Thinking Like a Personal Shopper
What if we approach digital marketing with the mindset of a personal shopper? A personal shopper is an expert whose job it is to curate something for others. You see this type of service typically in retail settings sellings things like clothing, furniture or cosmetics. Personal shoppers provide customized styling advice and options based on the habits and preferences of the buyer.
So if you think about it, we as digital marketers are in this same line of work. Our job is to understand our buyers and help make a connection to the products and services we offer based on their needs and wants.
You already know your company’s thing. You have a solid grasp on whatever it is that you do or sell. You know your industry. You are well versed in any regulatory requirements or common pitfalls surrounding your business or product. You are uniquely prepared to customize your products, business communications, marketing, and online content to match the needs of your customers.
The next step is bringing this level of understanding to your clients’ needs. Cultivate the relationships that you have with your buyers. Understand their unique perspectives and challenges. Once you understand what it is they need, you can invest in matching your products to their specific situations.
Personalization is the new norm. And it leads directly to increased sales. Your customers expect this personalized service and taking the time to show that you understand their needs fosters trust. Offering customers specific options tailored to their preferences, habits, and history creates a well-paved path for them to buy from you. A study published by Salesforce that analyzed the effects of personalized product recommendations for online shoppers found that product recommendations are definitely driving revenue. Only 7% of online shoppers in the study actually clicked on a recommended item link, but that 7% resulted in 24% of orders and 26% of revenue.
I challenge you to frame your next online post, email message or marketing effort in this context. The ultimate goal of marketing is to match customer needs with the solutions your business provides. Applying a personalized approach to the task of making that match via marketing benefits everyone involved. Your customers expect a tailored experience, do them and yourself a favor and start thinking like a personal shopper.
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