Making It Personal

What makes something personal? I’ve been thinking about this a lot, especially in the context of customer experience and marketing. Because there’s a huge difference between something that is personalised and something that is personal.

Personalised is: “Dear Scott, here is your tailored offer.” Personal is: “I remembered you mentioned your daughter was starting school this year. How did it go?”

Personalised is a system. Personal is a relationship.

The Problem With Scale

The challenge for any business is that personal doesn’t scale. Or does it? I think it does – but not in the way most people think.

You can’t personally know every customer. But you can build a culture where your people genuinely care about customers. And genuine care – even from someone who doesn’t know you well – is felt.

What scales is not the personal touch itself, but the disposition toward people that produces personal touches.

Making It Personal In Practice

• Remember names. Use them.
• Remember what people told you last time.
• Follow up. Not with an automated email. With a genuine one.
• Ask questions you don’t already know the answer to.
• Listen to the answer.

Personal is not a strategy. It’s a choice. And it’s a choice you make before the customer walks through the door.