Today’s marketing is all about the customer, not the product.  And, with the internet at their fingertips almost all the time with smartphones, tablet and laptops, people are ready to share their opinion and experiences with your brand — whether they’re good or bad.

A quote from Peter Shankman in a “Vocus” webinar said it great when he said,

“Make your customer one percent happier than they expect, and they’ll go out and do public relations for you.”

If you give your consumers that little extra gesture showing them that they are more than just a “dollar sign” to your brand, they’re more likely to not only take notice of your brand and make a purchase, but also become an advocate of your brand and sharing good experiences and opinions they have had with your brand to their social circle.

Personalized marketing allows you to carry on a conversation with your consumers rather than simply shouting messages at them repeatedly until (maybe) one of the messages is relevant enough for them to take action.  Using database management and variable data printing, both your print and your digital communications can be unique and relevant to different portions of your target audience.

Finally, one of the most important things to remember about personalization is to not sound automated.  Most consumers know that messages can be personalized and automated, so it’s really important to sound ‘human’ even in the times of communication when you’re not.  Sending emails using a “do not reply” return email or “Dear Valued Customer” do not sound real — use automated personalization to, at the very least, address your consumer by name.

Personalized messages add value to your marketing when created and executed properly.

Timothy Freeman
President
Print & Graphic Communications Association