Online commerce is growing at a rapid rate. It’s estimated that 2.14 billion global buyers will shop digitally in 2021, compared to just 1.66 billion five years earlier. Businesses positioned to serve these online consumers are in a great place, but there are still some challenges to serving customers through the internet. Personalization is tricky when you can’t look shoppers in the eye or engage in a face-to-face conversation, but it’s not impossible. Try these tricks for offering a unique experience that will leave an impression.
Offer a VR Trial
Virtual reality makes it possible for online customers to digitally experience your products before buying them. This is a powerful way to connect with consumers who are considering your items but aren’t yet sold. Consider investing in a custom app that will let potential shoppers upload a photo and try on your makeup, or point their camera at an empty wall and see a preview of your art hanging there. This type of experience brings your products right into the consumer’s home without the need for physical samples or costly physical trials and product returns.
Connect on Social Media
Personalize your social media campaigns with fun filters, quizzes, or games that utilize shoppers’ data to deliver results that are carefully tailored to their personalities. For example, Cadbury developed a platform that would recommend a candy flavor based on the user’s Facebook data, once that user gave their consent. You might offer a photo filter that suggests makeup looks after analyzing skin, hair, and eye tones, or offer vacation suggestions based on the locations where an individual has previously checked-in or tagged themselves. These types of experiences make each interaction unique to the individual and leave a lasting impression.
Send Handwritten Notes
Handwritten notes are a powerful way to pull an online company into the physical world. Personalized mailers can still connect with customers in today’s digital age. Those that are designed thoughtfully can even pack a stronger punch than they might have in the past simply because the concept of the ink-and-paper letter has become largely obsolete. Using a company like Handwrytten, you can find many unique ways to say thank you with physical letters that feature a distinctive script and ink that perfectly mimics a human hand.
Provide Personalized Gifts
Coupons, discounts, and gift cards are always welcome, but these carry even more meaning when they’re personalized. Use data from your customers’ previous purchases or online activity to provide them with promotions that are unique to their needs. Evaluate items that were left in abandoned shopping carts or added to wish lists and provide little gifts that are designed to satisfy the exact wants of your shoppers.
Personalized marketing campaigns are a great way to make your company stand out. You don’t need a brick-and-mortar store to make a lasting impression in your customers’ minds. Thoughtful campaigns that treat each individual in a unique manner will offer a welcome change from boilerplate messages, helping your business make its way to the head of the pack.
