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. We should be aiming at personalizing communications without creeping out our audience.
For purpose-driven organizations, getting it right isn’t just about better results. It’s about respecting relationships.
When personalization is done well, it creates a sense of connection, like someone truly understands your needs, interests, and values. It’s the difference between receiving a generic newsletter and getting a message that speaks directly to your role, your goals, or your recent engagement. For purpose-driven organizations, this kind of relevance isn’t just a marketing tactic. It’s a way to honor the relationship and show that you’re listening.
But when personalization crosses the line into “surveillance”, it erodes trust. People don’t want to feel like data points in a spreadsheet or targets in a campaign. They want to feel respected. That’s why ethical personalization starts with transparency: let people know what data you’re using, how it’s being used, and give them control over their preferences. It’s not about being clever, it’s about being considerate.
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
Consequently, Here is 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.
Chris
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