Custom Fits: Convince & Convert’s Zontee Hou On Using Personalization to Build Stronger Brands

In our pre-show series for Future of Finance Marketing, we go behind the scenes with speakers and partners to learn more about each person’s creative process, tools, and career—the stuff we don’t get to talk about on stage.In this episode, Zontee Hou, Managing Director at Convince & Convert, shares insights on customer loyalty, visualizing big projects with Kanban, leveraging ChatGPT to refine ideas, and building your community. Explore the highlights below and play the episode for the full story.This is Personal: The Work Behind The WorkAs trusted advisors, Zontee and her team use consumer insights to generate customer loyalty. She explains that “88% of adults expect brands to engage based on a shared history.” Begin by asking, “What are the needs of the audience?” and ground your thinking in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.Organize with a Kanban SystemFor larger projects, like writing her book Data-Driven Personalization, Zontee uses the Kanban framework (e.g., Infinity, Trello, Airtable) to map and categorize content. Start with notes in a Google Doc, then move to a Kanban board to better organize information and visualize examples.Use ChatGPT as a Reaction ResourceCraft prompts to spark responses that clarify your ideas. It’s great for getting out of your head and recognizing where you stand against the consensus—because ChatGPT reflects the broader view not the creative solution. In our roles, we likely “have feelings about the consensus.”Introverts: Don’t Be Afraid to Ask!Zontee discovered the power of “networking out” by asking, “Do you know someone in X industry I could connect with?” Over time, her outreach grew up to 12 levels deep. Even if it feels unnatural, ask, “Who would you recommend I speak to?” and follow up with, “Could you connect me?” Many people are more “generous of spirit” than you’d expect.Tune in for more of Zontee’s insights including why “cool” doesn’t automatically connect, along with her recommended reading list and go-to podcasts.Follow Convince & Convert on social to stay apprised of her latest projects.See You At The SummitJoin Zontee for her session, Turning Data Into Connection: Personalized Marketing in Finance, at the summit, Future of Finance Marketing. Upgrade the On-Demand access here and rewatch all the sessions. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit futureoffinancemarketing.com/subscribe