Tailoring user experience to suit customer’s specific needs is not just a trend; it is the top customer engagement strategy! Personalisation in business marketing has existed since the early 1990s. However, in recent years and with the newer technological tools available, e-commerce customers have proven to prefer to engage with businesses that offer a personalised experience. For this sole reason, it’s out with the old strategies, and in with personalisation; the latest marketing priority.
WHAT CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT IS NOT
You would think that selling a product that brings in good reviews per purchase, and satisfied customers makes for excellent customer engagement. What you ought to know is this: customer engagement extends beyond sales and satisfaction. Rather, it is about implementing methods that build emotional connections and ultimately, nurture a relationship with your customers. You’ve got to make them want to keep coming back to you!
Over time, customer engagement strategies have evolved drastically from:
- Emails
- Walk-in discount offers
- Product-benefit centred ads
To:
- Individually customised user experience
- Personalised products and services
- Effective social media communication
- Live chats and chatbots to assist in resolving and troubleshooting issues.
Based on the evolution of customer engagement strategies listed above, you may be able to tell that personalisation is well, personal. Read further to understand what I mean.
THE MAGIC OF PERSONALISATION
Personalised marketing strategies are targeted to invoke feelings of trust, a sense of belonging and individuality, satisfaction, and a feeling of being valued, in the psyche of the customer. As a customer engagement strategy, personalisation (especially when done through multiple channels like websites, emails, apps, and social media) is a growth driver, and will easily transform your customer into your brand’s ambassador: a person who stays loyal and automatically tries to get others to do the same via word-of-mouth marketing. Therefore, reducing the need for you to constantly invest in ad placement.
Now, much more than ever, consumers are more keen to patronise businesses that offer a tailored “human-like” experience to suit their specific needs. Over the years, (thanks to advanced technology) personalisation has proven to drive high customer engagement. Little wonder that 56% of e-commerce companies now have a website personalisation program (source: Sender).
A PERSONALISATION CASE STUDY: COCA-COLA’S AWARD-WINNING CAMPAIGN Personalisation for customer engagement sometimes involves the use of your customer’s data, preferences, and personal journey in creating meaningful interactions with your audience.
The Coca-Cola multinational marketing campaign; Share a Coke, first launched in Australia in 2011 before it was launched in other countries. In 2015, it was launched in Nigeria. Hundreds of popular names that cut across all of the ethnic groups were selected, and printed on branded Coca-Cola pet bottles. Next, customers were encouraged to share pictures of their personalised bottles on social media with selected hashtags. The Share A Coke campaign was a huge success because it sent millions of Nigerians and citizens of the other 50+ countries it was launched in, into a frenzy as everyone hustled to buy cokes with their names. The campaign which was started to create an emotional connection between consumers and the brand, generate word-of-mouth buzz, and also to skyrocket sales and distribution of the product, delivered outstanding results. In the end, Coca-Cola had a 2% global increase in sales, continued to receive wide-spread acclaim, and received numerous awards and accolades including the 2012 Clio Awards for Interactive, as well as the Creative Effectiveness Lion Awards at Cannes.
4 WAYS TO GET STARTED ON PERSONALISING YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE AS A BRAND
1. Collect Data on your Customers:
Analyse previous purchases, customer behavioural patterns, and customer preferences, either by sending out surveys, or through other methods.
2. Be Customer-Centric:
Customers appreciate being ‘seen’. Ensure that you make them feel valued by including their preferences and varying needs through the data you have collected, in your personalisation strategy.
3. Protect Your Customer’s Privacy:
Your customers need the added security of knowing that their data is in safe hands. To further earn their trust, request their consent that their information be used.
4. Know What Your Customers Want:
Use the insights from the data you have gathered to make your personalisation strategy include their desires and specific needs. This helps them feel seen and connected to your brand.
IN SUMMARY
Personalisation can drive customer engagement through the roof when done properly. If you are wondering how to begin, or at a loss for what to do, we specialise in the best personalised business advisory services!
Eager to use personalisation to upscale your customer engagement efforts? Our business advisors are more than qualified to handle whatever you may need, and will begin by taking a look at your company’s data to provide the best solution specifically for you! Contact us here today to schedule a consultation.
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