• by Ray Schultz , December 22, 2022

Brands are leaning into personalization as one of their top marketing strategies, judging by Future Of Customer Engagement, a study being offered by Customer Engagement Insider.  

Of those polled, 63.93% say personalized outreach is one of the tools they will more actively employ in the coming years. 

This was followed by loyalty and rewards programs (49.18%) and SMS/Text-based communication (42.62%). 

Only 13.1% are focusing on phone outreach, while 16.39% focus on on geotargeting. 

“To thrive in this new normal, companies cannot simply be present in text, mobile, and web channels,” the study says. “They need to be exceptional, pairing innovative digital technology with immensely relevant and personalized content.”

Brands also need to reflect the values of their customers. Or at least some are trying to do so. 

Above and beyond click rates, here are their priorities: 

• Inclusiveness of user experience (support experience and language accounts for different ages, genders, sexualities, abilities, etc.) — 57.38% 
• Employee experience reputation (important to prove employees are “taken care of” and not exploited or underpaid) — 57.38% 
• Inclusive of operation (employees encompass diverse demographics, viewpoints and cultures) — 54.10% 
• Cultural sensitivity (content and policies are thoroughly screened for potentially offense or alienating language — 34.43%
• Environment, climate change and related sustainability issues — 31.15%
• Economic sensitivity (pricing and promotion takes into account the real challenges facing your audience) — 31.15% 
• Generational shifts (branding is adapting to the unique qualities and needs of millennials and Gen Z) — 27.87%
• Charity, philanthropy and community issues — 19.67%
• Geo-political awareness (international partnerships, supply chains, etc. take into account the global reputation of countries/regimes) — 13.1%
• Politics (engagement reflects your company’s stance on hot-button political or social issues) — 4.92% 

Customer Engagement Insider surveyed customer engagement, customer experience, digital strategy, marketing, business development, operations, customer service, and executive-level leaders in August and September 2022,