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Three reasons why personalisation is essential in B2B marketing

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22nd October 2024

Faye, an account director at The Think Tank marketing and PR agency, and Josh, an account executive, are seated at a table. Faye is working on a laptop, with both individuals engaged in discussion. The setting appears to be an office with natural light coming through the window, and a modern abstract painting is visible on the wall behind them.

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Let’s set the record straight: personalisation is so much more than just using a name in an email (though that’s often a good start). 

There are countless ways to personalise your marketing content—whether that’s tailoring product recommendations, sending personalised follow-up emails or offering exclusive discounts to your most engaged contacts.

However you choose to implement it, personalisation is a powerful tool that can turn one-time users into loyal clients. Here are three reasons why it could be exactly what you need to transform your B2B strategy.

Improved buyer experience

Research by McKinsey found that 72% of customers expect the businesses they buy from to recognise them as individuals and understand their interests. When asked to define personalisation, those surveyed tended to associate it with a more positive experience – feeling special and appreciated. 

This highlights an important point: adding a personal touch to your campaigns shows your audience that you’re invested in more than just a transaction. By incorporating thoughtful touch points, you can enhance the buyer experience and foster long-lasting relationships.

Increased engagement

When customers receive content that resonates with their needs and interests, they’re more likely to interact with it. Something as simple as using personalised call-to-actions (CTAs) can make a real difference, converting 42% more visitors into leads compared to non-targeted ones. 

It makes sense: when your audience feels confident that you truly understand their needs, they’re far more likely to trust your expertise and invest in your product or service. 

Bigger ROI 

It’s the phrase on every marketer’s lips, and fortunately, the McKinsey report provides some encouraging statistics: companies that excel at personalisation generate 40% more ROI than average players

And there’s good reason for this – as brands cultivate recurring interactions, they gather more data, allowing them to design increasingly relevant experiences, develop stronger relationships with buyers and ultimately boost their ROI. 

It’s an endless cycle of benefits; more personalisation makes for better results. Why wouldn’t you tap in? 

Personalisation in action: Peak Performance campaign

A great example of how we at The Think Tank have deployed personalisation is our ‘Peak Performance’ campaign with Phi Partners

Launching their Summit Platform as a Service (PaaS) platform to a global audience of banks, the brand tasked us with reassuring key decision-makers that the service was safe, compliant and customisable.

To achieve this, we crafted a segmented, highly personalised campaign that targeted 130 decision-makers across 85 banks. We used a strategic combination of personalised teaser emails from Phi’s CEO, video card direct mailings and customised e-shots to engage prospects at multiple touchpoints.

This personalised approach not only amplified awareness of Phi Partners’ brand but also positioned them as trusted experts, reinforcing the value of their offering in a highly competitive market. 

The role of AI

So, you’ve decided to incorporate personalisation into your next campaign. Naturally, the next question for any marketer in 2024 is: Does AI come into play? Can it make things easier for me? 

Yes and yes – AI tools are now built into key digital marketing platforms like Google Ads and SEMrush. These new functionalities can automate your activities at scale, from segmenting audiences to identifying which products a buyer is likely to purchase next. 

AI analytics also provide valuable insights that can inform future campaigns, ensuring that personalisation strategies evolve alongside changing customer expectations. 

For a deep dive into how AI is transforming personalisation, check out this recent edition of our AI series. We explore how AI is making personalisation easier, more accessible and more effective than ever before. 

Consult the experts 

While the potential of personalisation is huge, it’s important to navigate this space with care, especially in light of evolving data protection and privacy laws. 

Regulations such as GDPR have redefined how businesses handle customer data, making it essential to balance personalisation with compliance.

To stay on the right side of these regulations, consult with experts (like us!) who understand the landscape. We can help you create and implement personalisation strategies that drive engagement and ROI while respecting your audience’s privacy.

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