Growing your business through customer personalization

“The advent of Google+ and the emergence of the personalized web means this is more true than ever. Brands, and their advertising partners, must wake up to this challenge and define themselves with clarity, consistency and authenticity. Otherwise, they just might find themselves shouting in a ghost town.” — Simon Mainwaring, We First: How Brands and Consumers Use Social Media to Build a Better World

Personalized customer service is about treating people as individuals. In an age where customers can buy your products and services from almost anywhere in the world, this has become increasingly complex—and a marketing requirement. Are you ready to deliver personalized content?

The appeal of personalized customer service

According to this article by Startup Bonsai, 90 percent of consumer in the U.S. find the idea of personalization appealing. So much so, that 80 percent of consumer say that they are more likely to consume a company’s products when they are given a personalized experience. With these kinds of numbers, it is no wonder that marketers have started to adopt customer personalization, as that same article states that almost 90 percent of online businesses already invest in and 60 percent extensively use the technique. If the majority of consumers prefer this type of experience, and companies are already investing, it would make sense that you may want to reap the benefits as well. But, how do you personalize your content the right way?

Creating an experience for your audience

When delivering a personalized experience to your audience, the last thing you want to do is inundate them with advertisements and automated messages. Further, as this article from Forbes explains, “75 percent of people find most forms of personalization creepy due to its nature.” However, there is a sweet spot to meet, and the same article provides a few tips: assess your audience’s needs, and create a message that effectively addresses them. Then address potential customers on a more personal, though not too personal level, and adjust your messaging as you receive feedback.

Growth through collaboration

In addition to creating a personalized experience for your customers, you can further grow your company through collaboration with like-minded influencers. Influencers tend to have communities around a specific industry or interest, which can line up with your company’s product. Whether you are a large or small entity, this article from Backstage goes into detail on the benefits of collaborating with smaller influencers. A few reasons for these smaller collaborations include the fact that these influencers are more likely creating content out of passion rather than necessity, are exchanging posts for minimal fees or free products, and have higher audience engagement.

Conclusion

With the explosive growth of online retail, creating a personalized customer experience has become increasingly more important. The keys to success are to create a personal, but not too personal, level of engagement with your audience, addressing their needs, adjusting to these needs over time, and collaborating with influencers both big and small.