As a babe in your mother\u2019s arms, one of the first sounds you heard was her voice softly repeating your name. That sound is so deeply embedded in your psyche that, according to researchers, brain activity increases whenever you hear your name called or see it in writing. <\/span><\/p>\n Recognition. Familiarity. Like the theme song from <\/span>Cheers<\/span><\/i>, you want to go \u201cwhere everybody knows your name.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n Skim any reputable marketing blog and you\u2019ll see the term <\/span>personalization<\/span><\/i>. It means interacting with customers as individuals who have unique habits and preferences. To reach this benchmark, businesses gather data and analyze people\u2019s likes and dislikes. Then, they tailor communications accordingly. And it works. Personalized marketing done right enhances the overall customer experience. Because it makes people feel recognized. And higher levels of customer satisfaction lead to what all businesses want \u2014 <\/span>word of mouth recommendations<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n Ever heard of Maslow\u2019s \u201chierarchy of needs?\u201d It\u2019s a concept usually depicted as a pyramid, with humans\u2019 most basic needs at the bottom and the loftier aspirations ascending toward the top. According to the pyramid, our fundamental needs are physical (air, food, water, safety, stability, etc.). But a step above those sit our psychological needs\u2014love, sense of belonging, and esteem. As soon as we\u2019re fed and warm, we crave friendship, trust, acceptance. Essentially, we need other people. And we need them to like and respect us. <\/span><\/p>\n If you accept Maslow\u2019s theories that humans are hard-wired for meaningful socialization, you see how successful personalized marketing should play into that. Keep people\u2019s brains and hearts happy, and they will follow your brand. <\/span><\/p>\n Let\u2019s continue to unpack this idea of using customers\u2019 names. Along with softening the message, using high-level personalization cuts through the noise. Everyone knows the marketplace is densely packed with content. With mobile devices handier than ever, our daily ad exposure continues to climb. We\u2019ve got ads in our soxes along with the foxes. Individualized copy helps your message stand out\u2026like screaming someone\u2019s name in a crowded room.<\/span><\/p>\n You know you need to treat people like individuals, but getting there takes planning:<\/span><\/p>\n As a marketer, understanding human psychology will help your messages hit their targets. We are a social species. We want to feel like part of a group, but we also long to be embraced as unique individuals. Casually address a crowd, and we hesitate. But call us by name, with authority and purpose, and our ears perk up.<\/span><\/p>\n In short, when you embrace personalized marketing (and the cool tech that makes it possible), you allow your business to communicate in a way that resonates, leading to increased brand awareness, more sales, and ultimately a more attractive bottom line.<\/span><\/p>\n If you want to further humanize your marketing strategy and need a guiding hand, Xpressdocs offers cutting-edge software and collateral for some of the world\u2019s top brands. To <\/span>see what we do<\/span> and how we do it, head to our website and connect today!<\/span><\/p>\nFreshman Psych 101<\/b><\/h4>\n
Name Calling (the Nice Way)<\/b><\/h4>\n
Tips for Embracing Personalized Marketing<\/b><\/h4>\n
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The Bottom Line<\/b><\/h4>\n