Beyond the Wow Factor: Building Sustainable Personalization for Real Engagement

Personalization has become a hot topic among marketing leaders, no matter the industry.

However, many struggle to translate this concept into meaningful, lasting customer engagement throughout the entire customer journey.

But how is this possible if personalization in marketing is that effective? [Watch this video to learn about the effectiveness of personalization in marketing]

This paradox arises from several key challenges, including: siloed teams, a focus on features over function, and a lack of practical data management strategies.

By understanding these challenges and implementing best practices, marketing leaders can unlock the true power of personalization and forge lasting customer connections.

Let's see how.

The Peril of Silos: Why Diverse Teams Drive Personalization Success

One of the main obstacles to effective personalization is how marketing teams are structured. Traditional departments often work in separate groups, each focusing on a specific area like data analytics, operations, IT, or design.

You'll rarely see them all in a call with a personalization software vendor or partner to gather expert feedback that could help them achieve specific SMART goals.

And, without leaving productivity behind, this is a mistake.

Although each function is important, this siloed approach makes it difficult to personalize effectively.

Studies have shown that multidisciplinary teams outperform their single-focused counterparts, in terms of overall performance, lifetime value (LTV) and return on investment (ROI).

In my opinion, one of the strengths of multidisciplinary teams lies in their ability to combine diverse perspectives. For example:

• Marketing and Sales leaders work with executives to set goals that match customer expectations.
• Data analysts and CRM leaders turn customer data into insights, while operations teams put these insights into action.
• Creative storytellers and production partners craft personalized experiences for customers using agreed-upon tools and resources, all this while keeping customers' and organizational goals in mind.

This collaborative approach fosters a holistic understanding of the customer journey, allowing teams to personalize each touchpoint with intention.

Here's how marketing leaders can break down these silos and foster a culture of collaboration:

• Cross-functional project teams:?Establish project teams comprised of members from Analytics or CRM, Marketing Operations, Customer Experience, and creative-related profiles. This ensures all voices are heard throughout the personalization process.
• Shared knowledge base:?Create a central repository for customer data, insights, and best practices. This promotes transparency and allows team members to leverage each other's expertise.
• Regular team workshops:?Organize workshops where team members from different areas can brainstorm personalization strategies and share their unique viewpoints.

Marketing leaders can empower their teams by promoting collaboration, benefiting from diverse perspectives to create more effective and engaging customer personalization.

By using customer data to support experiences, marketers can help customers achieve their goals through personalization.

Beyond the Wow Factor: Aligning Personalization with Customer Goals

Another common challenge is seeing personalization as a fun addition instead of a strategic tool for engaging customers and following specific business goals with KPIs and supporting metrics.

[Watch the following video to learn more about this]

Many marketing efforts focus on bombarding customers with personalized content, recommendations, or product suggestions, creating a sense of "wow" but failing to provide real value.

This even happens with personalized video creation .

However, for example, effective video personalization goes beyond the initial surprise .

It's about understanding individual customer needs and goals at every stage of the journey.

At Pirsonal we've seen over and over that video personalization efforts should aim to support customers in achieving their goals, fostering loyalty and advocacy.

Here's how marketing leaders can shift their focus from "wow" to value:

• Customer journey mapping:?Develop a detailed map of the customer journey, identifying key touchpoints and understanding customer needs and goals at each stage.
• Data-driven insights:?Analyze customer data to understand past behaviors, patterns, and sentiments. This could lead you to understanding the emotional motivators you should address whenever you craft interactions and content to engage with them. Use these insights to anticipate future needs and personalize communication accordingly.
• More than actionable recommendations:?Marketers usually focus on personalizing product recommendations, but personalization can also improve the overall customer experience by providing contextual information to help them get where they want to get. Think: How can this data benefit the customer and how should we present it effectively?

By aligning personalization with customer goals, marketing leaders can move beyond the initial "wow" factor and create sustained engagement by providing tangible value throughout the customer journey.

Taming the Data Beast: Tools and Strategies for Sustainable Personalization

The final challenge lies in the practicalities of data management. Many organizations lack the tools or expertise needed to effectively store, analyze, and utilize customer data for personalization.

HR and comms departments, for example, might not have access to the sophisticated Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems used by customer-facing teams.

However, this doesn't mean personalization is out of reach.

Even a simple spreadsheet can be a powerful tool for capturing and utilizing customer data to personalize interactions.

Want to see this in "action"? Watch the following video where I explain more about this.

This video explains how this other video works, which is used to help organizations increase employee engagement with personalized videos .

For instance, many of our clients at Pirsonal are teams that have nothing to do with what we would typically call "marketing".

They are teams that have understood the importance of increasing engagement with their people—employees, investor, etc.

The key is to identify the appropriate tools based on specific goals and available resources, and then systematically develop a sustainable data management strategy.

Additionally, working with the right partners can accelerate your team's progress in this area.

Here are some steps marketing leaders can take:

• Resource assessment:?Evaluate existing data collection and analysis capabilities. Identify data sources (e.g., spreadsheets, website analytics, social media interactions, customer surveys, CRM) and current tools used for managing them.
• Start small and scale:?Begin with basic personalization strategies using readily available tools like spreadsheets. As success is demonstrated and resources allow, invest in more sophisticated CRM and data management solutions.
• Focus on data quality:?Ensure the accuracy and completeness of customer data. Regularly clean and update data to avoid basing personalization efforts on outdated or inaccurate information.
• Invest in data literacy:?Equip team members with the skills needed to understand and interpret customer data. This requires a creative effort. And, guess what? AI can help with this!

By using data and realistic tools, marketing leaders can overcome the challenge of managing data and fully utilize personalization.

Working with teams with previous experience in the personalization field will be a big time-saver.

For instance, this has been our core area at Pirsonal over the last 7 years helping firms engage with their busy audiences through personalized video creation at scale.

The Long Game: Balancing Business and Customer Goals for Sustainable Success

The ultimate goal of personalization is not just to impress customers but to create a mutually beneficial relationship.

As I often say, marketing should be a conversation.

I love following SMART goals because it keeps me and our clients focused. You can follow any methodology that works for you. Read this article to learn more about this.

But here is a word of caution:

While increased sales and revenue are vital for businesses, focusing solely on these metrics can ultimately backfire.

Customers are increasingly wary of intrusive or manipulative personalization tactics. They don't mind sharing their data if you proof that you'll deliver value.

Sustainable personalization requires a balance between business goals and customer needs.

Here's how to strike this balance:

• Focus on customer lifetime value:?Shift the focus from short-term sales to building long-term relationships with customers. Personalized experiences that address ongoing needs and goals foster customer loyalty and repeated business.
• Transparency and control:?Be transparent about how customer data is collected and used. Offer customers control over their data and the level of personalization they receive. In my opinion, it is up to you how you interpret and translate this information. However, make sure it always adds value to your customers.
• Measure impact beyond sales:?Track customer satisfaction, engagement metrics, and long-term customer retention alongside sales figures. This provides a holistic view of personalization's impact and ensures alignment with customer needs.

Focus on long-term goals and balance business and customer needs. This way your team will be able to create a sustainable personalization strategy that benefits both sides.

Conclusion: The Power of Personalization Lies in the Journey, Not the Destination

Personalization is a powerful tool for fostering meaningful customer engagement .

However, to unlock its true potential, marketing leaders must overcome challenges related to siloed teams, a focus on features over function, and data management hurdles.

When you foster collaboration, align personalization with customer goals, implement data-driven strategies with appropriate tools, and prioritize long-term value creation, you move beyond the "wow" factor and forge lasting customer relationships built on trust and shared goals.

As you can see, the power of personalization lies not just in the destination, but in the journey itself.

By creating a personalized experience that empowers customers and delivers value throughout their journey, you have the power to unleash customer loyalty and fuel sustainable business growth.

Starting with Personalization and Video with Pirsonal

Many of the teams we work with are just embarking on their personalization journey when they first engage with Pirsonal.

And that's fine.

They get first-hand expert advice based on their goals and background, an action plan, and the most flexible personalized video software that scales with their needs.

If your team wants to achieve specific engagement goals, consider using personalized videos to connect with your audience.

Contact my team today to learn how personalized videos can help truly engage with your audience while helping you achieve your goals.