For some time now, the mail-merge mentality has defined how many marketers have thought about personalization. The fact is, this simplistic approach to personalization arose during the heyday of mass marketing — when the ability to effectively segment audiences was minimal to non-existent.
Through individualization, digital marketers now have the tools to direct highly relevant messages to the prospects and customer they will most resonate with. Analytics have also reached a degree of sophistication that enables the tracking of specific actions these prospects are taking, by following the data trails they leave during their individual decision journeys.
Here are a few thoughts on how your company can use today’s data-driven methods to increase conversions and engagement, in order to grow sales and ROI in an organic and geometric way.
Use individualized insights for meaningful connections.
As opposed to the antiquated mass marketing approach, which is quickly going by the wayside, forward-thinking marketers are developing individualized insights that can be acted on in a timely manner. These insights can be as simple as knowing a certain customer prefers free shipping versus a product discount. Or a tech-savvy plan where a retailer reaches out via text or social media when a customer is in the vicinity of one of its stores.
Figure out what each customer really wants.
Prior to the advent of digital marketing, the process of customer engagement was an art exhibit of sorts. The thought was, if you put enough options out there that a typical customer might like, someone is bound to buy something. The idea of true individualization is analyze the patterns, behaviors and preferences of a particular prospect in order to deliver timely messages that lead to meaningful interactions.
Create a scoring system to gauge who’s hot.
The ways individual visitors interact with your site provide valuable clues on what they’re looking for. Find out who’s visiting your site more frequently. What pages they’re spending the most time on. Where they’re coming from. How they’re reacting to followup actions you’re taking. And develop a scoring mechanism to keep a finger on the pulse of which visitors are getting closer to making a decision.
Explore the possibilities of a “market of one.”
Today’s prospects and customers expect you to know a lot about their needs and preferences before they’ll engage in or continue a conversation. This is particularly true for substantial purchases, which are often accompanied by long-lead-time decision journeys. Viewing these key prospects and accounts as a “market of one” is an effective strategy to tap into their growth potential. While this requires a great deal of upfront research, potentially including surveys and interviews, the rewards can be substantial — and even game-changing — when even a single win is achieved.