Guest post by: Michael Sortwell, Marketing Director, Euclid Technologyhttp://infolio-rg.ru
Are you making the most of your member data? With the right strategy and the proper tools, you can use your data to drive personalized content for your members. Here’s the basic framework for creating content that’s tailored to each of your members.
Personalized content, sometimes referred to as “Dynamic Content,” is content that varies based on the individual viewer. An example that everyone will be familiar with is the shopping experience on websites like Amazon.com. When you visit online retailers like Amazon, you’ll almost always be presented with some kind of “recommended products”. (See example below.)
These recommended products are an example of personalized content driven by customer data. Amazon is using data it has stored about your previous shopping history (i.e. products purchased, products viewed, and complementary products purchased) to recommend additional products that may be specifically appealing to you.
It’s no accident that major online retailers use data about their customers to present them with personalized content. There’s strong evidence that presenting individuals with content that is tailored to them increases engagement and drives more frequent purchases.
You’ll need the appropriate infrastructure in place to drive personalized content. At a minimum, you’ll need a backend database to store the preferences, purchase histories, interests, etc. of all of your members. That data will be used to drive the dynamic content. For most associations, this function is handled by their association management software.
Here at Euclid, we have successfully worked with several clients to drive personalized content using our association management software, ClearVantage. Below are a few examples of personalized content in websites, emails, and even events.
Your association’s website is a great opportunity to deliver personalized content to your members. Once they’ve logged into the website, you can display content to members based on their previous purchases, self-reported preferences/interests, events attended, and more. Below is a screenshot of the Professional Liability Underwriting Society’s (PLUS) website. As you can see, they use data in ClearVantage to display events, educational resources, journal articles, and chapter information that is relevant and specific to each member.
Personalized emails are the most widely used form of dynamic content. Everyone has received marketing emails that begin “Dear Ms. Smith” rather than “Dear Valued Customer”. But what about going beyond the everyday “mail merge?” For example, many trade associations store client logos in their association management software database. Why not merge your member’s logo into an email communication as well as their company name?
An email is more likely to catch your member’s attention if it includes their company logo as well as their company name. These small, personalized touches can make a huge difference in email click/conversion rates.
Everyone expects a personalized name tag when they arrive at a conference. The typical name tag includes your member’s name, their organization, and maybe where they’re from. However, there are plenty of ways to add a custom touch to an otherwise bland name tag. For example, many of Euclid’s clients frequently merge each attendee’s personalized event schedule onto the back of their name tag, and also add badges for specific achievements.
Conclusion
These are just a few examples of personalized content driven from member data. With the right tools, like ClearVantage, your association can capitalize on even more engagement opportunities with your members.