
Who buys which of your offers?
Who comes back again?
Who refers others?
When you look closely, patterns start to emerge.
In my own business, Stephanie challenged me to look at who was choosing which of our packages. That exercise alone revealed insights I hadn’t fully seen before and helped clarify who each offer was really for.
Where this thinking led us
What really stuck with me after Stephanie’s talk was how many businesses know they need more clarity — but don’t know how to get there.
They know their messaging feels fuzzy.
They know their marketing isn’t landing the way they want.
They know they’re doing a lot, but not always moving forward with confidence.
That’s a conversation we kept having with our Vouch clients.
And that’s what led us to build HUNTR.
Not as a shortcut or a magic tool — but as a way to support better thinking.
HUNTR is designed to help businesses:
- Get clear on who their ideal customer actually is
- Understand what that customer values and cares about
- Clarify buying motivations and decision triggers
- Turn insight into messaging that feels natural and human
It’s not about replacing strategy or intuition.
It’s about turning insight into something usable.
If you’ve ever felt like you kind of know your customer, but struggle to articulate it clearly, this is the gap HUNTR helps close.
👉 HUNTR – Your FREE Ideal Client Clarity Tool
HUNTR AI TOOL - CLICK HERE
Market orientation isn’t about volume — it’s about focus
When you truly understand your customer:
- Your messaging becomes clearer
- Your offers feel more intentional
- Your marketing feels less forced
- Your sales conversations become easier
You stop trying to appeal to everyone and start speaking directly to the people most likely to say yes.
That’s where sustainable growth comes from.
You don’t need a bigger budget — you need better questions
One of the most powerful takeaways from Stephanie’s talk was this:
You don’t need more tools.
You need better questions.
Questions like:
- Why did you choose us?
- What almost stopped you from buying?
- What mattered most in your decision?
Those answers are where real insight lives.
The takeaway
Market orientation isn’t a tactic.
It’s a mindset.
It’s about shifting from “How do I sell this?” to “Who am I really here to serve?”
When you get that right, your marketing becomes clearer, your decisions become easier, and your business becomes more focused.
Reach out to:
Stephanie Quantrill
Founder, Cue Marketing
🔗
https://www.cuemarketing.co.nz/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-quantrill/
Transform your business with video testimonials
Capture the power of customer stories to boost your brand and drive sales.
