Connecting with customers requires a thorough understanding of the factors driving them to purchase. Today’s consumers — especially those shopping online — want so many things and they want them to be provided quickly. Otherwise, they have a world of other e-commerce options to turn to instead. How can you help your brand stand out from the competition and gain loyal customers? One approach gaining traction across the vast online landscape is to offer product personalization.
Synonymous with customization, product personalization is a broad term referring to a range of customer-focused strategies. Depending on the product, it could be creating a landing page experience tailored specifically to returning or new shoppers, such as an interactive walkthrough. It could also pertain to a template on a product’s page with options allowing shoppers to alter the item’s design to parallel their preferences. Although different, these approaches are linked through their ability to enhance the user experience.
Delivering an exceptional user experience can lead to a myriad of benefits. For instance, personalized customer onboarding helps to convey exactly what value the target audience members may expect to gain from your product or service. When they see their needs and preferences are not only being considered but potentially met, it helps establish a deeper connection on an emotional level. Reaching shoppers emotionally like this has been shown to foster advocacy and long-term brand loyalty. Following a sort of domino effect, the increased loyalty, in turn, boosts sales, since returning customers are often more valuable than new.
Simply put, by extending a unique encounter or inviting the shopper to become part of the product creation process, customization works to strengthen the user experience. The better this experience, the more likely customers are going to be satisfied and willing to convert.
Gaining these benefits and more like them doesn’t necessarily call for a big development investment in your site’s back-end. Returns may be found in smaller-scale offerings, such as custom labels on the product’s packaging. Personalized labels — whether they convey information on the product, brand initiatives or a special offering — can go a long way in generating further interest. After all, it takes more than the sale of a product to create a loyal customer these days. Companies of all sizes need to be mindful of the entire user experience, from initial discovery to sophisticated feature usage throughout the purchasing process all the way to package delivery.
Getting started on product personalization can be quite the challenge. A great place to begin is to look closely at who your customers are and what they want from your brand. The creation of exhaustive buyer personas can be very constructive in this endeavor. Research should also be put into identifying which customization opportunities work best for the target audience, as well as the organization’s bottom line. As many customization options demand coordination and collaboration from multiple departments, having a full understanding is essential when creating something of value to your business and your customers.
