As the business world grows evermore dynamic, consumers are becoming more and more conscious about the “retail experience”; not only are they steadily expecting a great product, but they now want a customer journey to match.

We can’t blame them – after all, how is a retail store going to perform if there is nobody there to buy its products? Retailers have to be aware of this fact, more than ever now; consumers are beginning to realise how crucial they are for a business, and so want to feel valued.

Fortunately, “value” doesn’t just mean dollar signs – it also means personalization.

What is personalization?

Scott Symonds, managing director of media at ideas and innovation agency AKQA, perfectly sums up the concept of personalization in the following words: “I think of personalization as respecting the relationship we have with the consumer by recognising and honouring the level of investment they have made to our client brands.”

Personalization requires attention-to-detail into things like customer’s habits, actions and interests, and use them collectively to improve the entire brand experience.

Why does it matter?

Between recognition and irrelevancy, stands personalization – yes, it matters a lot.

It matters simply because it makes them feel cared for – they like it when a store remembers them and their services. Customers will automatically gravitate towards those brands that see them as more than just walking, talking wallets!

Furthermore, personalised attempts at urging customers to act are more likely to work – and there’s research to prove it. A recent research from Hubspot has shown that personalized Calls to Action (CTAs) perform a staggering 202% better than simple CTAs.

How to reach hearts?

It’s simple: bring your data to life.

And we mean it; having data is different from turning it useful. Just like the tree that won’t grow until you sow a seed, personalization won’t begin until you collect and analyse data. Be sure to look through the numbers; take a moment to understand your audience better – their likes, dislikes, interests, everything.

Once you’ve taken a deep dive into the mind of your customers, it’s time to take action! Here are some ways you can sprinkle in a bit of personalization to the retail experience:

Personalised emails

This is perhaps the most common kind of personalization – but we’re not just talking about slapping on the customer’s name in the subject. We’re taking it a step further.

If you want to create a heartfelt impact on your customers, don’t just spam their emails. Take the mode of communication, and introduce elements you know your customer will love. This is the perfect chance for you to show them that you know what they want: their favourite product catalogues, discounts, exclusive offers, promotions – be sure to include something your customer will appreciate and respond to.

Personalised prompts

Customers don’t want to be badgered about buying something all the time. The key to smart personalization is to shift the attention to other things that matter. Remember, any positive impact on customers will inevitably strengthen your sales.

This is where prompts – and some creativity – come into play.

Give your customer a reason to keep your brand on their mind, and the best way to do that is by putting them first. If they’ve bought consumable products, send them a reminder to buy some before they run out of it. If they haven’t come back to your store for some time, send them follow-ups highlighting the fact that they’re “missing out on some cool products!” or that your brand “misses them a lot!” (whatever floats your boat). That way, you’ll compel even potentially lost customers to give another try.

Try different channels out, and stick to what gets you the most responses; emails, SMS, social media, or even a Facebook group – the possibilities are endless.

Encourage customers to join Loyalty Programs

This is perhaps the best way to keep customers hooked onto your retail store. A 2016 study showed that members of loyalty programs generate 12 – 18 % more revenue than non-members – why is that?

The answer is simple: some customers don’t want to give away information without anything in return. That’s why Loyalty Programs become imperative if you want to keep your audience growing. Such programs are designed to reward members for their loyalty with things like discounts, offers and promotions. These kinds of “incentives” keep customers interested in your brand, and help drive sales.

What, you don’t have a Loyalty Program? Don’t worry – you can still invest in a Point Of Sale (POS) System like Oscar. This POS software has a Loyalty Program built in; not only does it let you reward your most loyal members, but also allows you to analyse the specifics of customer loyalty through powerful reports. Loyalty programs can do wonders for your business – and we have discussed a few of them here.


We wish we could share more tips, but we’ve got a secret: personalization has no rules! It’s one of the aspects of running a business that is entirely in your control, and needs the least bit of restrictions.

All customers want the same thing: appreciation. Whatever way you give that will work – the more creative you are, the more memorable your brand will be.