The knowledge that a personalised approach delivers better results is nothing new. For a while now traditional, one-size-fits-all marketing campaigns have been less effective – in a world where a wealth of information is at our fingertips, customers expect a buying experience tailored to their specific needs and wants.
It’s one of the reasons why account-based marketing (ABM) and the use of intent data has become such a popular lead-generation strategy, targeting the right, high-value accounts with personalised content that makes them more likely to convert.
But, while personalising marketing campaigns for one customer is easy, tailoring messaging to one hundred – or even thousands – of customers poses a significant challenge, especially as B2B buyers become increasingly anonymous and elusive.
Enter AI.
The use of artificial intelligence has revolutionised the way businesses can personalise their lead generation efforts, allowing operations of all sizes to give every customer a unique experience.
The benefits of personalisation in lead generation
Before we examine how AI makes personalisation at scale possible, let’s look in more detail at the benefits that personalisation brings and why it’s so important:
- Enhanced engagement. Potential leads who receive personalised messages feel seen and understood – and are more likely to respond positively. In fact, adding multiple personalisation fields to an email can improve reply rates by 142%.
- Improved conversion rates. When messages resonate and directly address pain points or desires, prospects are more likely to take action as a result.
- Greater customer loyalty. Personalised lead generation continues throughout the customer journey so your customers feel valued and understood beyond the conversion. This generates positivity and long-term loyalty.
- Better customer experience. 99% of marketers say personalisation positively impacts customer relationships because customers have a better perception of businesses that deliver relevant and insightful messages.
- Competitive advantage. Customers are overloaded with information and anything that doesn’t resonate is liable to get lost in the digital noise. Personalisation reduces the likelihood of this happening, helping you to stand out in a crowded marketplace.
Why introduce AI-powered personalisation?
We’ve already touched on the complexities of personalising multiple campaigns and the higher the numbers, the more data is involved, then the more difficult it becomes. 39% of B2B marketers struggle with personalising their ABM campaigns through lack of time and inaccurate data.
AI allows data to be gathered and analysed automatically, processing information from sources including website interactions, email engagement, social media activity and more to create detailed customer profiles. Personalised content recommendations are based on individual preferences and behaviour and algorithms use historical data to predict future actions, forecasting which leads are most likely to convert.
Removing the need for manual research not only saves a significant amount of time (sales reps can spend up to 20% of their time preparing for calls) but also improves accuracy, consistency and efficiency. Sales and marketing teams are freed up to focus on strategy and relationship building rather than data processing, and robust security measures mean customer data is handled safely and compliantly.
Implementing an AI-based personalised campaign
So, we’ve covered the benefits of using AI to personalise lead generation campaigns, but what are the steps to effectively implementing the activity?
Like any campaign, it requires a well-structured plan and a clear roadmap to navigate successfully.
- Define clear objectives
What do you want to achieve? Be clear, as this will guide your campaign strategy.
- Identify target audiences
Using AI algorithms, segment your audience by demographics, behaviour, preferences and other criteria. This will be the foundation for your personalisation.
- Prioritise intent signals
AI algorithms can continuously evaluate lead quality based on various factors such as engagement with marketing materials, website visits and more, so sales teams can focus their efforts on leads with the highest potential.
- Identify triggers and how AI can overcome them
Defining trigger events or situations and understanding how AI can address each one allows you to create a responsive campaign that provides tailored experiences at the right time.
- Develop well-written message templates
Create personalised content tailored to each audience segment and trigger. AI can help automate this process by suggesting relevant messaging, subject lines and product recommendations.
- Measure, refine and optimise
The ability to monitor and analyse performance is where AI and machine learning really come into their own. Use AI insights to optimise and improve campaign effectiveness and analytics tools to delve deeper into customer behaviour and campaign impact, making changes that enhance results over time.
Challenges and considerations
Clearly, AI offers enormous potential for personalised lead generation. When used well, it’s a cost-effective way to generate results, delivering the type of tailored experiences that customers have come to expect. But, as with all technology, it’s a work in progress and there are some limitations.
The success of AI is reliant on the quality of the data it processes. In short, it needs the right input to create the best possible output. In a similar vein, implementing AI solutions requires clear instructions – again, the output is reliant on the quality of the input. It might be necessary to invest in training or hire AI specialists to get the most out of the tools.
Another particular point of debate is whether AI can write as well as humans. Certainly, it’s articulate but despite adaptations in tone and vocabulary, it still can’t write with the same empathy, feeling and nuances as a person. Therefore, a hybrid solution is often used; utilising machines for labour-intensive work, data analysis and insights but people to craft the final messages.
Achieve personalisation at scale with Interlink
We’re taking a similar approach. Our Discover tool is still the best way to analyse the behaviour of your prospects, using AI and deep learning to measure their inclination to buy. It searches the web for intent signals, using the information gathered to create a list of prospects that can be targeted at the perfect time: when their search has been triggered, so you can be one step ahead of the competition.
Now, we have launched an additional service: personalised campaigns. Using AI to customise communications based on the insights gathered using Discover, our tool tailors the sales message to your target. These high-quality messages, crafted by our expert sales copywriters have already helped clients see a three-fold increase in conversion rates.
There’s no doubt that the future of lead generation is personalised and AI is the key that unlocks its full potential. Find out more about how our AI tools can help businesses to connect with their audience on a deeper level, drive growth, and stay competitive in a rapidly changing digital marketplace.
Contact us for a free demonstration.