Gain Customer Trust by Personalising Your Digital Experience Strategies

Loosely stated, personalisation is a process wherein you keep the needs and preferences of your audience on an individual level in order to showcase the right product to the right person at the right time. Doing this increases your chances of a conversion as the client feels heard and cared for. This takes us to our topic for today: website personalisation and its relevance in today’s world.

Why create personalised digital experience?

Let’s start by taking a real-life example. We prefer going to restaurants that are ready to accommodate our food allergies and choices, and happily oblige eating the same meal every time we are out. Similarly, customers want the same personalisation experience while shopping for products/ services on the web. Customers today don’t shy away from spending an extra buck to receive a personalised experience that’s more relevant and hence quicker – this is all the more relevant with online marketing businesses. Personalised home page promotions, offers and deals, and shopping cart recommendations are the way forward.

Strategies to achieve a personalised digital presence

Naturally, we now cover some personalising strategies for your digital presence so you can gain more from your online company.

-Present an exclusive offer to a new visitor

This has proven to be one of the best ways to attract first time visitors and also increase business transactions. If, for example, you are a luxury hotel chain, you could present an irresistible holiday and complimentary food/ spa offer – the one that’s meant for prime online members – to a first time site visitor. They will gain your trust and you will get another prime account holder for the lifetime.

-Provide personalised recommendations during checkout

Your aim should be to make shopping for products and services as effortless as it gets. When the person reaches the checkout stage, you could show them more products that complement the one they have added to the cart and other products based on their browsing history, because otherwise it is difficult to recall and make buying decisions. This small act of kindness makes them feel valued as they get served everything on a platter without them having to look for them.

-Geo-location-based targeting is the way to go

Automatically redirecting a customer to their country-specific online store helps them instill confidence in you. Reading a language that’s familiar helps them convert quicker. Geo-location-based targeting on digital marketing websites also helps show the most relevant products and services, for instance, if as per geo-base the location is to approach winter, you could show winter wear (if you are a clothing brand, that is) and get better conversions. Localised payment processing also helps as it generates familiarity.

-An irresistible exit intent  pop-up

This basically creates urgency or FOMO on a digital marketing website. If a person has added items to the cart but is yet not sure about the purchase, you could either show them a testimonial based on the said product or sweeten the deal by providing them a discount or free delivery within a stipulated time frame. Showing this as an exit intent pop-up makes them reconsider their decision and actually proceed with the payment.

-Display previously viewed products

You have to shorten a potential buyer’s path to purchase and hence increase conversion rate. With online shopping, it becomes all the more important as people sift through a range of products reading descriptions and reviews and are still unsure about making a purchase. Showing them what they viewed in the recent past and what other buyers have to say about it actually helps them decide and proceed to the payment gateway. This is one of the most important aspects of website personalisation.

Brownie-points: Difference between personalisation and customisation

We have all used personalisation and customisation in lieu of one another all the time. But hang on, there is a difference. While now you know what personalisation is, let us also define customisation for you, in contrast to personalisation. While personalisation is an experience wherein you first collect qualitative data about an individual based on their shopping/ sifting experience and provide them recommendations accordingly, customisation is the liberty you extend to the customer to pick and choose products/ services from a wide range. As it is, both these terms keep the customer at the center, it is better you as a service/ product provider know the difference between the two terms and manage your website personalisation strategies accordingly.