The Science of Successful Personalized Prospecting
What is Business Development?
How to prospect without being creepy...
Too much personalization can kill deals.
Personalization Paradox = Prospects want personalization but not too much
1. Accenture found 91% of buyers more likely to buy from corporations that personalize but....
2. Gartner found majority of buyers will unsubscribe, and 38% will stop buying from a corporation that is being “creepy” (too much personalization).
Accenture provided examples of excessive (creepy) personalization
41% said text ads, when passing a store is creepy
35% said ads on socials after viewing product on your website is creepy
So, how do you know if you're being too creepy?
McKinsey created a Personalization Value Equation (PVE)...
If you fail to build trust or you invade privacy, then you're 100% creepy.
2018 study found multiple attributes with a high level of creepiness, including:
- Men are creepier than women
- Women are more likely to perceive a sexual threat from a creepy person
- Unpredictable behavior increases perceived creepiness.
- Behavior outside social norms is creepy (listed by highest to lowest creepy):
· Poor grooming
· Dressing oddly or in dirty clothing
· Eye features (bulging eyes and bags under the eyes)
· Licking lips and peculiar smiles
· Extremely pale skin
· Unpredictable laughing
· Standing too close when talking or unwilling to stop talking
Not only can too much personalization be creepy, and can waste time too.
So, how much personalization should you provide?
The amount of beneficial personalization is typically proportional to the complexity of the product and the prospect’s intent threshold.
Low Intent Threshold (LIT) + low complexity = Low Personalization
High Intent Thresholds (HIT) + high complexity = High Personalization
Personalization clearly provides benefits but...
Zero trust and/or privacy invasion creeps people out.
Tony Gray, BDP
Author of the Business Development Body of Knowledge
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