When you strip it down, marketing is about standing out. You want customers, new and old, to take notice of your brand. Then, you want that attention to translate into sales. It really is as simple as that. Coincidentally, customers want to stand out as well. That’s why personalized marketing performs so well.
According to a study by the Rochester Institute of Technology, personalized marketing efforts have higher returns on investment. In fact, response rates for personalized print, email and mobile marketing stood at a sturdy 8.7 percent. These personalized outreach tactics boosted an impressive 19 percent conversion rate.
Clearly, making your marketing personal can pay off in your favor. But how should businesses go about personalized campaigns?
No need to fear, we are here with the top 5 tips for a personalized marketing strategy.
1. Create buyer personas:
The term personalized marketing can be a little off-putting for some businesses. That’s because it sounds as if you will be creating a marketing plan for every single customer. True, but it’s nowhere near as painstaking as it sounds. Instead of singling out all of your customers, you can create something called a buyer persona. This is essentially a customer archetype, according to Business 2 Community.
Companies can group sections of their customer base by demographics, buying habits, product preferences, etc. From there, you can create a handful of marketing strategies to appeal to your different buyer personas. This is personalized marketing without the hassle of combing through every individual customer. Create groups and make it easier on yourself while still reaping the benefits of a custom campaign.
2. Try out website customization:
Technology is straight up futuristic nowadays. Did you know there are ways to customize your website landing pages based off your users’ past experiences? Well, it’s true. Web developers can track a customer’s product history in order to create an individually tailored website experience, explained Forbes. From there, your business’ landing pages will display items similar to previously purchased products. This kind of smart-technology can help persuade consumers to make new purchases.
3. Recommendations based on history:
In the same vein as website customization, businesses can use customer data to create recommendations for consumers. Marketing items that include these suggestions can create better conversion rates. A recent study by the Direct Marketing Association found that 72 percent of customers prefer marketing materials that reflect their past shopping preferences. Use existing information to craft campaigns or promotions with a personalized touch. If a customer ordered a fancy dress in the past, offer a 20 percent discount on their next shoe purchase. Make the connections and help your chances of making the sale.
4. Omnichannel personalization:
Keep it personal on all your platforms. When it comes to social media handles, make sure you are responding to all customer comments and questions. Forbes suggested engaging your customer base in conversation through these online platforms. Make your patrons feel like they are old friends with your company. This same logic applies to direct mail or email marketing efforts. Garnish your next mail campaign with your own personal signature. In emails, add a headshot. Connect a face to your brand in order to make your company feel more personal.
5. Ask and you shall receive:
No one knows what kind of personalization works best than the customer themselves. B2C suggested sending out a personalized survey to your customers. Offer some incentive for finishing the questionnaire, like a coupon or a discount code. This can help steer your marketing efforts in a more customer friendly direction.
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