Because good personalization feels like being seen, not being stalked.
We’ve all received an email that used our name… and somehow still felt robotic. Or worse, one that referenced behavior we didn’t even know was being tracked. (Never mind having a conversation with your partner about toasters, and all of a sudden, toaster ads are showing up in your various social media feeds!) Personalization is powerful, but it requires trust, nuance, and a human touch.
For purpose-driven organizations, getting it right isn’t just about better results. It’s about respecting relationships.
What Smart Personalization Looks Like
- Recommending resources based on interests, not just interactions
- Tailoring tone to a member’s level of involvement
- Acknowledging someone’s history with your organization without overexposing it
What to Avoid
- Excessive behavioral targeting without consent
- Using “Hi [FirstName]” and calling it personalization
- Making assumptions based on single clicks or past donations
3 Ways to Personalize with Integrity
① Use Data Mindfully: Only collect what you’ll actually use and explain why.
② Build Profiles with Permission: Let members tell you what they want to hear about.
③ Segment by Values: Group people by motivators (like advocacy vs. community-building) to guide your messaging tone and topics.
Personalized content doesn’t require perfect data, just authentic intent.
