Consumers want to feel valued and catered to, even on a generic website for a large corporation. Retailers like Amazon and Nordstroms attempt to fulfill these wants by including a “based on your search history” tab on their homepage to offer personalized recommendations for each shopper.
However, small businesses have the chance to do personalization right. In stores, consumers can talk to the owner and hear the tale behind how she hand-made a certain product or which farm grew the vegetables. Individuals feel connected to the products and to the brands through this sharing of information, and therefore are more likely to engage with and buy from them.
We’re drawn to stories, so utilizing this tool in your marketing strategies makes logical sense. Thousands of successful entrepreneurs use stories to share their brand and personality while also promoting themselves.
Momo isn’t your average border collie. He’s at the center of the canine version of Where’s Waldo: Find Momo. Owner and photographer Andrew Knapp shoots photos of his dog at various locations throughout the United States and Canada, eventually compiling them into two New York Times bestseller books and a children’s picture book. His business is built upon sharing photos and stories of his dog and their journeys together.
An example of a “Find Momo” in a New York City book exchange.
From Obama to Kim Kardashian, numerous celebrities and public figures write “tell-all” books about certain influential moments in their lives. Andi Dorfman went from a contestant on The Bachelor to The Bachelorette herself. While she did end the show engaged, she and her fiancee quickly broke up following the show’s airing.
Dorfman is no longer on television but chose personalization in her branding. She wrote a book about her experience as The Bachelorette, writing many personal details previously unshared. Readers sympathized with her romantic woes, launching her back into the public eye and allowing her book to become a bestseller.
Whether it’s the company history, employee spotlights, or information about how your products are produced, share it with your audience. Not only does it humanize your business, but it allows consumers to feel like part of the journey too.