Would you throw a party and talk about it in front of someone who isn’t invited or couldn’t attend?
Of course not, because you know it could cause hurt feelings. But what if you are creating that effect accidentally?
Honeywell Biscuit Co., a UK-based bakery, would send email promotions for every holiday to their customer list.
One year, they sent an email offering customers the chance to write back and opt out of Father’s Day campaigns, figuring a few dozen people might choose to do so.
Instead, over 400 customers replied.
So, the following May, they created a thoughtful email with an easier way for customers to opt out of Mother’s Day.
Customers wrote notes to the company explaining how much—and why—they valued this offer. They posted screenshots of the email on social media.
They meant to be sensitive to subscribers who had lost a parent.
But they were surprised to hear from subscribers facing situations they hadn’t anticipated—like navigating infertility or coping with a strained family situation.
“Personalization” is often simplified to using the customer’s name at the top of a note. Or suggesting additional items to buy based on past purchases.
But that’s not what customers crave.
Techniques feel shallow when they focus on what can be automated to sell more.
Instead, learn more about your customers as real people—not simplified averages in your data, but complex individuals with unexpected challenges and needs. You’ll gain insights and spot patterns that inspire creative choices.