Old-School Tactics Make a Fresh Impact on Digital Natives
In an era dominated by AI-driven personalisation, one truth remains unchanged—authentic human connection is the foundation of strong customer relationships. While AI excels at identifying potential customers, businesses must embrace traditional, high-touch engagement methods to truly nurture those relationships.
The Power of Human Connection in a Digital World
“AI is an incredible tool,” says Kyle Tudor, head of sales at Perfection and Custom, speaking at the recent MarTech Conference. “But customers are still human. As automation increases, so do expectations for personal engagement. If everyone is using AI, the best way to stand out is by being human. Genuine empathy and authentic interactions create memorable experiences that AI simply can’t replicate.”
Defining Your Ideal Customer Profile
Effective relationship-building starts with identifying your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). This involves creating a comprehensive persona that encapsulates your best customers’ characteristics, needs, and behaviours. Understanding your audience at a granular level enables businesses to align their marketing strategies for maximum impact.
Once an ICP is in place, lead scoring becomes a crucial tool in prioritising prospects. Assigning value to different customer actions—such as downloading resources or engaging with emails—helps sales teams focus on the highest-value opportunities. Similarly, segmentation ensures messaging resonates by tailoring communications based on demographics, behaviour, and preferences.
Personalisation That Resonates
With segmented audiences and prioritised leads, the next step is crafting personalised campaigns that break through the noise. Generic messaging no longer suffices—customers expect hyper-relevant content that speaks directly to their needs.
“Personalisation differentiates brands,” says Tudor. “Authenticity and a deep understanding of customer challenges are essential in creating meaningful engagement.”
Key elements of effective personalisation include:
- Relevance: Align messaging with customer interests and behaviours.
- Timing: Deliver messages when engagement is most likely.
- Clear Value Proposition: Clearly articulate what makes your offering unique.
- Concise Messaging: Keep communications direct and impactful.
- Human Touch: Use relatable, conversational language, even incorporating appropriate humour where suitable.
“This isn’t about hard selling,” Tudor emphasises. “It’s a consultative approach—helping customers solve their challenges, even if that means directing them elsewhere.”
Striking the Balance Between Automation and Authenticity
AI-driven tools streamline outreach, but businesses must balance automation with genuine human interactions. Dynamic content enables personalised messaging at scale, while A/B testing refines strategies based on engagement data. However, over-reliance on automation risks alienating customers who crave real connections.
Tracking key performance indicators (KPIs), such as open rates and conversion rates, ensures campaigns remain effective. Ultimately, the most successful strategies seamlessly blend AI efficiency with a uniquely human touch.
Beyond Digital: The Revival of Traditional Engagement
While AI dominates digital engagement, old-school tactics—like corporate gifts, swag, and direct mail—offer a fresh way to cut through the digital clutter and leave a lasting impression.
Corporate Gifting: A Personal Touch
Customised, unbranded gifts show appreciation and foster stronger relationships. Tudor shares compelling statistics:
- Companies incorporating gifting generate 30% more leads.
- Prospects incentivised with gifts during the sales cycle experience a 55% higher conversion rate.
- Sales teams integrating corporate gifts see a 21% reduction in sales cycle length.
Swag: More Than Just Promotional Items
While promotional merchandise is often generic, personalising swag to align with individual preferences enhances its effectiveness. Thoughtful, high-quality branded items reinforce positive brand associations.
Direct Mail: Nostalgic and Novel
Traditional mail, long overshadowed by email marketing, is regaining traction. Unlike crowded inboxes, direct mail offers a tangible, high-engagement alternative. Surprisingly, younger generations—often assumed to be purely digital—respond enthusiastically:
- 85% of Gen Z find direct mail effective in capturing their interest.
- 88% of millennials express excitement about receiving physical mail or packages.
- 70% of Gen X remain receptive to marketing via direct mail.
The Future of Customer Engagement: A Hybrid Approach
Successful customer engagement hinges on blending AI efficiency with meaningful human interactions. Businesses that personalise experiences, foster genuine connections, and think beyond digital will be best positioned to build trust, loyalty, and long-term success.
While technology facilitates outreach, the essence of great marketing remains unchanged—authentic relationships drive conversions.
Source: https://martech.org/ai-can-find-your-ideal-customers-but-only-humans-can-build-real-relationships/
