Consumers prefer more personalized communications from companies they interact with.  As marketers, if we stop for a moment and think of ourselves as consumers, which we are, we prefer it also.  As consumers we tend to feel more positive about brands that reach out to us in a way that shows they know who we are and what we want.  A survey conducted by Responsys found that personalization in digital marketing increases both consumer good will and engagement rates.  The infographic below depicts some key findings of that survey.

When it comes to email marketing, the most effective emails are those that are targeted and personalized.  This concept of personalization is equally important when it comes to websites.  Web personalization refers to creating a personalized, highly relevant website experience for your visitors based upon their behavior, profile, interests, and needs.  Tailoring your website to provide a more meaningful experience has been shown to generate better business results.  We have found an article, written by Ellen Gomes at Marketo, that explains in more detail what web personalization is and 7 benefits to be gained by personalizing your website.

Today consumers expect to be offered personalized content.  They want content and communications that directly pertain to their interests and needs.  The technology now exists to provide this, and they know it.  What are your organization's marketing capabilities? Are you still sending bulk emails to everyone on your list?  Is your website not yet optimised to provide interactive content?  If so, now is the time to learn how to capitalize on current technology to provide a better customer experience in order to grow your organization. This month at HighRoad U we will be focusing on personalization, how to do it and why you need it.  Be sure to join us each Friday at 3pm ET as we explain how to incorporate personalization into your marketing strategy and why it is so important to do so.  

Long ago all marketing was personal, from door-to-door salesmen to businesses you interacted with.  Then digital communications became more prevalent and mass marketing techniques took over.  The infographic below explains why it's time to get personal again.

Is your organization still using outdated marketing practices?  If your marketing team still relies upon the tech side of your business to help build and moniter your marketing campaigns, the answer to that question is yes.  With the emergence of marketing automation software your team no longer has to rely on IT or Engineering to carry out marketing campains.  Marketing automation is the key to a self-reliant marketing team that is capable of building and running sophisticated, personalized campaigns on their own.  We found this article, written by Matt Zilli at Marketo, that lists 3 red flags of archaic marketing practices.  Find out whether your marketing needs to be updated and how marketing automation will revolutionize your marketing efforts.

Many brands invest in thought leadership to differentiate themselves from their competition.  Thought leaders are the informed, go-to people in their fields of expertise.  They are able to move and inspire others with innovative ideas and they are able to turn those ideas into reality.  Becoming a thought leader allows you to be a trusted source of expertise which gives you greater influence and leads to greater brand loyalty.  In this webinar you learn what the characteristics of a thought leader are, 9 things true thought leaders do, and the 3 steps to take to become a thought leader yourself.  Thought Leadership As A Differentiator, now on-demand, is the latest in our Analyst Brief Webinar Series, produced jointly with Demand Metric.  Join Demand Metric's Chief Analyst Jerry Rackley and learn how your association can use thought leadership to support your mission and increase growth.