Spray and pray marketing is one of the ancient forms of marketing where e-commerce companies send a generic message to all its prospective customers and wait for a few of them to act on it (e.g., “Buy Now”).
Here’s the kicker – it does not work. Today’s consumer wants personalized content that resonates with their needs and addresses their pain points. That’s why 66% of customers expect companies to understand their unique needs, 52% expect personalized offers, and 72% engage with personalized messages tailored to their interests.
Personalization adds more value to your online marketing efforts. It can help your e-commerce brand engage better with customers, increase conversions and sales, and garner customer loyalty. This article does a deep dive into these and other benefits of marketing personalization. But first, let’s understand what personalized marketing means.
How to be Personal while Marketing?
Personalized or one-on-one marketing targets individuals and focuses on their needs, pain points, and expectations. It clearly answers what modern customers want to know: What’s in it for ME?
To implement personalized marketing, you would first collect data about your target audience, such as their demographics (age, gender, location, etc.), product interests, purchase history, and shopping preferences. You would then tailor your marketing campaigns and messaging based on this data.
You can personalize your e-commerce website and landing pages based on a user’s browsing or purchase history. You can also send personalized emails to promote new products and encourage cart abandoners to complete their purchase. Personalized emails and text messages are also great for making product recommendations to specific users.
Is Personalized Marketing Worth a Shout?
The success of your marketing program and ultimately your brand depends on your ability and willingness to implement personalization tactics. Here’s how personalized online marketing can benefit your e-commerce brand.
Increase Customer Retention
According to a 2020 Salesforce survey, 66% of customers feel that companies treat them like numbers instead of as unique individuals. If this is the case, your company could potentially lose customers.
To engage and retain the existing customers, you need personalized online marketing. Personalized content can boost message relevance for each customer and create more satisfying shopping experiences that customers appreciate. They will see the effort you put in to understand them better and provide value to them. Personalizing your messaging can also “humanize” your brand, which can help you retain more customers and keep them coming back to your brand.
Convert More Leads into Customers
Irrelevant messages sent at inappropriate times work opposite to the expected. The recipients of your messages feel disenchanted or frustrated by your spray-and-pray tactics, unsubscribe to your messages, and even stop supporting your brand.
Sending the right message to the right person at the right moment is an effective way to guide more leads towards checkout. It can also encourage more reluctant shoppers to become happy customers. Content and experiences that are curated for each person make them feel heard and appreciated.
By personalizing your messaging based on their needs or pain points, you can make them feel special. All of this increases the likelihood of conversion and boosts the sales of your e-commerce store.
Increase Your Marketing ROI
General emails or ads may have worked for your brand in the past. They may have increased conversions and added to your bottom line. But what was your marketing ROI from these efforts? If you didn’t achieve your target ROI, it’s likely because your messages were not personalized.
Personalized recommendations via email or landing pages can bring more people to your e-commerce brand and encourage them to spend more. According to this 2021 report, 60% of consumers say they will make repeat purchases if a retailer offers personalized shopping experiences. This shows that personalization can increase sales and unlock greater ROI from your marketing efforts.
Garner Customer Loyalty and Encourage Brand Affinity
Today’s e-commerce buyers have many options to choose from, so they can easily go to your competitors if they give them the personalized experiences, tailored recommendations, and relevant content they need.
The good news is that you can prevent customer churn and drive greater customer loyalty by personalizing your marketing tactics. Customized emails, targeted discounts, and landing pages tailored to their interests or needs can all encourage customers to interact more with your e-commerce brand. They will buy more from you and likely prefer your brand to your competitors. Ultimately, personalized marketing can help differentiate your brand and increase its “stickiness.” It can also help you build long-term customer relationships that garner their loyalty, advocacy, and support.
Conclusion
So now you know why your e-commerce brand needs to invest in personalized marketing. By collecting customer data and insights, you can understand them better and deliver the personalized experiences they crave. The payoff will be worth it so we encourage you to go for it!
If you’re not sure how or where to get started with personalized marketing, contact Ergode. We will help you create a personalization strategy so you can implement personalized marketing campaigns that your customers will love.
