6th March 2025
Today’s consumer increasingly understands how to trade their data in return for tailored communications, perhaps containing a specific promotion or deal. Is it possible to get this personalised approach completely right and how can marketers get the most out of their strategy? This article looks at how to walk the fine line between delighting and turning-off customers with personalised marketing.
Personalised marketing is a key strategy in connecting with and retaining customers and has rapidly become a requirement for customer satisfaction. Getting it right seems fresh and exciting; it shows that your brand really cares and is dedicated to meeting a customer’s needs by providing just what they want, when they want it. Get it wrong and you can easily create mistrust by overstepping the boundaries of privacy. You won’t see your customer for dust!
When your targeted communications hit the mark with relevant, useful and timely content, they can reward you with revenue growth of between ten and thirty percent plus increased customer loyalty. So what do customers really want? Here are five ways to improve your approach, based upon real customer feedback about their personalised interactions with various brands:
1. Give relevant recommendations that your customer may not have thought of. Your retargeting efforts need to be more sophisticated than simply reminding customers of what they have previously looked at but not purchased. Get creative with complementary product or service recommendations that come across as thoughtful rather than annoying.
2. Figure out the best time to get in touch. Take a close look at behaviours, habits and patterns to identify when a customer is likely to be in ‘shopping mode’ and when in their schedule (for example a certain day of the week) it might be convenient for them to receive a certain message. Previous orders might give valuable cues regarding birthday or anniversary reminders.
3. Remind customers of things that they might not be keeping track of. There might be specific ways that you can help a customer, for example by reminding them when they may be about to run out of something; if an item that they have been searching for has been reduced in price or is back in stock; or when a new style or model of something they repeatedly buy is launched.
4. Know your customer wherever they interact with you. This can be difficult to achieve but can be highly effective if done well. Consumers want retailers to be able to connect their digital messages with both their online and offline experiences which will need close collaboration between many different parts of your organisation.
5. Make discounts and offers meaningful. Many organisations fail to take full advantage of information available from loyalty programs and direct purchases. Personalising your communication with loyal customers is effective both in inspiring purchases and in encouraging new buying behaviours.
Getting the right personalised marketing strategy is just one example of the challenges faced by management in the context of ever-shortening innovation cycles. This rate of change has never been encountered before, but it also brings unparalleled opportunities. Clifford Associates’ industry-leading team can work with you to lighten the load by addressing the senior digital resourcing burden facing your organisation.