Offering a more personal experience has always been a winner in marketing. And it’s something that brands have strived for since direct mail campaigns of the late 1800s. In today’s digital age, personalisation has massively changed.
Most people would probably agree that it’s easier than ever to offer a more personalised experience thanks to advancements in technology. On the other hand, it could also be argued that personalisation efforts now feel less personal simply as a result of how easy it’s become to add a bespoke touch. Consider an email that addresses you by your first name and a handwritten letter that does the same. Both do the same thing yet one could have been done with the help of artificial intelligence and sent to thousands of other people while the other involves physical effort and human time commitment.
This article will discuss if small businesses have an advantage over big brands when it comes to offering a personal touch in 2024.
Examples of personalisation from big brands
Coca-Cola
The “Share a Coke” campaign began in 2011 and gained widespread attention. The idea itself was pretty simple and involved being able to purchase a Coca-Cola bottle with your own name or someone else’s name on the bottle.
The campaign allowed the drinks brand to move into the gift market for a short period, as consumers could gift personalised Coke bottles to their friends. The campaign perfectly highlighted the power of personalisation and had Coca-Cola consumers flocking to find a bottle with their own, or their friend’s name printed on it.
Starbucks
Starbucks is one of the few examples of a big brand that still offers a physical, handwritten touch of personalisation by adding customers’ names to their coffee cups. Although the writing of a name on a coffee cup seems like a fairly logical action to help out with orders, it simultaneously (and more importantly) works to offer a bespoke experience.
Similar to Coke, this is a great example of how big brands can customise their customers’ experience without altering the product itself which needs to be consistent all over the world.
Amazon
For digital native brands, personalisation often comes in the form of digital algorithms and can very often be the key to increasing sales. Amazon is a shining example of this.
Amazon’s efforts to offer a more personalised service are a good example of how users may not even notice personalisation in today’s world. Terms like “You may also like” and “customers also bought” are often seen on eCommerce platforms like Amazon today.
The above examples highlight how large companies aim to introduce personalisation into both their marketing and their product. However, when brands get to the size of Coca-Cola, Starbucks and Amazon, it’s almost impossible to offer each customer a completely unique experience.
For companies that are selling to millions, customers must be grouped into demographics. However, for small businesses with a limited number of customers and orders, this is one area where they can get the upper hand on big corporations.
Personalisation ideas for small businesses
If you’re running a small business, you probably look at the world’s biggest brands with envy, longing for a slice of their marketing budgets and resources. But surprisingly, there are some advantages of being small, the main one being how much more of a personalised service you can offer your customers.
Here are a few examples of how you can offer an ultra-personalised service as a small business.
Packaging
Packaging has become a vital part of eCommerce. Unwrapping your gift is often the first physical touchpoint you have with a brand if purchasing online. Yet for big brands, cost reduction and speed are often prioritised over personalisation when it comes to packaging.
For smaller businesses dealing with fewer orders, try having different packaging processes for different orders and customers. Alternatively, use customised labels and stickers with a little message for your customer.
Handwritten notes
Starbucks’ handwritten names on cups are a nice touch, but it’s an example of mass personalisation. If you’re only packaging a handful of orders a day, there’s nothing to stop you from taking this one step further.
For example, add a handwritten note addressing the customer by name and mentioning something about their order. If you’re selling handmade luxury Christmas baubles, write a note suggesting some colour themes that the baubles would work well with.
Free gifts
If a company is shipping thousands of orders a day, adding a gift to each order would be quite a costly tactic. But for small businesses, it would be slightly more manageable. Choose a week where each order receives a surprise free personalised gift relating to their past purchases.
If you’re selling customisable dog collars, send a small packet of treats for your customer’s pooch too.
Social content
Small businesses might not enjoy the vast reach that larger businesses do on social media, but creating content to enhance their customers’ experience has become a viral trend in recent years.
It’s common for small business owners to film their packaging or manufacturing process so customers can enjoy the whole journey of their order. For instance, if you’re selling handmade pottery from home, you could film the pottery being crafted and tag the customer on social media.
Unique direct mail
Direct mail isn’t exclusive to small businesses, but whether you’re talking about physical mail or e-mail, founders of small businesses have the advantage of being able to craft bespoke material that not only speaks to the receiver but strikes up a conversation.
As already mentioned, direct mail for big businesses might be an automated name change on every email. For small businesses, they have the luxury of going a little deeper. Small businesses could even consider sliding into loyal customers’ DMs simply to thank them for their recent order or their decision to follow the brand on social media.
Final thoughts
Growing a small business isn’t easy. But the early days of your startup or side hustle should be some of the most enjoyable. These are the days when you will discover your earliest supporters and your most ardent customers. Use this to your advantage and tie personalised marketing with bespoke customer service to build deep connections with your consumers and create repeat customers through your effort to go above and beyond what larger competitors don’t have the luxury of doing.
If you can commit to offering a personalised service as a small company, you may also find it becoming ingrained in your business. Even when it becomes impossible to offer a unique product or experience for every single customer, your commitment to go above and beyond when an issue arises will very likely be something that never leaves you or your business.