In this article:
- Linking purchase history with calendar events can create solid marketing personalization
- But you have to exercise some real judgment to avoid embarrassing marketing missteps
Boss’s Day is really an event on the calendar, slated for October 16. This could be an occasion for promoting your product, but that doesn’t mean it’s suitable for every product.
Become the best CRMer you can:
CRM Hack: Monitoring the User’s Heartbeat
What Does It Mean to Treat a Customer’s Email With Respect?
To Lock or Not to Lock Customers (into CRM Journeys)
What the Efforts to Promote Responsible Gaming Look Like Form the Inside
Case in point, this email:
The top part of it looks pretty standard, an eye-catching image (in this case a gif) that lets you know there’s an occasion coming up that could warrant some form of celebration or gift. Certainly the email appears promising enough with its cheerful good wishes punctuated by donuts and sprinkles.
But it takes quite an unexpected turn for anyone who didn’t note the sender address. It continues as follows:
Yes, I’ve bought the moth traps before because all my wool clothes were getting tiny holes in them. While the traps can be useful in mitigating such clothes damage, they are hardly giftable.
In fact, I can imagine some people getting insulted at the insinuation that they have been wearing clothes that show moth damage. Certainly, that is not the type of insinuation you’d want to convey to your boss.
This is a classic personalization blunder, the kind that can happen when the brand does not have it’s customer data unified in a CDP, and that does not use smart tools that orchestrate messaging. Yes, personalization in CRM Marketing is a must, but it also can lead to embarrassing situations such as this one.
And, remember: if the message doesn’t fit the product, don’t try to force it. The key to building meaningful relationships with customers is revelcany and being helpful. If you want to remind someone to restock on a product purchased before, that’s fine. But don’t make yourself look ridiculous by linking it to an occasion that has no relevance.