Importance of Personalization

The most important competence for building a sustainable DTC strategy: Data-Driven Customer Insights. Over the last decade direct-to-consumer marketers have suffered a 15% CAGR in CPM inflation for digital #advertising, according to research by Frederic Fernandez & Associates, dramatically increasing cost per acquisition. #DTC companies hence need to much better understand their target consumers, their path-to-purchase metrics, barriers/ drivers/ triggers & 4Ps preferences, and design a new omnichannel acquisition strategy. In my view, its time for DTC companies to build truly immersive and personalized customer acquisition strategies based on data driven customer insights. Data-driven customer insights are essential in the following 5 marketing areas: 🙋 Understanding Customer Behavior: To create personalized experiences, brands need to understand their customers' behaviors, preferences, and pain points. #Data analytics enables companies to track and analyze customer interactions across all touchpoints, providing deep insights into their journey and decision-making processes. 🎯 Personalization at Scale: Leveraging customer data allows brands to segment their audience and deliver tailored content, offers, and recommendations. This level of #personalization can significantly enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty, as consumers are more likely to engage with content that is relevant to their needs and interests. 📢 Optimizing Marketing Efforts: Data insights help brands to optimize their #marketing strategies and campaigns. By analyzing which tactics are most effective, companies can allocate resources more efficiently and improve their return on investment. ❤️ Enhancing Customer Engagement: Real-time data analysis enables brands to engage with customers at the right moment with the right message. This timely #engagement can drive higher conversion rates and foster a stronger emotional connection with the brand. 📈 Continuous Improvement: Data-driven #insights provide a feedback loop that allows brands to continuously refine their products, services, and customer interactions. This iterative process helps in adapting to changing customer expectations and market trends. By investing in data collection, advanced analytics, and skilled personnel, #DTC companies can create truly immersive and personalized customer experiences that drive engagement and loyalty.

Zomato faced a big problem: How can we turn app browsers into loyal customers? The goal was clear, improve the user experience with personalized restaurant suggestions. But there were a few challenges too: 🔴 Understanding user preferences from massive data. 🔴 Combining multiple data sources for meaningful insights. 🔴 Developing accurate recommendation algorithms. 🔴 Processing data in real time to keep users engaged. 🔴 Building trust in the recommendations to ensure they felt helpful, not intrusive. To tackle this, Zomato used a structured approach: 🟢 Data Collection and Cleaning - They collected user behavior data (searches, clicks, abandoned carts). - They analyzed restaurant details (cuisine types, delivery times, ratings). - Past orders were also analyzed for trends. 🟢 User Segmentation - Users were grouped based on age, location, past orders, and browsing habits. - This helped them identify patterns and preferences. 🟢 Developing the Recommendation System - Combined collaborative filtering (what others like you prefer) and content-based filtering (what matches your past orders). - Fine-tuned algorithms with ongoing testing for better accuracy. 🟢 Implementation and Testing - They rolled out the recommendations and tested them through A/B experiments. - Adjusted based on user feedback and data performance. 🟢 Continuous Improvement - Introduced feedback loops for real-time adjustments. - Regular updates ensured the system stayed relevant to evolving user needs. And, the impact was impressive: ⬆️ 35% more time spent on the app by users receiving personalized suggestions. ⬆️ 28% higher click-through rates, showing better engagement. ⬆️ 22% increase in orders per user per month due to tailored suggestions. ⬆️ 18% boost in retention rates, turning occasional users into loyal customers. ⬆️ 12% higher average order value, leading to revenue growth. ⬆️ 15% jump in monthly revenue, proving personalization works! I see this as the perfect example of using data to deepen customer relationships. It's not just about the tech—it’s about understanding people and making their experience smoother and more personal. 📊 Data is the secret to building trust and loyalty. What do you think? Can other industries learn from Zomato’s success? How can personalization improve your industry? #zomato #deepindergoyal

In the clutter of D2C brands, customization can make you win. Last weekend, I was trying to buy a gift for my friend's anniversary, but every option felt generic. Basic. Non-memorable. Then, I found a leather wallet and cardholder set online where I could add their initials, choose the leather texture, and even include a hidden photo inside. Suddenly, it became a gift they’d remember. This experience made me realize that as the landscape matures, we’re moving from an era of 'product-market fit' to 'product-person fit.' Here’s why I think mass customization is becoming the new competitive advantage in retail: 1/ The New Consumer Psychology Five years ago, customization was a luxury add-on. Today, it's becoming the baseline expectation. When I asked my teenage nephew why he refused a popular sneaker brand, his answer was telling: "If I'm wearing the exact same thing as everyone else, what's the point?" The data confirms it: > 60% of Millennials and Gen Z prefer customized products. > More surprisingly, they’re 4x more likely to recommend brands that offer customization. 2/ The Business Transformation The most fascinating insight I’ve discovered as an investor: Customization is creating an entirely new business model. Take Traya – they analyze your background, health, diet, and lifestyle through a 30-question diagnostic, then create regimens with 4x higher efficacy. The result? ₹7Cr → ₹300Cr in 2.5 years. Or Bombay Shirt Company – by letting customers design everything from the collar to the thread, they’ve achieved what seemed impossible: mass-produced customization at scale. 3/ The Economic Advantage When we analyze the unit economics, customized products are creating an unfair advantage: > Customer acquisition costs drop by 35% (word of mouth increases). > Return rates fall by 55% (customers keep what they helped design). My favorite examples: > Perfora’s name engraving on toothbrushes. > Mokobara’s luggage monograms (they started it). > Lenskart.com’s custom-fit frames. Yes, it adds cost and effort. But it makes you stop while you’re scrolling. And it makes the customer feel like the ONLY customer. That’s everything today. 😉 Which customized product experience has impressed you the most? #ConsumerTrends #Customization #Retail #D2C

Our client landed a director-level role in the wellness space. Time to offer: 62 days. Here are 4 strategies they used to make it happen: 1. They Started With A Clear Goal Personalization wins in this market. In order to personalize, you need to have a clear target. We started by: - Prioritizing goals (Comp, Management, Culture, etc) - Defining examples of "great" for each - Brainstorming ways to vet companies for each criteria This allowed our client to focus 100% of their energy on value-aligned opportunities. 2. They Went Deep With Research They didn't just browse the company's "about" page. They dug deeper to identify each company's goals, challenges, and initiatives for the next 6-12 months. - They combed the company's website - They analyzed reviews - They explored marketing channels - They checked news articles and blog posts That research led to the discovery of an online community that drove a lot of engagement for the company. This was the angle they chose to personalize their pitch. 3. They Provided Unique Value Our client performed an audit of that community. They compared their findings to the company's goals and challenges. Then they created a Value Validation Project with 3-4 ideas that addressed each of the company's major initiatives. For example: - Examples of what was working (where to double down) - Multiple ideas for ways to leverage the existing audience to hit goals - Recommendations for tracking and optimizing each 4. They Personalized Their Interview Pitch When they were interviewing, they didn't just summarize their background. Instead, they leaned into all of the research and preparation they invested. They made their answers about the company's needs and goals. Then they leveraged their VVP to illustrate how they could deliver on it. While other job seekers were going wide and shallow? Our client went deep on a smaller set of value-aligned companies. That's how you land a great job in today's "impossible" market.

The #1 mistake I see in client relationships? (It took me years to learn this) Confusing contact with connection. Most professionals think staying “top of mind” means constant contact. So they: ❌ Send generic check-ins. ❌ Ask for meetings without clear value. ❌ Share the same articles everyone else does. Then wonder why response rates keep dropping. 20+ years in client relationships has taught me: The best way to stay memorable? Show up as someone who genuinely cares about them  (and their success). Instead of asking: ❌ “How do I stay visible?” Ask: ✅ “How do I show I care?” Here are my favorite 6 ways to show you care: 1. Spot Opportunities They Might Miss ↳ Share competitor moves and market shifts before  they hear it elsewhere. 2. Be Their Connector ↳ Introduce them to people who can help them grow. 3. Offer Insights They Can Use Immediately ↳ Send relevant research they can apply right now. 4. Celebrate Their Successes ↳ Spotlight their wins like they’re your own. 5. Invite Them Into Your World ↳ Include them in events and conversations that matter. 6. Check In With a Personal Touch ↳ Reach out with no agenda, just genuine care. Here’s the truth: Most people only show up when they want something. Top performers show up because they genuinely care. Because they know when someone’s ready to buy, they don’t research who’s available. They call those who’ve already proven they care. Agree? Disagree? I’d love to hear your take on it in the comments below. ♻️ Valuable? Repost to help someone in your network. 📌 Follow Mo Bunnell for client-growth strategies that don’t feel like selling. Want the full cheat sheet? Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/e3qRVJRf 

I’ve learned that the most important voice in building a business isn’t mine, it’s yours. When we started indē wild, we knew we wanted to create more than just another beauty brand. Our goal was to solve real problems for real people. But to do that, we had to go straight to the source: our customers. Today, we have over 60 focus groups across India, the UK, and the US—because listening to our community isn’t just part of our process; it’s our foundation. For example, when we looked at common beauty products like moisturisers and cleansers, we heard something surprising from our target audience: “We already have good options for these.” What they didn’t have? Solutions for challenges like pigmentation or postpartum hair loss—issues that truly mattered to them but weren’t being addressed in the market. That insight changed everything for us. Instead of launching products based on trends or assumptions, we let our customers lead the way. And that’s now one of our biggest strengths. Here’s why listening matters for any entrepreneur or brand: Your customers are your greatest resource. They know their needs better than anyone else—ask, listen, and let them guide you. Solving real problems builds loyalty. When you address gaps in the market that truly matter to your audience, you don’t just sell products; you create solutions. Empathy drives innovation. By prioritising what people need over what’s trendy, you create products and services with real impact. I’ve learned that when you prioritise the voices of your audience, you don’t just create products—you create solutions. What problem are you trying to solve? I’d love to know👇💬

One of the greatest opportunities I see for the next generation of client-facing professionals: Being the ones who can read and exercise the norms, whether with colleagues or clients, and still infuse their own personality into the work. Those who can master this will be the ones who build stronger relationships and ultimately win more business. Sure, the pendulum has swung hard toward AI efficiency. And proficiency in it will likely be an essential skill. But over-relying on it? That comes with a hidden cost: it can dull the skills of empathy, discernment, and human connection. I suspect it might become tempting to believe that the safest path to employment and promotion is to keep your head down in automation:  Follow the prompt exactly, never straying from the template, and assume that originality is too risky. But customers can feel when you’ve disappeared behind automation… and it seems that they don’t love it. According to Salesforce, 52% of customers say they’re willing to pay more for a great customer experience, and they define that experience as one that feels more personal and less automated. That means the professionals who keep showing up with genuine connection won’t just feel different (in a good way!), they’ll be the ones winning more trust and more business. This humanness will be the differentiator. Some easy ways to practice this is to start by noticing the social norms, and then thoughtfully adding personality to them. Like: ☑️ Pay attention to how experienced colleagues communicate with clients. What tone do they use in emails, how do they open conversations, how do they handle pushback? How can you use that as a framework and then infuse your personality into it? ☑️ Notice how client meetings start. Do they jump right into business, or spend a few minutes building rapport? What do you know about the client that you can chat about beyond asking about the weather :)  ☑️ When you send a recap or follow-up, include a warm line or a small personal detail you remembered, instead of relying solely on a template. Because if more than half of your customers are willing to pay more for an experience that feels human, it’s a skill worth exercising to make sure they get it! #YouthSkills

Recently, I posted about 𝗹𝗮𝘄 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹-𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲, 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁-𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲. Readers asked: 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲? The answer is not the title or the job description. It is mastery and disciplined use of a skill set that doesn't come naturally for most lawyers: knowing and using the science of personal style and interpersonal communication. Consider what the research on human behavior shows: 1. Roughly 70% to 80% of the people you meet over your lifetime will think and behave differently than you do. Differences are the norm, not the exception. For example, owners, C-suite leaders, and CEOs tend to be Type A, strongly assertive communicators. If that is not your natural style, adapt to theirs – not the reverse. 2. Most people absorb information visually, but highly educated professionals – including most attorneys and buyers of legal services – lean auditory. So do both: discuss it live, then confirm in writing. 3. Every professional has both business and personal motives, values, and agendas. Effective relationship builders learn, adapt to, track, and respond to both. Why does this matter for new clients and revenue? Because every single person you meet 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 a referral source. Whether they ever do depends on how you make them feel – and whether you stay in touch. The best client-facing professionals – and the best rainmakers – do these things consistently: • Are sincerely curious and enjoy interacting with people. • Expect, accept, and are interested in differences in communication styles and avoid judging or dismissing them. • Are kind and establish rapport before anything else. No rapport, no trust. No trust, no credibility. No credibility, no engagement. • Are always thinking: "What can I do to be helpful or useful to you?" • Track whom they met, where, and what was discussed – then follow up and keep in touch appropriately over time. That last point is key: follow-up and follow-through is where the revenue is won or lost – along with the new clients and referrals. Firms investing in dedicated client relationship roles are buying this discipline at scale. If you'd like to enhance your communication skills and develop more business, save the attached infographic to apply these same techniques, one interaction at a time. #BusinessDevelopment #ClientDevelopment #LawFirms

Welcome to the Future of Fundraising This past week, our team had a great breakthrough while running tests with the autonomous fundraiser. We tested the impact of the autonomous fundraiser independently sending donors in its portfolio a text message with a quick note on their birthdays. These self-written messages were light, kind and didn't ask for a response from the donor. Birthday messages were sent to 32 donors over a two week period. Results were surprising, inspiring and really exciting. Of the 32 donors who received the messages, 14 responded. Each response was positive, kind and surprisingly engaging, clearly proving that donors are not just open to, but excited about, light and personalized engagement from a VEO. Responses like “Thank you so much! This is such a great surprise!!” and, ”Wow, I haven’t heard from anyone at the College in over ten years, thank you for the note” were examples of the donors' tone. It quickly became clear that these lightweight, structured touchpoints significantly impacted the donor’s willingness to engage with a VEO and they are areas that we need to build on. While I’m sure it seems obvious to most frontline fundraisers that sending a personal note on a donor’s birthday is a great way to build a connection, to do this at scale and for thousands of mid-level donors, autonomously, has never been possible before. I believe these responses prove the potential for a significant shift in overall donor engagement where mid-level donors and smaller donors can now be treated with the kind and personalized attention that only major donors had been given in the past. This level of engagement throughout the donor pyramid is why autonomous fundraising is so important. Another surprising and exciting set of outcomes of this lightweight engagement were three independent introductions made by the Virtual Engagement Officer to staff members on campus, at the request of donors. These introductions were all directly related to Career Services – a clear area where the VEO can add immediate value at a time in a donor's life where they might need assistance. These touchpoints are important. A birthday is a known data point and a low-risk introductory point where autonomous fundraisers could universally thrive. This natural introduction touchpoint has the benefit of opening a line of communication between the VEO and the donor. Based on these early results, as long as the communications stay relevant, personalized and impactful, it seems that there are many opportunities to build on these learnings. This week our team is testing more low-risk data points that can enable VEOs to engage with a donor for the first time. The most natural next data point that we’re looking at is stewardship, where the autonomous fundraiser will reach out directly to the donor and thank them for their gift as part of the VEO’s 12-month engagement strategy. Have a great week. #fundraising #philanthropy #philanthropytech #nptech #AI

Nobody likes being sold to immediately. And if that's your LinkedIn strategy, you better stop now. I see it in my DMs every single day. "Hey Ben, want to double your AUM in 90 days?" "Looking for more qualified leads?" "Let me show you our proven system." Delete. Delete. Delete. Why? If you're only DMing people on LinkedIn to pitch your offer, you're not building relationships. → You're burning bridges before they're even built. And for financial advisors? This approach will kill your credibility faster than anything else. Your clients don't buy financial products. →They buy trust. → They buy confidence that you'll protect their family's future. → They buy the belief that you genuinely care about their goals, not just your commission. When your first interaction is a sales pitch, It's like you've told them: "I don't care about you. I care about what you can do for me." And in an industry built on trust and long-term relationships? That's the fastest way to lose before you even start. Here's what YOU can do instead: 1) Start with curiosity, not a pitch. When someone accepts your connection request, don't immediately go for the close. Instead, ask a thoughtful question. Example: "I saw you just celebrated 10 years in the industry, what's the biggest shift you've seen in how clients make decisions?" Show them you're interested in them, not just their wallet. 2) Comment before you DM. Engage with their content first. Add value to their audience. When you eventually message them, you're not a stranger, you're someone who already showed up. 3) Share value first. Lead with something useful: → A relevant article → A strategy that worked for you → A genuine compliment on their post No pitch. No agenda. Just value. 4) Play the long game. My best clients didn't come from cold pitches. They came from months of genuine interaction. → Commenting, sharing insights, offering help with no strings attached. When they were ready to buy, my name already had a place in their mind. I stopped asking, "How can I sell to this person?" And started asking, "How can I serve this person?" That turned LinkedIn from a cold-calling platform into a relationship-building machine. Stop selling. Start serving. And the clients will follow. So, what's your biggest challenge with LinkedIn outreach? Let's chat 💬 P.s. ✍🏻 I am Benjamin Loh, CSP, a strategic growth coach and consultant who has taught over 65,000 leaders in over 20 global cities and constructed some of the leading icons (TOT, Award Winners) in the financial industry in Asia through the power of authentic storytelling and authority building. 💪 Follow me for personal brand and growth insights. #financialadvisors #linkedInstrategy #personalbranding #contentcreation