The Art & Science of Data-Driven Personalization

In our “what’s in it for me” world, directly addressing a customer or prospect’s needs, desires or pain points makes it more likely that they’ll entertain your offer.

But let’s take it a step further. Instead of speaking to a need, imagine being able to tap into the ongoing conversation in the customer’s mind and joining in at just the right moment to contribute valuable insights that can impact their decision-making.

There’s a catch. You need vital information:

• Who the prospect is
• What they want at that moment
• What’s preventing them from getting it, and
• How your solution will best help them

For example, some of our most effective client campaigns target people who are moving. Reason: New home buyers spend $16,000 on average outfitting their new home, buying furniture, televisions, appliances, window treatments, art and décor, landscaping equipment and much more.

But they’re also looking for specific items — a new lawnmower, updated living room furniture, or even a major renovation project.

Without knowing more, your campaign isn’t about the conversation in their heads at the time. You’re guessing that your campaign will attract enough customers at the right moment. Not only does that waste money, but it’s also unnecessary with today’s technology.

>> Related: Why Direct Mail ROI Still Dominates Remarketing <<

Personalization moves the dial
We know new movers are in the market for goods and services. And while we don’t know the exact conversation going on in their heads at any given moment, we do know they’re likely going online to do some research.

Some 56% of U.S. consumers start their product search on Amazon, while 42% start with a search engine like Google.
Sometimes, they may drop by your site and bounce. Other times, they may click through and do some research. And still other times they may go all the way to filling a cart — only to abandon it. The average cart abandon rate is a whopping 70%.

How do you enter the conversation with the prospective clients who are actually ready to buy? How do you win back those luke-warm prospects who abandoned ship?

1. Collect web browsing session data. What were they looking for? What level of interest did they show? You need to separate high-intent buyers from casual browsers.
2. Identify what they want and what solution you can offer. You’ll need to have specific pictures and messaging personalized to them. So if they are looking for furniture, you’ll need to go to the next step. If they are looking for bedroom furniture, you’ll be able to show them what you offer.
3. Act quickly, but not too quickly. Time is of the essence. But — paradoxically — there is a natural pause for reflection with abandoned carts. (We’ll explain more in a moment.)
4. Finally, you need to mix up the channels. Your prospective customer is online, but they are talking about buying products in the real world.

One reason direct mail is so effective is that you can personalize, move quickly and also leverage that “pause for reflection” in the real world. They are away from their computer/mobile device, even if it’s printed and mailed the next day. They are in a different mindset than in the instant-gratification attention span of a computer. If your ad is personalized and arrives a day or two later, they will no doubt review your offer again.

While email retargeting and ad retargeting are effective options, they can also feel a little intrusive at times. That’s why direct mail retargeting is so effective. It’s a powerful tool in the mix (and an essential one). Here are the steps we’ve found to be the most effective:

• The shopper visits your website
• They’re identified and a postal record collected
• Data is scored to identify the best opportunities and separate out low-intent prospects
• A personalized direct mail piece is created, printed and mailed the next day

The high-intent prospective customer then gets a customized direct mail piece speaking directly to them about something they’ve been reflecting upon and then see the power of your offer.

Of course, all campaigns are tracked and brought into a feedback loop, so we can work together to adjust and improve your results.

Want to learn more about how you can leverage the power of personalization in the direct mail channel to retarget more effectively and boost your sales? Let’s chat.