We have the technology to be able to deliver personalized communications to consumers.  Consumers know this and expect it from us across all digital channels and devices.  The infographic below shows why segmentation and personalization are a top priority today and why marketers are struggling to deliver it.

With the rise in popularity of mobile digital channels over the last few years, marketing strategies need to be omni-channel today.  But according to a survey on omni-channel personalization by Ascendent, even though 100% of the marketers surveyed know this is critical for success, most are just not there yet.  The infographic below shows us some results from this survey.

Personalization for Marketing Automation is the technical aspect of identifying a user and attributing all their behaviors to them along a digital footprint. It's all the behind the scenes details that involves cookies and JavaScript snippets that work to gather information that can then begin to tell a story about the user. This helps an organization to deliver the right content, at the right time, with the right tone and feel. Since these cookies offer personalized experiences for the user - they fill out a submission form with all of our information for example - people tend to be okay when a website uses them. (Ask a millenial and they practically expect cookies to be operating behind every web domain!).  

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.