5 Examples Where the Personal Touch Still Matters in Marketing

What is a personal touch in marketing?

A personal touch in marketing means communicating directly with customers or prospects one-on-one. It often involves face-to-face meetings, personalized offers, phone calls, thoughtful gifts or “analog” communication methods, such as handwritten notes. 

You can use a personal touch in marketing to create and strengthen relationships with customers. It’s crucial to personalize your communications to address the customer’s or prospect’s specific experiences, needs and history. 

A personal touch in marketing is no longer optional. In a Harris Poll/Redpoint survey, 63 percent of consumers said they considered personalization a standard service, noted John Nash, chief marketing officer at Redpoint Global. Additionally, 42 percent defined personalization as a brand’s understanding that someone is the same customer across all touchpoints (e.g., in-store, email, online, mobile, social media, call center). 

“That’s a lot of pressure for marketers, who traditionally have been conditioned to working with customer data that is siloed by channel,” Nash said.

What are some examples of using a personal touch in marketing? 

Here are five examples of using a personal touch in marketing situations. 

1. Use a personal touch with high-value clients.

You won’t have to use this approach if you sell low-value products to many people. However, if you sell high-value products or have several customers or prospects who need a significant number of your products, a personal touch can help you close the deal and maintain the client relationship.

Because each customer is responsible for a significant chunk of your sales revenue, sending a thoughtful birthday gift or periodically inviting them to a nice dinner can show them you value their business.

Car dealerships are an example of companies that sell high-ticket items. Doug Bondon, CEO of Artisan Colour, noted that car dealerships use personalized direct mail to upsell the newest models when it’s time for annual service. This personalization effort is easy, nonintrusive and highly effective. 

“For example, we have a large dealership customer that sends personalized direct mail postcards reminding their customer that it’s time for annual service on their vehicle,” Bondon said. “The postcard will also invite the customer to schedule an exclusive VIP test drive of the newest model of their vehicle during the service.”

Here are some tips for ensuring a personal touch for high-value clients:

• Identify high-level clients. Decide which prospects or customers qualify as “whales” in terms of sales or potential sales.
• Create a schedule. Set up a schedule for reaching out to your biggest existing and potential clients based on their share of your sales revenue. Include important dates, like the contact’s birthday or their budget-approval date.
• Interact socially. Consider inviting the contact to a sporting or entertainment event, a dinner meeting or a tour of your business. Afterward, follow up with a handwritten note, phone call or gift, as appropriate.

2. Use a personal touch to reach decision-makers in business-to-business sales.

Making a personal connection with a decision-maker can help you close a sale with a large organization. When you participate in a fun activity together, it can create a comfortable environment that makes it easier to do business. For example, the decision-maker may enjoy a game of tennis, a round of golf or an invitation to an entertainment event.

Here are some tips for ensuring a personal touch when you are reaching decision-makers:

• Hire a savvy sales team. Build a sales team, and network with sales professionals who have personal connections to your target customer base.
• Weigh your options. Consider the costs and benefits of sending out sales reps versus creating a digital marketing strategy. In many cases, a customer’s loyalty is affected heavily by the personal connection they feel to your company. A professional rep commands far more loyalty than a banner ad.

3. Use a personal touch to differentiate yourself from the competition.

In crowded markets, leveraging a personal connection is essential to stand out from the competition. With the shift toward social media marketing, digital advertising and email marketing campaigns, companies that embrace a real-world connection with their clients differentiate themselves from rivals. 

A personalized, thoughtful holiday gift or a handwritten follow-up card after a meeting are excellent ways to establish an emotional, personal bond with current and future clients. Aim to go above and beyond generic “season’s greetings” messages on social media.

Here are some tips for ensuring a personal touch when you’re differentiating yourself from the competition:

• Keep notes. The best customer relationship management (CRM) systems allow you to file notes about current and potential clients. Use the information in these accounts to inform your marketing efforts.
• Send personalized gifts. Never miss an opportunity to send a personalized gift. Holidays, birthdays and challenging times are excellent opportunities to reestablish a connection beyond generic marketing efforts.
• Avoid overplaying the marketing angle. Prioritize the emotional, sentimental connection with your client, and put branding second.

4. Use a personal touch to connect with low-tech industries and audiences.

In some target markets, the ideal customer may not be tech savvy. If you rely solely on digital advertising, your customer must have a smartphone, computer or another digital device to access the information you want to share.  

According to an AARP study, 70 percent of adults 70 and older say technology is not designed with all ages in mind. Additionally, some people, such as those in rural areas and lower-income individuals, may not have as much access to technology as those who have higher incomes and live in urban areas.

Here are some tips for ensuring a personal touch when you’re connecting with low-tech audiences:

• Know your audience. Understand that not all customers have access to digital advertisements and marketing.
• Consider alternatives. Consider putting some of your digital advertising budget into print, television and radio media.
• Respect your audience. Pay careful attention to your messaging and phrasing to maximize digital and traditional advertising conversions.

3. Use a personal touch when trust is required for business.

If you’re selling a T-shirt, the buyer doesn’t have to trust you much; it’s a straightforward transaction. But what if you’re selling your family’s business? In this situation, trust would be a significant factor for both you and the buyer. You must ensure that the buyer follows through on various aspects of the deal and that they can be trusted to preserve your family’s reputation. In return, the buyer must trust that the business has the customer base, expertise and financials you’re representing. 

Both parties should incorporate personal touches into their interactions. Without a personal connection in this type of situation, the deal is at risk. Neither party wants to look untrustworthy or appear to lack value for the deal. 

Here are some tips for ensuring a personal touch when trust is a condition of doing business:

• Consider your contact person. Think about how well you must get to know the other person to build sufficient trust.
• Schedule meetings. Set up a series of one-on-one meetings in a relaxed atmosphere so you can talk.
• Keep communication personal. When you’re not interacting in person, include handwritten notes to communicate your personal involvement and interest.

What are the benefits of using a personal touch in marketing?

Here are five notable benefits of emotionally connecting with customers through personalized marketing efforts.   

• A personal touch puts a face to your business. Customers build stronger connections with people than with faceless companies. Humans are naturally attuned to interpersonal connections. When a customer or prospect associates an individual with the company they’re buying from, it results in more customer loyalty. Connecting personally makes more of an impression, since it’s easier to remember someone you spent time with than to recall a corporate identity.
• A personal touch creates strong emotional bonds. Showing a customer that you care enough to remember significant life events — if they’re expecting a child, for example — makes them more likely to believe you care enough to ensure smooth business transactions. If you’re a caring and attentive person with the customer’s best interests at heart, they’ll feel more secure in the business relationship.
• A personal touch gives you a competitive edge. When all other considerations are equal, a personal touch can be the deciding factor in landing you the deal. By reaching out on a personal level, you demonstrate that you genuinely want to work with the prospect or customer and you’re motivated to deliver a great customer experience. A personal touch also helps your customers feel valued and can be an important marketing strategy.
• A personal touch encourages customer loyalty. All businesses make mistakes occasionally, but loyal customers will overlook minor missteps. Over time, if you continue using personal touches, you may form deeper customer relationships that can withstand price increases, delivery interruptions and other challenges. While these issues may prompt non-connected customers to look for another provider, customers who genuinely know and believe in you will give you the benefit of the doubt, allowing you space to resolve the problem.
• A personal touch fosters trust. When a customer trusts you because you follow through on your promises and back up what you say, that trust automatically transfers to your company. Trust is essential for high-level transactions, partnerships and large purchases. When you use a personal touch in your sales process, it helps prospects identify with you and trust you more.

Scaling the personal touch in your business

Integrating personal touches into your marketing strategy can feel overwhelming if you have a large customer base. However, these digital tools make it easy to personalize your communication and outreach. 

CRM systems

To provide the most personalized experience possible for customers, companies should invest in a CRM system with artificial intelligence (AI), advised Daniel Lynch, president and founder of Empathy First Media. 

“Information such as purchase history, preferences and other behavioral patterns can guide a company on exactly what that specific customer is looking for or interested in,” Lynch said. “As the data is populated, companies will then have the ability to segment customers based on their specific problems, industries and unique needs to tailor product recommendations, email content and website experiences.”

Video brochures

Martin Purmensky, founder of theVideoCards, recommended using video brochures to deliver personalized content. “Companies can upload unique videos for each customer, addressing them by name or referencing a project, which creates a powerful personal connection,” Purmensky said. 

Additionally, AI video tools can help businesses automate personalization at scale. “These tools can help customize videos quickly by inserting names, preferences or other details specific to each client, making it easier to deliver personalized marketing messages to a large audience without sacrificing that personal touch,” Purmensky added.

With the right CRM and a commitment to recording customer behavior and preferences, businesses can benefit from employing a personal touch in their marketing.