 The Value of Real Personalization
We're smack in the middle of our "Dinner with Jeffrey" contest. Customers are sending in some incredibly creative Email Greetings! It's a thrill to see what they've created and read their stories.
We asked contestants, "Why would you like to have dinner with Jeffrey?" Therefore, many of the entries have featured Jeffrey's name in the design. One entry by a charcoal artist, included a portrait of Jeffrey. Now that's personalization!
Are you using the power of personalization to grab your customers' attention?
Personalizing messages to your customers with photos, graphics, stories, and their names can be valuable and help build relationships. It can demonstrate that you care, that you remember, and that you're thinking about them.
However, not just any personalization counts!
To mass marketers, personalization means pulling data from their enormous lists to merely add first names to the salutation of their emails – also known as spam. These days, customers roll their eyes at "techniques" like this.
Personalization that gets a response must prove you know something more about the person than their name. You won't find it by mining your data. Look to your relationship – if you actually have one.
When you reference your personal knowledge of a customer with genuine excitement and concern, the bond between you can grow. Pulling names from the data is OK as long as you also include real personalization.
Does real personalization require more effort? Like most things in life that are valuable – absolutely! However, Ace of Sales can make it faster, easier, and funner. (Don't like the word "funner"? Then you don't want to ask me if I think Ace of Sales is the bestest.)
Here's the winning hand of real personalization ideas:
Ace of Hearts: In Ace of Sales, you can categorize your contacts with groups (use as many as you like!). Instead of sorting just by product types and service levels, why not categorize them by personal categories like "Slap-stick Humor Fanatics", "Chocolate Lovers", or "Sports Fans"? Groups allow you to easily send emails that are personalized with both the contact's name and a targeted topic they'll care about. "Hi Bob. The Three Stooges complete collection was just remastered in high def. I'm loving it! Thought you'd want to know. I bought it here for a great price!
King of Hearts: One of the coolest ways to personalize an email or printed card is to take a picture of yourself holding up a personalized handwritten note when you're at an event like a trade show or on vacation. Just write on the back of your name badge, napkin, or park map, "Hi, Dave! To one of my Grandest Customers, hello from the Grand Canyon!" When you return, pop open Ace of Sales, and email it to them framed in a beautiful Email Greeting! Expect the phone to ring fast.
Queen of Hearts: How often do you post shout-outs to your customers on Twitter or on your blog? Brag and boast on them, thank them, refer them to the world. It's the new way to do public recognition! Then, send them an email with a link to your tweet or post.
Jack of Hearts: Be on the lookout for your customers' names. (Remember, there's no sweeter word to your customer.) At an amusement park this summer, I snapped a few photos of novelty mugs and ornamental belt buckles emblazened with the names of a few of my customers. I'll use them throughout the fall on Ace of Sales Email Greetings. [I took out Greeting Cards since we don't have that feature]
Ten of Hearts: Here's a trick to add personalization to the body of your email message, rather than in the salutation alone. Next time you're creating an Email Greeting or Branded Email for a group of recipients in Ace of Sales, try typing "[First Name]" (without the quotes) anywhere in the body of your message. The bracketed text, called a tag, will be replaced with your customers' first names (without the brackets) in the sent email. For example, in your message type, "Tell me your thoughts on this, [First Name]." Then your recipients will see their own first names inserted in your message: "Tell me your thoughts on this, Bob." |
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