Personalizing your marketing

You’ve probably received plenty of junk mail in your home mailbox. A lot of these soon-to-be-discarded letters may have rubbed you the wrong way before you even opened them, with “Occupant” or “To Our Neighbor Living At” featured in the address panel. Those pale in comparison, however, to a recent marketing horror story featured in a Forbes online article. This is definitely an extreme example of personalized marketing gone horribly wrong.

Extreme examples aside, there are still plenty of good reasons to (carefully) personalize the marketing at your financial institution. Consumers want to feel as if you care enough about them, or at least know enough about them, to do more than send a piece of junk mail to “Occupant.” What are some steps you can take to personalize your marketing pieces?

1. Use first and last names whenever possible. Again, consumers appreciate the fact that a company trying to reach them with a marketing message takes the time to use their actual names. A “Dear Paul” goes a lot further than “Resident.”
2. Use engagement. Engage with your customers rather than blasting them with messages. Look for ways to make a more personal connection with them. This could include a blog on your website with information pertinent to family life, or even livening up your social media platforms with a little bit of personality.