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It’s clear that digital technology, in particular smartphones, have sculpted new patterns of consumer demand. Rich personalized conversation with brands is replacing what was essentially a one-way channel. Email or SMS, for example, with the direction ‘donotreply’, represents a cul-de-sac of brand engagement - the end of the interaction. Savvy businesses have long-since realized that these moments are actually deeper opportunities to engage or to invite the consumer to participate in a more personalized customer experience.
The approach works. According to the latest survey from sales analytics firm, Periscope® By McKinsey, personalized messaging triggers action – 31% of consumers respond to messages about products relating to their interests. But the opportunities to engage with consumers happen at multiple stages throughout the customer journey not just at the top of the sales funnel.
It follows that enterprises must look beyond the tactical stab of a sales marketing campaign and scrutinize the entire customer experience, end-to-end, to identify opportunities where appropriate (and amazing interaction) can take place. In other words, zoning in on the notion that not all consumers want to do or buy the same thing, in the same way, every time. They want relevant and engaging communications that address them and their needs as individuals.
Personalized video messaging takes relevancy a step further, enabling interaction with consumers in a way that captures attention with moving images, simplifying the communication and demonstrating that a brand or enterprise has “fore knowledge” of their requirements. The result can be any number of objectives, from increased consumer loyalty, upselling or simply the reduction of churn.
Here’s four crucial touch-points to make your personalized video move:
- Before a purchase. An offer based on cart abandonment. A personalized message might showcase that garment (as a static image or in video format) and provide a link so that the customer can find their nearest store or an option to purchase it directly online.
- After a purchase. On-boarding a new customer that has recently signed up for a service for example. The objective might be a warm welcome, an acknowledgment of what a particular customer has signed up for, and orientation around the next steps.
- At churn points - when a phone contract or insurance policy is coming to an end for example. The video might contain upgrade options that save the consumer money by switching to a different tariff or a selection of options for a new handset.
- As part of on-going customer experience – dynamic rich messages that augment the known metadata with third party data, adding an additional layer of utility. A personalized video notification from an airline, for example, based on a customer’s flight information that adds weather forecasts of the destination location.
Crucially each of these moments and many moments in between offer some sort of help or add value to the customer relationship, while sending that communication as a personalized video makes it immediately accessible, engaging and easy to understand.
Sinch is all about personalization. Recently we participated in a webchat with mobile trade body, MEF, on the subject which you can view in full here, or if you’d like a deeper dive, check out our latest eBook: Messaging and Personalization – Transitioning from loyalty to relevance or the Personalization pages on the Sinch website.
