Personalization has always been at the core of customer relations. Even before the advent of modern technologies that have allowed companies to communicate with clients across the globe — customers have appreciated a personal approach. With that in mind, it’s no wonder personalizing customer interactions is essential in a digital world. In fact, the less we communicate in person — the more important personalization becomes. Companies that understand this grow faster, reach more customers, and, most importantly, retain previous customer relationships.
Why is personalization so important in the long run, and why does it take more than a simple website overhaul? We’ll break it all down right here.
Why Is Personalization Important Right Now?
If you had a penny for every time you heard “since the pandemic…” you’d probably be rich. And we’ll have to add to that pile of pennies with this topic as well — because nothing’s been the same in the world of customer relations since the pandemic.
Essentially, the surge of e-commerce transactions and B2C online interactions that happened during the pandemic never fully subsided. That’s why more and more businesses are opting for a CRM for eCommerce personalization.
Sure, people aren’t ordering toilet paper en masse online anymore. However, the fact is that many people who had never ordered a thing online in their lives used e-commerce platforms for the first time in 2020.
And since then, plenty of folks kept interacting with their favorite brands online. This has raised the bar for online customer interactions. Before the pandemic, the average customer interaction was far more bland — even though we had the data to ensure these interactions were more personalized.
Personalizing customer interactions became necessary once brands needed to stand out online. People view it as a standard nowadays.
And in a world where customers can choose from countless global brands in any industry, customer loyalty is harder to achieve than ever.
However, there are ways to show you care about your shoppers. As a consequence, customers will reward your brand with repeat purchases.
The question is — where do you start when it comes to showing commitment to customer interactions?
How To Show Commitment To Shoppers
According to McKinsey research, over 70% of shoppers want businesses to know what they’re interested in before they shop there. And that’s the basic level of personalization people have come to expect.
Shoppers want to feel like the business to which they’re leaving hard-earned money actually cares about them as individuals. As a result, brands need to show their commitment to a long-term relationship with the shopper rather than a one-off transaction.
For one, you can create a flow of touchpoints after the customer buys something — ensuring they have your brand in mind after the purchase. Of course, you shouldn’t spam their inbox with needless content — but there are ways of contacting them thoughtfully and with something relevant.
Depending on your product or service, you could create a series of related tutorial videos that might help the customer get more value from what you’re selling. They’ll appreciate receiving this type of content and become more open to interacting with you in the future — like leaving an organic positive review somewhere online.
If you have the resources, you could also consider developing a reward program for loyal consumers. Once repeat customers register for the program and accrue enough points through purchases, you could reward them with personalized gifts and exclusive discounts.
And if you don’t have resources for tangible, valuable gifts, don’t worry — even the smallest token of appreciation is enough to make the customer feel seen and heard. A simple thank-you note can sometimes suffice.
Personalized Communication Is Crucial
While personalizing customer interactions, bear in mind that personalized communication is essential — regardless of how you structure reward programs or other perks. Most consumers agree that personalized communication increases the likelihood of them purchasing from a brand.
Moreover, a personal approach also increases the chances of that person becoming a repeat customer. People are more likely to engage with a brand in the long run if they feel like the business knows and appreciates them.
This makes a data-driven approach to customer interactions essential. Every single touchpoint where an individual interacts with your brand generates some sort of data. And that data is critical to unlocking the potential of that customer relationship. Knowing more about the people interacting with your brand will teach you how to target them more effectively.
In the process, you will be able to determine the pain points that show precisely what you need to do to drive repeat purchases.
Fostering a Community
The most successful brands don’t limit the interactions to a two-way street between the business and the customer. On the contrary — they create a sense of community that encourages consumers to stay loyal to the brand in the long run.
Consider creating online and offline forums where customers can partake in conversations about the brand and the wider industry. Host webinars, create podcasts, and start Facebook groups — in other words, do everything you can to keep the attention and conversation of interested individuals on your brand.
The results will speak for themselves — or, rather, your loyal customers will. If you manage to create a stable community of like-minded individuals, they’ll become free brand advocates for your business.
Even with the advent of the Internet, there’s nothing like positive word of mouth to cement a positive brand reputation and unlock the e-commerce potential of your business.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, there’s no getting around one simple fact — personalizing customer interactions drives revenue. Depending on your industry and implementation ability, personalization can raise your yearly income by double digits.
And the best part is that personal communication creates data points that allow you to improve further personal communication. It’s a self-improving mechanism that you can harness to power your company’s growth in the long run.
This is especially true for digital-first companies that don’t necessarily have the opportunity to leave a face-to-face impression on their consumer base.
If you want to increase conversions and create positive buzz around your brand that actually lasts, focus on personalized communication.
