Have you been subjected to one of those personalised ads when watching something on demand yet? You’re signed in on the iPad and all of a sudden a guy is using your name to ask whether you’re in need of a ‘pick me up.’ It gets your attention doesn’t it? The first time it happens, whether it’s through enjoyment of the novelty or the sheer surprise, it makes you look.
This is a form of personalised marketing has caused quite a storm in Digital Marketing circles. Yes, when poorly executed it can be creepy and just downright annoying. However, if this form of marketing is intelligently implemented it can really pay off in terms of expanding your brand and increasing your levels of lead generation success. It can also aid you in creating a much stronger brand! Here’s how…
It boosts customer loyalty
When you receive an email which addresses something genuinely personal to you, you probably take more notice than a generic blanket mail, right? It could be an email wishing you happy birthday or a courtesy message asking how your finding the new car you bought two weeks ago. When brands get this right, the email is far more likely to be read.
Studies have shown that 78% of consumers think brands that send them personalised content appreciate their business and want to build a strong relationship with them. This fosters a sense of loyalty and can influence their decision to shop with them instead of a competitor.
It increases engagement levels
Remember coke’s “Share a Coke” campaign? The novelty of seeking out a personalised bottle didn’t wear off in a hurry and caused quite a storm. Social media was alight with named bottles of coke as excited users jumped online to share their finds. Before the campaign, the soft drink giant’s sales were plummeting – after they were at an all time high.
Nutella and Marmite jumped on the bandwagon soon after. They enabled customers to create named labels which also went down a treat. This type of personalised campaign works as it’s been scientifically proven that people have a strong affinity with their name, so when used by brands can have a serious impact.
By getting personal, it’s possible that you will see digital engagement levels soar. Address people by their name wherever possible and try and think of original ways you can adopt this form of personalisation in your campaigns.
It’s powerful when it’s not creepy
Ok, so one downside to personalised marketing is that it can sometimes appear creepy or intrusive and nobody wants that. It’s crucial that you’re always thinking about value when personalising marketing. People do not want to receive emails addressed to them personally which are completely irrelevant. In fact, this approach could set off alarm bells and questions about where you got their data form.
Research by Janrain & Blue found that 94% of consumers have unsubscribed from a company at some point due to irrelevant messages. Therefore, it’s important to ensure you have a clear, honest reason to be contacting that individual. You need to show that you are offering something that is genuinely going to help them or benefit their life in some way. This is also crucial in ensuring that your email subscription list doesn’t dwindle, along with the success of your lead generation strategies.
Dubai Property For Sale Marketing Manager, Paul Jones, says that personalised marketing is one of the key reasons that they convert cold marketing leads into customers:
Although it’s very hard to scale, the personalised marketing we offer by carefully segmenting our contacts is what leads to our above average conversion rates. We often send customers properties that are relevant to their criteria, meaning the properties resonate with them.
An impersonal approach can actually lead to losing customers
Yes, it’s become that widespread that people are starting to expect brands to take a personal approach. Non-tailored emails about products or offers that have no relevance to an individual can do far more damage than good. Not only can this lead to customers unsubscribing and unfollowing, it may also negatively influence their perception of your brand.
However, by ensuring every communication is relevant and interesting, you’ll boost your brand image. It’s not easy to take this approach but thinking of ways to adopt this type of marketing can really make a difference.
To sum up
Personalised marketing can have an impressive impact when executed well. If you do this on a whim and fail to put much thought into your strategy then it could actually damage your brand. Remember that people don’t like creepy and they don’t like irrelevant messages, so be thoughtful when planning. Just think about the personal marketing you’ve experienced in the past. What had the most impact? What what annoying or intrusive? Using your own personal experience will help you to develop something special that could lead to a real boost for your business.