Marketers are talking about it. Research shows it’s effectiveness in driving more sales. But how can you implement personalization on your own eCommerce site? Some companies have tools or software with personalization capabilities but aren’t really using it. Usually, it is because of the time involved in setting it up. Some of the most powerful functionality and features around personalization can take planning and strategy to implement. But once they are in place, they don’t require much maintenance and can have a powerful impact on your revenue.
Your larger digital competitors are investing in it. Without a plan to leverage personalization, you risk losing in this digital race.
Manufacturers and distributors often dismiss personalization as something that doesn't hold value to them until they learn more about how other companies like them are using it to drive profitable growth.
Here are 5 ways you can personalize the experience your customers have on your eCommerce site.
Product Recommendations A common method of personalizing your site is through an area on product pages that shows “Customers who bought this also bought...” eCommerce platforms often have a form of this built in, but you can also work with 3rd party solutions that can use predictive data modeling to recommend products that would result in even more revenue.
This can be done both on product pages as well as within search results.
My Products Especially for B2B companies, many times only a fraction of the available products are relevant to a particular customer. Personalize your customers’ experience by displaying their own Frequently Ordered Products, maybe even noting the specific equipment at their facility that the products apply to. Setting this up will require some customizations of your software, but it can boost orders by making it easier for your customer to quickly find what they need. My Rep Strengthen your customer’s connection to their sales rep by showing a picture of their rep when they log in and providing the rep’s phone number and email address underneath the picture. This can be a relatively quick way to help your customer work with you.
Personalized Email Provide a preference center that allows customers to tell you what types of emails they want from you. Send customers cart abandonment emails if they added items to their cart but didn’t finish the order. You can also send personalized product recommendations via email, as well as invitations to review the product they ordered.
Personalized Content Take personalization a step further by displaying content that is customized to your visitor based on what you know about them. Your business may have different types of buyers for your products such as dealers, system consultants, and residential users. When visitors come to your site from a referral link that indicates what type of user they are, you can customize the content and images they see on your site to make them more relevant. Depending on how you implement this, it may require more time on an ongoing basis, but it also can be extremely powerful. Get Started Which of these options makes the most sense for your business? This functionality may be bundled into your Digital Experience Platform (as it is for Episerver), or you can add it to your site using a third-party tool like 4-Tell or SLI Systems. If you are considering re-platforming, make sure to ask questions about personalization support from the solutions you are considering.
If you are planning a new B2B eCommerce project, personalization is just one of many things to consider. Download our B2B eCommerce Planning Guide to help you think through all aspects of your project.
The lessons that guide Brilliance Business Solutions’ success began on a launching pad, when company founder Lori McDonald served as part of the team that put NASA’s Space Shuttle missions into orbit. McDonald leads Brilliance Business Solutions with over 20 years of computer engineering and software development experience.
While performing the technical task of managing the Shuttle’s in-flight data recorders at Mission Control in Houston, Lori also gained an invaluable personal insight from the dedicated NASA professionals working around her. It’s only natural that when McDonald transitioned from space science to web development and from Houston Texas to Milwaukee Wisconsin, a focus on creativity and reliability continued as a common thread. “Everybody loves an impressive, exciting web site,” she said, “but unless it achieves its practical business goals it’s like a rocket that never gets off the ground.”
Lori graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer-Electrical Engineering. She is a Microsoft Certified Professional. Her status as a recognized industry expert has resulted in regular speaking engagements at business conferences. Lori has been working with ACTION Business Coaching since December 2007 as she believes that improving herself, her leadership and her focus are critical for the ongoing success of Brilliance Business Solutions.
When Lori is not at work, she enjoys her family. She is married to David and has two boys. She enjoys living out her faith through service at her church, Transformation City Church, and in her community. She has a passion for making a difference in the lives of those in need and has worked with Milwaukee foster care as well as work on over 10 mission trips focused on home repair projects throughout the United States. Lori believes that those who lead best serve others first and she hopes this servant-based leadership is evident to every client of Brilliance Business Solutions.
Likes:
The Muppets, singing harmony, musical theater, Star Trek, The West Wing
Lori graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer-Electrical Engineering and leads Brilliance Business Solutions with over 20 years of computer engineering and software development experience. She is an Episerver EMVP, a Microsoft Certified Professional and a regular contributor on Practical eCommerce. Her status as a recognized industry expert has resulted in regular speaking engagements at business conferences.
