Did you know? B2B buyers are people too.

Are you having a toilet break scrolling LinkedIn? Or maybe procrastinating a little before your next meeting about "Pile of reports nobody uses after this meeting"? Yea, me too.

In between endless Slack messages, marketing tactics, and technical systems (that seem to hate me for no apparent reason)I am a real life person. A 38 year old woman wondering if I'll slip on the icy streets of Turku while I carry groceries home from my little black Kia Rio.

I get excited when I create and publish visuals on various channels. I'd rather chew off my hand than cold call anyone. As a true remote worker I eat girl lunches consisting of candy and some two day old yoghurt I found in the fridge. I don't know what I want to be when I grow up but I wonder if I'll ever travel to Bali. I feel, I do, I wonder. I'm a B2B professional but guess what? B2B people are humans too.

Is your communication to B2B companies made for people like me? Or for faceless robots behind company logos?

Why personalization in B2B communication makes a difference

In a sea of digital sameness, personalization is your lifeboat. It's what keeps your business afloat, making your clients feel like they're not just another number in your CRM. But why exactly is personalization in B2B marketing as necessary as a morning cup of coffee?

1. It builds stronger relationships: Personalization goes beyond using someone's name in an email. It's about understanding and anticipating your clients' needs, making them feel seen and valued.
2. Boosts engagement: Personalized content is like having a good conversation; it keeps people interested. This means higher engagement rates, from email open rates to website visits.
3. Increases conversion rates: Tailored experiences are persuasive. They show your clients that you have the solution to their specific problem, nudging them closer to that "Sign Up Clickety Click" button.

"Business buyers don’t go to work and forget what they do as humans. There’s a new normal that blurs the line between B2B and B2C. They just want things personalized."

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10 ways to personalize your B2B marketing with digital solutions

Personalization isn't rocket science, but it does require a bit of savvy. Here's how you can leverage technology and digital solutions to make your B2B communication a bit more personal:

1. Use data wisely: Start with data analytics tools to gather insights on your clients' behavior, preferences, and needs. This is your gold mine for personalization.
2. CRM systems: Implement a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system to keep track of every interaction, ensuring your communication is always relevant and timely.
3. Content personalization: Use AI-driven tools to customize your website's content for different visitors, making their experience feel like a personal tour.
4. Email segmentation: Segment your email list based on industry, company size, or engagement level. Tailored emails ensure your message hits the mark.
5. Chatbots and AI: Deploy chatbots and AI assistants that provide immediate, personalized support, answering queries and guiding users through your site.
6. Account-Based Marketing (ABM): Focus on individual accounts with ABM strategies, crafting custom campaigns that speak directly to the unique needs of each client.
7. Personalized video content: Create video content that addresses specific client challenges or showcases solutions tailored to their industry.
8. Social media targeting: Use social media platforms' targeting features to deliver content directly to your ideal B2B audience, enhancing relevance.
9. Customer feedback loops: Implement tools to gather and analyze feedback, allowing you to continuously refine and personalize your offerings.
10. Dynamic pricing: Offer dynamic pricing options based on customer behavior, purchase history, and engagement, adding a personal touch to your pricing strategy.

By leveraging data, technology, and a dash of creativity, you can create experiences that resonate deeply with your clients. Remember, the goal is to make each client feel like they're your only client.

5 examples of industry leaders using personalization for success

Personalization in B2B marketing is not just a buzzword—it's a game-changer. Let’s look at five companies that have mastered the art of personalization, setting themselves apart in the digital realm.

1. Salesforce and Their CRM Mastery:Salesforce, the giant in CRM solutions, uses its own platform to create highly personalized customer journeys. By leveraging data analytics and AI, Salesforce offers tailored recommendations and insights to its clients, demonstrating how understanding customer data can transform client engagement. Their use of Einstein AI to predict customer needs and automate responses is a prime example of personalization at its best.
2. HubSpot’s Content Personalization Engine:HubSpot, a leading inbound marketing platform, excels in personalizing website content for its visitors. By analyzing user behavior and preferences, HubSpot’s CMS can display customized content, offers, and calls-to-action to different segments of its audience, significantly improving conversion rates. This approach shows how dynamic content personalization can lead to deeper engagement and customer satisfaction.
3. LinkedIn’s Dynamic Ads:LinkedIn has taken B2B marketing personalization to the next level with its Dynamic Ads feature. These ads automatically personalize to the viewer, including their photo, company name, and job title directly in the ad content. This level of customization captures attention and increases the relevance of the ad, showcasing how personalized advertising can lead to higher engagement rates on social media platforms.
4. Adobe’s Account-Based Experience (ABX):Adobe has transformed its B2B marketing approach by implementing an Account-Based Experience (ABX) strategy. By using Adobe Experience Cloud, the company can gather deep insights into individual accounts, tailor digital experiences, and deliver personalized content across multiple channels. This strategy has enabled Adobe to engage more effectively with key accounts, demonstrating the power of a personalized, account-centric approach in B2B marketing.
5. Slack’s Customized Onboarding:Slack, the popular messaging platform for teams, uses personalized onboarding to improve user experience. By analyzing how individual users interact with their platform, Slack offers customized tips, bot interactions, and feature recommendations to help users navigate and utilize the platform more effectively. This tailored onboarding process not only enhances user satisfaction but also encourages deeper platform engagement.

Each of these companies showcases the incredible potential of personalization in B2B marketing. By leveraging technology—be it AI, CRM, dynamic content, or customized onboarding—they've managed to create more meaningful, relevant, and engaging experiences for their clients.

It's the personal touches that really grab my attention. It's easy to forget, especially when we're buried under a pile of reports or strategizing the next big campaign, but we B2B folks? We're humans first. Craving connection, seeking stories that resonate, and yearning for solutions that feel like they were crafted just for us. By embracing these strategies, you position your company not just as a provider but as a digital transformation leader, marrying design and technology to meet the evolving needs of B2B clients. Personalization is the key to unlocking deeper relationships and driving success in the digital era.

"83% of business buyers say being treated like a person, not a number, is key to winning their business."

So, are you ready to get personal?