Boost sales with personalized experiences
Ever feel like your customers see your store as just another faceless dot-com? Or that your workers are just going through the motions, cranking out orders like they’re on an assembly line? Yeah, not great. Here’s the good news: there’s a way to fix that disconnect for both sides—and it’s easier than you think.
TL;DR 🎯
Make it personal. Let your customers know there's a real person behind every transaction. Show them who made the product, who packed their order, or who prepped their meal. For example, a factory worker can sign a product with their name or your support emails can be from “Tom at Your Store,” not just "Your Store."
It’s simple but powerful: Customers feel special. Workers feel appreciated. And your sales? Oh, they feel great.
And to go even further for your custom, give them personalized recommendations that show you understand their needs and why a particular product is for them with a product quiz, like POPSMASH. This also regain make some of that magic we lost moving online without salespeople to guide us to finding the right product.
Why should you care? 🤔
Alright, here’s the science. Studies show adding a personal touch between workers and customers leads to some juicy benefits:
- For your team: Higher work satisfaction and better performance. Radiologists were more accurate when they saw a patient's photo. Fundraisers collected 171% more donations after meeting the people they were helping. Even waitresses who introduced themselves by name saw tips go up by over 50%.
- For your customers: Increased willingness to spend and repeat purchases. When people know who made their soap or called by name when picking up their coffee, they feel a connection. And connections lead to loyalty.
So, adding a little human touch can pay off big time. But why does this work, anyway?
Here’s the psychology 🧠
We're all wired to crave connection. Millennials and Gen Z especially love that handmade, personalized touch. Sure, they may buy online because it's convenient, but deep down, they want to feel like they're dealing with a person—not just some faceless corporation.
It's about self-expression, belonging, and relationships. And here’s the kicker: you don’t have to make them talk to you. Just a name on a tag or a friendly face in an email can work wonders.
Some ideas to try ✅
- Sign it: If your team makes something, let them sign it. From a note in a package to a tag on a sweater—this makes it personal.
- Show who’s who: Put a face to the name! Like food delivery apps showing the name and photo of the person cooking your meal. Humanize your brand by showing the people behind the scenes.
- Personal emails: Stop sending those boring, corporate-sounding emails. Make them come from “Mike from Your Store,” not just “Your Store.” Keep it real and relatable.
- Personal recommendations: Use product recommendation quizzes on your store, on collection pages and on social to help guide customers to the right product.
- Share customer stories: Make it a habit to talk about how your customers benefit from your products. Let your team hear those stories too—trust me, it’s a huge motivator.
Pitfalls to watch out for ⚠️
Be mindful: if you make things too personal, you could run into some issues. Like, if customers and workers see each other’s names and faces, what if there’s discrimination? Or if a customer starts following an individual worker instead of your brand? Make sure any personal touches are optional and respectful of privacy.
Ready to get personal? 😎
Alright, time to break down that invisible wall. Pick one or two of these ideas, test them out, and watch how your customers light up like they’re opening a surprise gift. Your workers will thank you too.
Give it a shot and see what happens. Sometimes, the simplest changes make the biggest difference.
Want to learn more? 🤓
If you want to learn more about this topic, you can dig into the nerdy details in the original marketing study.
Quote of the week 💬
"People don't buy from companies, they buy from people."
