Beyond the Inbox: How Personalization Helps Engage Customers

Imagine you’re trying to sell a washing machine to your best friend. You know they have a new baby, so you emphasize how quiet it is. You’ve seen them perpetually glued to their phone, so you point out the washer’s mobile app. And you mention the stainless-steel finish that matches their dryer.

Selling to people you know is a lot easier because you know exactly what they’re looking for. So what if you could “know” every prospect on your email marketing list?

Make It Personal With One-To-One Marketing

Many consumers feel that marketing has lost the human touch. Consumers expect experiences that put their wants, needs and preferences first. And that’s what one-to-one marketing is all about: delivering customer interactions that put real people first.

Making it into your prospect’s inbox is great, but it’s not enough. Consumers are tired of an inbox filled with content, pitches and promotions that have nothing to do with them. And in response, they’re not just hitting delete; they’re hitting unsubscribe.

Almost every part of your email marketing campaign can be personalized to improve your customer experience, from sender names and subject lines to copy, images and offers. And all that personalization increases open and click-through rates—improving your chances of a sale.

But first, you need the right data.

Data Gives You Insight Into Customer Preferences

In today’s marketing world, data has become a holy grail, sought after by everyone—from small and medium businesses to corporate Goliaths alike.

Why? Because leveraging the insights gained from quality data is how you deliver individualized messages and personalized product offers to your current or prospective customers.

Take, for example, that washing machine you’re trying to sell. An image of a stylish washer fitting just right into a studio apartment might resonate with the 20-somethings on your email list but miss the mark with the 35-and-older crowd.

So you create an alternate image that highlights the washer’s ability to take on a busy family’s laundry needs and apply the same rule to the email’s headline and call to action. Data gives you insight into each person on your email marketing list, enabling you to create dynamic content that resonates with their specific requirements.

And personalized emails deliver results. Creating a targeted, segmented campaign approach by gender, age, household income, marital status, online behavior or even industry-specific interests helps you develop more authentic customer connections while increasing sales and the lifetime value of your customers.

Personalization Makes It Easier For Customers To Pick You

There’s a seemingly endless stream of products and services for consumers to choose from. And they expect experiences that facilitate a simple and easy selection process.

One-to-one marketing helps bridge that gap, drawing a clear line between consumers’ needs and your products or services.

So give your customers what they want, and they’ll reward you for it.