The Importance of Personalization in GO-To-Market Strategies

Consumers expect 1:1 relevance. But most FMCG leadership teams were built for mass-market scale. That’s the tension I keep seeing inside boardrooms. FMCG companies are investing millions into personalization AI-driven product recommendations, region-specific product drops, and tailored loyalty experiences. But the execution? It’s often limited by the leadership behind it. 76% of FMCG executives say personalization is now their #1 digital investment priority (PwC Global Consumer Survey, 2024). Yet only 28% feel “very confident” their current teams can deliver it. Why the disconnect? Because the traditional marketing and commercial leadership model in FMCG wasn’t built for this world. It was built for mass media. For scale-first. For “spray and optimize.” Personalization isn’t just a digital tool it’s a mindset. A structural shift in how we think about relevance, segmentation, and value. And it requires a very different kind of leader. In a recent search for a global marketing transformation role, we met dozens of impressive FMCG veterans brand builders with household-name credentials. But the client a multinational food & beverage group pivoting toward DTC wasn’t just looking for storytelling. They needed: → Leaders who understood identity resolution and CRM architecture → Operators who’d worked in environments where every SKU, every ad, and every touchpoint was dynamically personalized → Thinkers who could balance precision with profitability and who saw digital ecosystems not as channels, but as core to the brand The candidate we ultimately placed came from a digital-first background. Not FMCG. But tech. What they brought was rare: deep consumer empathy + commercial fluency + technical curiosity. That’s the new CMO profile we’re seeing emerge across leading organizations not just brand-led, but insight-led. Not just creative, but data-literate. Not just global in scope, but granular in execution. Here’s the truth many companies are still wrestling with: You can’t deliver personalization from a PowerPoint deck. You need systems, yes. But more than that you need leaders who can ask the right questions, build the right teams, and act on what the data actually says. The result? → Sharper value propositions for micro-segments → Lower acquisition costs through better targeting → Stronger lifetime value through hyper-relevant journeys But only if the people behind the strategy understand the mechanics behind the magic. Personalization isn’t a marketing trend it’s the new competitive advantage. And if your leadership team still thinks in averages? You’ll be left behind. This is the work I do every day with FMCG companies: not just finding leaders, but helping future-proof organizations. Because if we want to meet consumers where they are we need to hire like we mean it. #FMCG #Personalization #Leadership #ExecutiveSearch #ConsumerGoods #CMO

The metrics-obsessed, MQL-chasing playbook that I helped create at Marketo is steering us away from marketing's fundamental truth: "do right by the customer." But the funny thing about doing right by customers – building brand through genuine value exchange, truly understanding their needs, letting them control the process – these aren't revolutionary ideas. They're timeless principles we've buried under automation workflows and pipeline metrics. That's why I wasn't surprised to find clues to the new B2B playbook in Dale Carnegie's 1936 classic "How to Win Friends and Influence People." Before marketing automation, before we turned relationships into MQLs, Carnegie understood something we need to rediscover. 🤔 Here's what his ideas tell us about fixing today's broken B2B playbook: 1. "Become genuinely interested in other people" Stop viewing buyers as MQLs to be harvested. Start seeing them as humans seeking solutions. This isn't just feel-good advice – it's the foundation of sustainable pipeline generation in an AI world where generic outreach is increasingly ignored. 2. "Give before you expect to get"  Create content so valuable people would pay for it – then give it away ungated. Trust builds pipeline better than form-fills. When everybody else is building walls, build bridges. 3. "Let the other person feel the idea is theirs"  Today’s buyers don’t want to be sold. They want to do research on their own and begin the buying process on their own terms. In fact, by the time B2B buyers first contact sales, 80% of the time they already have a preferred vendor, and that vendor is the winner 80% of the time! 4. "Remember that a person's name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language" Personalization isn't just a buzzword. It's about making every interaction feel tailored and relevant. This goes beyond just using {{FirstName}} or even having AI attempt something that sounds personalized but is ultimately soulless – it's about understanding and addressing individual needs with the right offer at the right time. 5. "Let the other person do a great deal of the talking" Active listening is crucial in B2B. Use voice of customer data, social listening, and direct feedback to shape your strategies. Your customers often have the answers – you just need to listen. 6. "Make the other person feel important – and do it sincerely" In a world of commoditized tech, emotional connections matter. Build a community around your brand. Celebrate customer wins. Make your champions feel like the heroes they are. The old marketing playbook is broken. Buyers are burned out on aggressive tactics and shallow automation. It's time to stop treating marketing like a gumball machine and start doing right by the customer experience — exactly as Dale Carnegie advised almost 90 years ago. Who knows? You might just win some deals – and influence some customers – along the way. #B2BMarketing #CustomerExperience #GoToMarket

My 10 #takeaways from David Edelman & Mark Abraham's excellent book on #personalization: 1. Personalization can be a significant competitive advantage. Great personalization drives higher CSAT and CLTV 2. Goal: continuously improve experiences to give customers what they want better, faster, cheaper, easier 3. #AI crucial for unlocking the analytics, insights, automation, & optimization required for personalization at scale 4. Use a "Personalization Engine" (#composableCDP) to access centralized cloud data, unify customer profiles, use AI to determine next best actions, generate "atomized" content, delivered at the right time, right channel 5. Establish a universal control group to measure the net incremental margin from personalization 6. Costs: one-time Capex, plus Opex for people (25%); data & tech (55%); content/other (20%). For F500,=~$25 million annual (costs to decrease as capabilities scale & mature) 7. Means if 8% net margin, need to drive ~$300MM incremental revenue for personalization to breakeven. (My rough calculation from data in the book.) 8. Requires cross-functional collaboration, agile processes, C-level support, right tech and a "Personalization P&L" to ensure success 9. Great examples like Fidelity Investments, Marriott Hotels, The Home Depot, Voya Financial, lululemon, Spotify, and SEPHORA illustrate personalization in action, show what's possible. 10. This book is definitely #recommendedreading for #Marketers #Marketing #CMOs. Super well written, insightful, current & useful. #welldone David, Mark, Juan Martinez, Harvard Business Review & Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

The one-size-fits-all approach to customer experience is dead weight. Companies that rely on cookie-cutter solutions are missing the mark. The notion that a single, off-the-shelf strategy can cater to every customer is not just outdated; it’s a blatant insult to the intelligence of your audience. Every customer is unique. We’re all snowflakes people? Preferences, needs, and behaviors are as diverse as the platforms customers use to interact with your brand. Yet, many organizations stubbornly cling to the idea that if a strategy works for one, it must work for all. That’s like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole and expecting a perfect match. It’s lazy, ineffective, and, frankly, it pisses off the very people you’re trying to serve. The irony is that while technology and analytics have evolved exponentially, many CX leaders still rely on the same tired, generic models. They obsess over metrics like Net Promoter Score and CSAT without digging deeper into the nuances behind the numbers. The blind reliance on broad data reduces complex human behaviors to mere statistics, stripping away the personal touch that modern consumers demand. It’s a one-dimensional view of a multidimensional reality. If you’re serious about delivering real value, it’s time to ditch this cookie-cutter mindset. Embrace a strategy that acknowledges the individuality of each customer. When you force everyone down the same narrow path, you’re not just oversimplifying their journey—you’re actively alienating them. Instead, invest in understanding what truly drives each customer’s experience. Leverage granular data and real-time feedback to build tailored interactions that resonate on a personal level. In today’s market, where customers expect personalization and genuine engagement, sticking to outdated models is a recipe for stagnation. Companies that fail to adapt are destined to be left in the dust by more agile competitors who understand that real customer experience is as varied as the customers themselves. This isn’t a call for half-measures or incremental tweaks. It’s a wake-up call to challenge the status quo. Reassess your CX strategy and ask yourself: Are you truly listening to your customers, or are you just ticking boxes? Stop romanticizing simplicity when complexity is the reality of modern consumer behavior. Instead of forcing your customers into a one-size-fits-all mold, give them the respect they deserve by crafting experiences that acknowledge their individuality. The future of CX isn’t about fitting everyone into the same template, it’s about recognizing and celebrating what makes each customer unique. It’s time to kick the cookie-cutter approach to the curb and build a customer experience strategy that is as dynamic and diverse as the people you serve. #customerexperience #cx #personalization #marketing #innovation

Today, David Edelman joins the Outthinkers Podcast to discuss how to use personalization as a competitive advantage in the age of AI. David is a Harvard Business School Fellow and Executive Advisor at Boston Consulting Group (BCG). He spent over 30 years as a chief marketing officer at Aetna/CVS, as well as building consultancy businesses in digital and marketing transformation while with McKinsey, Digitas, and BCG. He now teaches marketing at Harvard Business School and serves as an advisor to top executives in startups, private equity, and larger enterprises. In the episode, we dive into David’s book, "Personalized: Customer Strategy in the Age of AI", coauthored with Mark Abraham, which helps executives learn how to put personalization at the center of their #strategy, accelerate growth, and capture their share of the value personalization creates. He shares:  -> How #personalization has radically shifted in the past decades to create unique value for customers, going beyond just marketing.  -> How #data and #AI play a pivotal role in this shift, governed by ecosystems where companies collaborate to deliver solutions rather than just products  -> The five promises businesses should focus on to seize the personalization advantage: empower me, know me, reach me, show me, and delight me  -> How to measure your solutions’ effectiveness with a custom Personalization index tool Listen here: https://lnkd.in/etxGUTEN

Most companies don’t actually know their customers as well as they think they do. 🤔 In a world where personalization reigns supreme, direct-to-consumer brands have no excuse not to be data-driven. Here's the harsh truth: without deep insights into customer behavior, you're leaving opportunities (and revenue!) on the table. 🚪💸 Let me paint a picture: One of our clients, a fintech company, wanted to boost the adoption of their premium app features. They had amazing functionality, but the uptake just wasn’t there. Using Fivvy, we identified the right users—those already engaging with competitive apps and showing behaviors that indicated premium preferences. The result? An 18% increase in premium feature adoption and 7% less churn in this segment. Here’s the kicker: it wasn’t about spamming all users. It was about precision. Personalized push notifications and targeting worked because we truly knew their audience. 🎯 In the age of abundant data, the winners are the companies that leverage it smartly—not just to sell but to add real value to their customers' lives. What’s stopping your company from becoming truly customer-centric? #CustomerExperience #DataDriven #Fintech #CustomerSuccess #DirectToConsumer #Fivvy

🤡 Most DTC brands incorrectly think #personalization means: ✔️ Using the customer’s [first_name] in an email, sms or push ✔️ Sending them a generic “recommended for you” product list ✔️ Offering a blanket incentive “10% off your next order” "That’s not personalization. That’s automation dressed up as effort." 🤷🏻♀️ This is all from the ever-wise Eli Weiss and his latest newsletter, "All Things #CX and #Retention" (link in the comments 🙏🏼🔗) And while I 100% agree- I'd like to throw in some even more food for thought on how to 💖 TRULY personalize 💖 this post-purchase experience. 📲 Personalization is about sending the right message, in the right way, at the right time, and in the right place. This is a VERY challenging task to tackle for Every. Single. Individual. Customer. (I promise your #CRM teams will agree with me on that). 😥 We end up drafting a wet blanket of an email follow-up that probably has low open rates and just doesn't provide much value... especially because we assume EVERY SINGLE CUSTOMER needs to receive it 23 hr after purchase (or another static time delay). Friends - these interactions CAN and SHOULD feel human. Even if you're using #generativeAI to write your copy and #agenticAI to intelligently send it (and test it), REMIND your customers that there is a real human behind it all. ❌ 1. BYE BYE NO-REPLY: Get rid of the "noreply@yourbrand.com" email address- use your CS email and include a CTA that customers can always reply with questions, comments or concerns to chat with a real person on your customer support team. ⏰ 2. TEST TIMING: There is no single "best time" to follow up with all your customers. You can and should be running large, sophisticated A/B tests on timing and messaging. Because every single customer WILL have a different preference for their "best time" and "preferred message".... You are personalizing to their individual needs and preferences, folks! This is high-level personalization at its finest! ✨ OR better yet, you use a tool like Aampe 💅🏼 that looks at past individual behavior to test the best time to send post-purchase content FOR EVERY SINGLE CUSTOMER when they are most likely to engage with it.) 3. 🤪 MAP OUT YOUR CUSTOMER MOTIVATIONS: Immediately after purchase, not everyone needs a generic discount code to convince them to purchase again & nor a generic list of product recommendations. You are giving away margin and wasting space with unwanted recs. 👉🏼 Some folks crave REASSURANCE that their items will ship on time and that they can count on you to update that! 👉🏼 Some folks want BELONGING to feel like they've joined a movement! 👉🏼 Some folks want ASPIRATION to feel inspired to create and dream! TLDR: personalization is SO MUCH MORE than just adding a {generic_data_points}. AI is at our fingertips to help us scale a more creative, humanized experience for every individual