You get to decide the product and service you create and provide. Or, does your customer? Maybe, it started with you. Has it changed because of your customer?
You get to decide where and how you place your product? A storefront, a website … wait … are you still deciding? Or, are you allowing your customer to?
You get to decide where to advertise, how much to spend, to promote your products. Or, did you allow your customers to advocate on your behalf? Did your customers let you know where more of their community is?
You set your prices to make a profit and you control if and when you change them. Or, did you lower them for one customer? Raise them for another? Are you allowing your customers’ determination of value, and their demand, to set your prices?
Your customer is not a part of your marketing mix. You control your marketing mix. Your customer is the target of all your marketing efforts—at the center of your marketing mix. Wouldn’t you want their input? They’re giving it to you, whether or not you’re hearing it.