Gail Bower - Revenue Strategist Gail Bower's Blog

How much do you really know about your audiences?Your organization likely has a database, an email list, or at the very least a big spreadsheet of names and addresses.

How much do you really know about these individuals? Do you know how and why they are connected to your organization?

Personalization is a trend your organization needs to be factoring into your marketing plans. In order to personalize, you also need to segment based on a detailed set of variables.

More and more, consumers expect to be recognized and engaged in highly personal ways. Vast data and improving customer experience strategies are making it possible.

One of my colleagues told a story recently about walking around the grounds of a hotel and being greeted personally by several of its staff members. They all knew and used his name. And he was not walking around the hotel wearing a name tag!

Earlier this summer, I was walking down the street and saw a homeless man with a curious cardboard sign. Before his request for financial support, he handwrote:

Vegan

Senior

Veteran

Here was a man whose circumstances resulted in him living on the street, and yet he asked us to recognize and understand his identity and unique needs.

The value of segmenting allows you to personalize your communication and, through your programs or services. meet the specific needs of your constituents, donors, and clients.

The value extends beyond your direct services. The more you know about your audiences means you have more opportunity for sponsorship.

Because I worked with a client to be clear about her organization's audiences, she was able to easily pivot in a sponsor discussion. She was meeting this sponsor to talk about one sponsorship opportunity, but the prospective sponsor was not interested.

Through the conversation, my client made this individual's eyes light up when she described a different segment that was highly desirable to the company the person represented. Rather than end this lunch meeting with disappointment, they were off on a new discussion.

How are you segmenting and personalizing?