3 BEHAVIORAL MINDSETS FOR CONTENT PERSONALISATION

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Content personalization is all about making the customer journey smoother, helping customers to be informed to make the best choice, which leads to better and quicker sales and service outcomes. In today’s world of short attention spans and rising expectations for a great user experience, content personalisation is inevitable. If applied correctly, it will lead to fewer abandonments, greater conversion rates, better quality sales, but above all happier customers!

The field of psychographic segmentation is moving fast from personality traits, values, interests and lifestyle choices into the realm of Behavioral Economics and Science. Though, even customers who may sit in one particular psychographic segment will have different behavioral mind-sets, which require different customers journeys and underline the need for content personalisation. Similar to Google's Micro-Moments, according to IBM Watson Marketing report there are three basic mind-sets a customer is in: I know exactly what I want, I don’t know what I want and need advice and I think I know what I want, but soon find out that I need assistance

Mindset 1: I Know Exactly What I Want

This mind-set is driven by self-assurance within the customer that they have enough information already to choose the best product or right service, and just want to execute on that choice. Brand loyalty is a key driver of such assurance, and so is independent pre-research into the available options. Customers in this mind-set are unlikely to be open to alternative suggestions, and it is speed and ease that will determine their satisfaction. Companies dealing with this type in-person require good empathetic skills and when engaging through digital interactions, they need better customer journey analytics to enable predictive modelling to drive content personalization.

Mindset 2: I Don't Know Exactly What I Want And Need Advice

In general, customers will have this mind-set when they’re outside their comfort zones, such as when they are considering purchasing a new or unfamiliar item. This mind-set is the easiest to accommodate, as the customer is more likely to flag that they need assistance and will give sufficient time to receive advice. It is also the mind-set for which companies can use their expertise to guide the client in the right direction. Also, the use of personalized content will have a big impact in leading the customer to their point of decision.

Mindset 3: I Think Know What I Want, But Soon Find Out That I Need Assistance

This is the most common mind-set and the one for which most retailers and user journeys are set up. Possible scenarios for example include that the chosen good or service is not available and alternatives must be found quickly, the customer needs a confirmation for his choice, or needs advise and education on a product.