When it comes to personalization in marketing, both digital and print, are you still on the sidelines? Do you want to give personalization a try, but think it’s too complicated? It doesn’t have to be. Here are five ways to think about personalized marketing to kick-start your efforts.
Relevance doesn’t require tons of data.
Customers want their experiences to feel personal, but this doesn’t require lots of data. Even a single data point can make a difference. For example, if you are a pet store, you can segment your mailings into those for cat lovers and those for dog lovers. Or those for reptiles, birds, or fish. That one data point is enough to transform recipients’ experience from generic to highly relevant.
Personalization can be as simple as an image.
One of the simplest ways to personalize a mailing is by using images. You can make a national mailing instantly seem more personal simply by swapping out the primary image based on geography, gender, or household income.
Reinforce using multiple channels.
Use multiple channels to reinforce your messaging. If you send a direct mail offer, you might follow up with an email a few days later. “Hey, Julie, did you see that super offer we mailed you a few days ago? Don’t miss out!” That one added step can dramatically increase your response rate.
Track everything.
When many people think about tracking, they think about response and conversion rates. But you can track other things, too. For example, which product pages on your website are people visiting? Which do they stay on the longest? If you notice the traffic to your zero-turn mowers is going through the roof, it might be time to send out an email or direct mail piece featuring the latest and greatest mower, saying, “Hey, Bob. Got lawn care on your mind?”
Send a gift now and then.
Send a surprise gift now and then. If someone places an order, include a small gift related to that item. One retailer does this exceptionally well: If customers order “girlie” things, it sends them a “girlie pen.” If they like pizza, it puts a pack of pizza gummies in the box. Not surprisingly, this brand gets extremely high marks from its customers.
Customers have more purchase options than ever before. What will make them stick with you? If it is the personal experience, make it a great one.
