Know when and when not to use personalization strategies

The marketing world has evolved so rapidly that many professionals struggle to keep abreast of trends and recent reports. While the use of personalization has grown into a standard practice among many direct marketing agencies, professionals need to be careful with how to purchase and use information on their intended target audience.

In a recent study conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International in conjunction with the professors at the Annenberg School for Communications at the University of Pennsylvania, nearly 86 percent of respondents did not want political campaigns to tailor advertisements to their interests. While this serves as only one example of an industry that is negatively affected by personalization, it’s important to consider the reasons behind consumer discontent and if those explanations can transition into other business sectors.

In political advertising, information about voters such as the charities they’ve recently donated to, the type of credit cards they use and the Congressional district they live in can all be compiled by marketers. When professionals include this data in the conceptualization of future direct mail campaigns, they may think the content resonates with their audience, but it might push those people further away. In fact, approximately 64 percent of respondents said the likelihood of their voting for a candidate would decrease if that politician purchased and included information for the purpose of tailoring promotional messages. This finding comes at a time when buyer information is a coveted commodity in advertising, but what might work in the promotion of commercial products and services varies greatly in the marketing of political candidates. The reason behind this discovery could be as simple as the nature of what is being sold – a world leader compared to a temporary
product.

Of course, direct marketing can take many different shapes and sizes, so it’s essential to understand when to use basic advertising materials over customized mailings. In the political sector, and in any other industry where customization may lead to consumer discontent, it may be worthwhile to use both online and offline channels to leave long-lasting impressions on consumers.

A direct mail campaign is an effective way to initiate conversation with buyers, as the articles are sent to buyers directly. However, there is additional value in crafting promotional content that interacts with prospective buyers in different ways. Combining the benefits of online content and print media can help businesses personalize articles when appropriate or stick to general promotional mailers. Many consumers have voiced their discontent for personalized political content, so marketers might want to speak to prospective voters in general ways using direct mail, and then lead them to personalized information online. This concurrent promotional approach may toe the line in terms of exploiting personal information and offering useful promotional pieces.

Business owners need to be cautious in how they use the latest technologies and trends to reach new markets. While it may be appealing to use new advertising efforts to sell or promote products and services, privacy remains a constant concern among buyers. Therefore, when planning future outreach solutions, it may be worthwhile to use a mix of offline and online content to leave long-lasting impressions on prospective clients. Failing to respect consumer privacy and leverage purchased content could have drastic consequences, which is why marketers need to outline their goals for a campaign, and factor in how buyer sentiment may sway the results. A cleverly developed advertising campaign does not need to depend on innovative technologies to be effective – traditional media can still make a lucrative impact.