We just might know your mother better than you do…

May 4, 2022

Mother’s Day is fast approaching, and it’s time to agonize over the perfect gift. What does she need? What does she want?

No need to read her mind, just her email

So maybe you can log onto your mom’s computer, where her browsing history and inbox will steer you to a gift she actually wants. Those ‘abandoned cart’ emails? A goldmine for gift ideas. But what if you don’t have access to her actual inbox?

Personalization in the digital space

This is the time to get excited by how personalization in the digital space is flourishing. Smart companies have drilled down into the segmentation of their customers with the goal of achieving micro segmentation and 1:1 personalization. Savvy retailers use contact center AI solutions to study shopping and buying patterns, down to the preferred pant leg, pattern, and scent; and market accordingly.

Even the smallest bit of personalization drives consumer engagement, delivers greater efficiency behind marketing spend, and ultimately grows revenue.

Making it happen for your business

So, how do you make this happen for your business? First you need the right data – enough to shape your personas and understand the composition of your customer base. Then, you need a strategic framework.

Use the 5 W’s to guide you:

WHY are you doing this? (i.e. business objective)
WHO are you targeting?
WHAT do you want to personalize? (i.e.name, birthday, size, reason for visit)
WHERE do you personalize? (i.e. email, content, search, video)
WHEN do you personalize? (i.e. by action taken, behavior exhibited)

What technology should be used to employ personalization? These “mechanics” may already exist in your CMS, CRM and/or ESP, and are certainly a good starting point. Don’t wait for the perfect time, or ideal set of tools; jump in with an eye toward experimentation with a learn fast, fail fast spirit.

Once you are feeling good about your strategy, start thinking about extensive segmentation and ongoing experimentation. It may be time to invest in a personalization engine which can optimize testing and provide a robust set of analytics so you can work even smarter. “Set it and Forget it” is in the past. Marketing recommendations backed by data are expected these days.

We might not be in your mom’s inbox, but we can help

Let HGS Digital help you personalize your customer experience. Download our whitepaper “How CIOs can leverage personalized CX to ramp up revenue” or check out how we can help you with your analytics and data strategy now.

Good luck finding the perfect gift, and happy Mother’s Day!