Znode had an engaging phone call this week with Leslie Hand, Research Director for IDC Retail Insights. Among the various topics discussed, our conversation on personalization intrigued us the most. According to Hand, retailers consistently come to IDC for insight on how to target and secure the most profitable and loyal customers. The typical IDC response is to create a highly personalized user experience throughout the sales cycle — from acquisition to retention.
Many retailers have taken a personalized approach to marketing. And some brands have done an excellent job at creating a very individualized experience at their bricks and mortar locations. But what about the virtual store? This is where there often seems to be a gap in the strategy. And yet, creating the “all about me” experience for customers represents a greater opportunity to capture them online.
As online competition increases, it has now become imperative for retailers to focus more attention on personalizing their e-commerce sites. Here are a few easy personalization strategies:- Create personalized web stores for different audiences. For example, a women’s apparel company might create a storefront for the working woman versus weekend wear. The site should be designed based on shopper demographic and psychographic information.
- Design your shopping cart and checkout with your end customer in mind. An example, give your customers checkout options based on how their preferred payment methods.
- Tie your marketing campaigns to your e-commerce site by creating multiple personalized URLs for the same store. This helps you measure which marketing offers are resonating with your customers.
- Leverage reporting data and constantly adapt the e-commerce site based on user feedback. Follow the conversation about the shopping experience closely. Embed reviews on the e-commerce site and watch activity on message boards, Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites. Let customers know when you’ve made enhancements at their request!
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