The best business IS personal

Incentive Solutions
In a world increasingly obsessed with artificial intelligence (AI), robots and cobots, one truth stands the test of time: People buy from people.

As innately social beings, humans are wired to seek connection and a sense of belonging. Author and marketing strategist, Seth Godin, put it well when he famously once said, “People do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories and magic.”

A Salesforce study concurs, with findings showing that 80% of customers believe the experiences provided by a company are as important to them as its products and services; proving that the saying ‘it’s not personal, it’s business’ is now totally out-dated.

So, how can your business establish a meaningful connection with your customers? One of the fastest ways to do this is by personalising your marketing approach. Here’s 6 ways to personlise your messaging.

Let’s get personal

As well as offering customers the feeling of belonging and connection, personalisation can help you to stand out from the competition, elevate your relevance, build trust and form loyal and mutually-beneficial business relationships. This is because personalising your approach makes your customer feel that you genuinely care about them and their experiences.

Thanks to the feel-good factor that personalisation delivers, many customers are now starting to actually demand personalised brand experiences and won’t bother with any business using a one-size-fits-all approach. A study by Epsilon has found that 80% of consumers are more likely to do business with companies that offer personalised experiences.

At Incentive Solutions we use a range of techniques to ensure your loyalty programme thrives in the hearts and minds of your customers.

1. Make a date with data

To deliver personalised experiences, you need a deep understanding of your customers. By collecting and analysing your customer data, including purchase history, preferences, demographics and behaviour patterns, you can segment your customer base and identify specific groups to target with personalised offers and rewards.

You might, for example, choose to offer special rewards to high-value customers versus occasional buyers. As you collect more data and gain more insights, you can refine and enhance your loyalty programme to deliver increasingly relevant experiences that nurture stronger customer relationships and loyalty. ‘Money-can’t-buy’, highly personalised and relevant rewards create long term customer loyalty, locking in those customers for the long term.

2. Tailor your rewards and offers

Personalisation can significantly enhance the impact of reward offerings. Using customer data, you can create tailored rewards that align with individual preferences and purchase behaviours. For example, if a customer frequently purchases a particular product, you can offer them exclusive discounts or early access to new releases in that category.

From the data, you already know this is likely to appeal to them. Doing this shows you understand a customer’s preference and demonstrates your loyalty to them through your relevancy – they reciprocate with loyalty to your business – it’s a two way street.

3. Personalise your communications

Communication is vital for maintaining strong customer relationships. Invested businesses will address customers by their name and send relevant and timely messages.

This can include personalised recommendations, product updates and exclusive offers, based on triggers that are set up within your data – and don’t underestimate the power of a ‘happy birthday’ message or an anniversary gift. Make your customers feel seen, valued and understood and you’ll increase their engagement with your business.

4. Create unique experiences

We recommend tailoring your loyalty programme structure to match your customers’ preferences and needs. For example, you could offer a tiered programme where customers can unlock higher levels and enjoy additional benefits based on their engagement and spending habits.

You could also consider offering invitations to VIP events, early access to new products or services, or personalised product recommendations. We are big advocates for creating opportunities for customers to offer feedback or suggestions that you can use to further personalise their experience with your business. And don’t ignore the opportunities of a paid loyalty programme. For more on this, click to download our guide to Paid Loyalty Progammes.

5. Create a seamless omni-channel experience

Whatever efforts you employ to personalise your customer experience, make sure it’s consistent across all your customer touchpoints and channels. This creates the feeling of authenticity. At Incentive Solutions, we like to ensure our customer loyalty programmes are seamlessly integrated across websites, mobile apps, social media platforms and physical stores.

This allows customers to engage with their personalised experience at any time, regardless of the channel they choose. It acknowledges that these customers operate across many channels, and live busy lives, so we communicate with them where they prefer.

6. Don’t forget the coffee date

Yes the world is fast-paced and digital, but creating a truly personalised experience and loyal customer relationship requires regular human interaction to remain a part of the marketing mix. A McKinsey study backs this up, showing that, as sales become more complex and higher in value, the need for human interaction increases. So, as vital as your data-led insights are, don’t let them replace a good old fashioned face-to-face.

We’ve got the personal touch

At Incentive Solutions, we are specialists in strategic data-led loyalty programmes, with over 25 years’ experience in helping companies grow through industry-leading loyalty innovations that deliver time and again. Our loyalty experts can leverage our state-of-the-art technology systems and data insights to craft you a bespoke B2B programme that will unlock a world of new opportunities to personalise your customer experience and boost your bottom line. Get in touch today for a no-obligation appointment with one of our specialists and discover the true value of a modern and competitive loyalty programme. Don’t delay on this important growth opportunity.

Ready To Talk?

If you’re thinking of how to start growing your loyalty in the B2B sector, schedule your FREE and no-obligation consultation with one of our specialists.

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