Home Knowledge Articles Personalised marketing - the power of the human touch in telemarketing

“96% of marketers say personalisation leads to repeat business, and
94% say it increases sales.”

Hubspot’s 2024 State of Marketing Report

Research shows that personalisation boosts ROI and profitability. However, with an ever-evolving digital landscape, automation and data-driven strategies now dominate our approach to personalisation. As the balance tips away from human interaction, however, are we failing to fully exploit the potential of a personalised approach? Whilst algorithms and data can provide tailored recommendations and targeted messages, they also fall short in delivering the genuine empathy and understanding that only a human touch can offer.

A personal conversation allows businesses to engage customers on a deeper level, adapting in real-time and addressing unique needs with a sense of warmth and sincerity. By integrating human contact into personalisation efforts, brands can forge stronger connections and create more meaningful interactions that go beyond a digital marketing approach.

What is technology-driven personalisation?

There is now a wealth of tools and systems designed to deliver hyper personalised experiences at scale. These methods rely on data, algorithms, and automation to tailor marketing efforts to individual preferences and behaviours. This includes:

Email marketing:
Tailored messages sent based on customer interactions, interests, or behaviour, often using segmentation and automation tools.
SMS marketing:
Automated messages such as special offers, reminders, or promotions sent directly to customers, tailored to their needs based on behavioural or demographic data.
Online advertising:
Ads personalised based on user browsing history, demographics, and buying patterns, typically involving automated systems and algorithms.
AI-driven content:
Platforms such as streaming services and e-commerce sites tailoring content or products based on individual preferences, using AI-driven recommendation systems.
Dynamic website content:
Websites tailoring content in real-time based on a user’s profile and behaviour, offering personalised layouts, product suggestions, and experiences.

What are the unique attributes of telemarketing that enhance personalisation?

The phone channel is an ideal platform for personalisation, blending the efficiency of targeted messaging with the human agent’s ability to convey empathy, making each interaction feel more authentic and valuable to the customer. It also complements technology-driven interactions by delivering a highly personalised experience that addresses more emotional and complex needs. It offers:

Real-time interaction: Telemarketing allows for two-way conversations where agents can respond immediately to customer needs, questions, and objections, creating a dynamic experience.
Personal connection: Speaking directly to a customer introduces a human touch that digital channels often lack. Through empathy and warmth, telemarketers can build rapport and trust, which strengthens customer relationships and fosters a more meaningful connection.
Instant feedback: Agents can gather immediate insights from conversations, allowing them to adjust their approach in real-time based on the customer's reactions and feedback, making interactions more relevant and effective.
Adaptability: The phone channel enables agents to tailor their tone, messaging, and offers based on live conversations, creating a personalised experience that is responsive to the customer's unique needs and mood.
Targeted engagement: Telemarketing campaigns can be highly targeted, focusing on specific audience segments or buying modes, ensuring that messaging is aligned with individual customer interests and preferences.

How does telemarketing enhance digital marketing strategies?

When combined with digital marketing strategies, telemarketing can create a seamless, complementary experience that bridges the gap between automated interactions and human connection. Key advantages include:

Improved customer insights: Telemarketers can gather real-time feedback and valuable insights into customer preferences, pain points, and needs. These insights can enhance digital strategies by refining messaging, offers, and targeting in future campaigns, creating a more cohesive and effective personalisation approach across all channels and lead generation strategies.
Deeper customer engagement: Personalised conversations feel more relevant and engaging, building rapport and creating the foundation for a relationship. This direct engagement complements digital channels, adding a personal touch to what might otherwise be an impersonal experience.
Higher conversion rates: When prospects receive a message that specifically addresses their specific needs and pain points, they are more likely to respond positively, increasing the effectiveness of lead generation efforts. The ability to personalise the message in real-time and add to human touch to the digital customer journey can enhance lead generation effectiveness and increase conversion.
Brand differentiation: Human-to-human contact sets a brand apart from competitors by creating a more memorable and customer-focused experience. In a world saturated with digital communications, this personal touch helps your message stand out, cutting through the noise and capturing attention.
Loyalty and retention: Building personal connections over the phone fosters trust and loyalty, making customers more likely to return. A recent study by McKinsey found that integrating digital solutions while maintaining human-led interactions can reduce churn by up to 20% and improve customer retention by 25%. Human contact creates the foundation for longer-term relationships by offering authenticity and reliability that strengthens over time.

What are the key steps to implementing telemarketing within a personalised approach?

Key steps to implementing telemarketing in a way that full exploits the power of personalisation include.

Segment your audience: Group customers based on common characteristics, demo/firmographics, purchase history, and behaviours to ensure the message is relevant to their specific needs and preferences.
Tailor the experience: Use customer data to personalise interactions, from addressing them by name to tailoring offers based on past purchases or enquiries.
Throw away the script: Move away from one-size-fits-all scripts and apply a more consultative, customer-centric approach that allows agents to adjust their messaging based on the customer’s immediate and unique responses and preferences.
Train agents in active listening: Encourage telemarketers to listen carefully to customer responses and adjust their approach accordingly, ensuring they address customer concerns in a personalised manner.
Create a feedback loop: Implement systems that allow agents to share insights gathered during calls, which can then be used to continuously improve and refine not only the immediate campaign but future marketing across all channels.

The value of personalisation in telemarketing

In today’s marketing landscape, personalisation is a critical component of building meaningful customer relationships. While data-driven tools and automation offer scalable solutions, telemarketing brings an irreplaceable human touch to personalisation. The empathy, warmth, and adaptability of a live conversation allow businesses to engage customers in a more profound and dynamic way. Telemarketing goes beyond scripted responses, offering real-time interactions that complement digital marketing efforts, adding depth to automated campaigns.

By blending human-driven channels like telemarketing with technology, brands can create a more balanced, responsive customer journey that fosters trust, loyalty, and long-term connections, setting themselves apart in a competitive marketplace.