’Hello $FirstName’ - marketing experts discussing the topic of personalization

In Chapter 17 of Hello $Firstname, Steen Rasmussen reads ‘Conversion Rate Optimisation and Personalisation’. Steen Rasmussen is co-founder of Brand Leadership Community and IIH Nordic, as well as an international keynote speaker and consultant specialising in the commercial use of web data, optimisation, and personalisation. In this chapter, he reads the final chapter of Part Three, where the book explores the relationship between CRO and personalisation. The chapter begins with a fundamental question: before you personalise every touchpoint, is the general customer experience already working well enough for most of your customers? Conversion rate optimisation helps answer that question. It focuses on improving the baseline experience by removing friction, clarifying communication, and making websites, apps, and campaign pages convert more efficiently. Personalisation, by contrast, focuses on adapting the experience to known customers, specific customer segments, or particular moments of truth. The chapter explains when to prioritise CRO and when to shift towards personalisation. For anonymous website visitors, optimising the general experience often matters most. For owned media campaigns, personalisation can start earlier because even simple self-segmentation, subject-line variants, highlighted offers, or product-feed selection can make a difference. For marketing automation, the boundary between CRO and personalisation becomes especially interesting because a triggered message that removes friction can be both. The chapter also concludes Part Three by returning to the broader question of who personalisation is not for. If your value proposition is weak, your brand is unknown, your first-party data scale is too limited, your content layer is underdeveloped, or your general customer experience is not yet sound, then personalisation may not be the right tactic to double down on yet. In his reflection at the end, Steen adds a timely perspective on agentic commerce, agentic personalisation, and agentic workflows. His point is not that personalisation has suddenly become hyper-individual overnight. Rather, the cost and effort of executing personalisation have dropped quickly. And when execution becomes cheaper for everyone, the competitive bar moves. That is the Red Queen effect: you may need to run simply to stay where you are. The chapter is a useful reminder that personalisation runs deeper than chasing conversions, but that optimisation and personalisation are still closely connected disciplines. More resources from the Hello $Firstname universe You can buy the physical book here: https://amzn.eu/d/6jV4QZT If the Amazon EU link does not work in your country, please search for Hello $Firstname: Profiting from Personalisation, AI Edition on your local Amazon store. You can download the illustrations and models from the book here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/resources You can also learn more about the Personalisation Cards and Canvas, which help teams turn the Bowtie of Personalisation into practical use cases, here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/personalizationcards

In Chapter 16 of Hello $Firstname, Keanu Taylor reads ‘The CX Layers: How Data and Content Fuel Personalisation’. Keanu Taylor is Global Head of Research at The MarTech Weekly, a global analyst firm helping enterprise brands turn the complexity of marketing technology into clarity. In this chapter, he reads about the CX Layers framework and how data and content work in parallel to fuel personalisation. The chapter explains why many personalisation projects have historically been too data-centric. Data is essential, but data alone does not create a personalised customer experience. It needs to be matched with content that is structured, governed, scalable, and ready to be activated. The CX Layers framework separates the work into three layers: the data layer, the content layer, and the personalisation layer. The data layer collects, cleans, models, and activates customer insight. The content layer collects, creates, models, and activates the content required for personalised experiences. The personalisation layer is where these two sides come together through experience optimisation, experience decisioning, and experience delivery. The chapter also explores how generative AI changes both sides of the equation. AI can help scale qualitative insight from conversations, reviews, support dialogues, and other unstructured sources. It can also help marketers create, model, repurpose, translate, tag, and activate content in ways that make personalisation more operationally realistic. In his reflection at the end, Keanu connects the CX Layers model to the emerging discipline of context engineering. His point is that enterprises do not only need content. They also need to manage the context around that content: when it is relevant, which use cases it belongs to, when it should no longer be used, and how it should be made available to AI and personalisation systems. The chapter gives marketers and martech teams a clearer way to think about the prerequisites for personalisation: not as a single data project, not as a content production problem, but as a layered system where data, content, and decisioning have to work together. More resources from the Hello $Firstname universe You can buy the physical book here: https://amzn.eu/d/6jV4QZT If the Amazon EU link does not work in your country, please search for Hello $Firstname: Profiting from Personalisation, AI Edition on your local Amazon store. You can download the illustrations and models from the book here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/resources You can also learn more about the Personalisation Cards and Canvas, which help teams turn the Bowtie of Personalisation into practical use cases, here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/personalizationcards

In Chapter 15 of Hello $Firstname, Ida Söderbäck reads ‘The Basic Foundations for Personalisation’. Ida Söderbäck is a customer loyalty and CRM marketing expert currently at the Swedish Red Cross. In this chapter, she reads the opening chapter of Part Three, where the book turns from what personalisation is and how it creates value to when personalisation is actually the right tactic to use. The chapter asks three important questions: Do you have the prerequisites to do personalisation? Is it the right thing for your organisation to do? And is it the right thing to do now? It argues that personalisation is a distinct communication tactic, not the answer to every marketing or business challenge. Before investing heavily in personalisation, organisations need a solid core offering, brand trust and demand, access to customer data and insights, and enough content to match those insights with something useful to say. The chapter also makes a pragmatic point that is sometimes overlooked in personalisation projects: if the value proposition is weak, if the customer experience is fundamentally broken, or if no one knows or trusts your brand yet, personalisation is unlikely to fix the problem. In her reflection at the end, Ida connects the chapter to loyalty and CRM. For her, personalisation is central to creating relevant communication, building relationships, and increasing loyalty and revenue. But she also underlines the chapter’s core message: personalisation becomes powerful only when the organisation has the right prerequisites, including individual-level data, the right competencies, and the martech systems to put it all into action. The chapter serves as a useful reality check for any marketing leader facing pressure to personalise before the basics are in place. More resources from the Hello $Firstname universe You can buy the physical book here: https://amzn.eu/d/6jV4QZT If the Amazon EU link does not work in your country, please search for Hello $Firstname: Profiting from Personalisation, AI Edition on your local Amazon store. You can download the illustrations and models from the book here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/resources You can also learn more about the Personalisation Cards and Canvas, which help teams turn the Bowtie of Personalisation into practical use cases, here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/personalizationcards

In Chapter 14 of Hello $Firstname, Rasmus Houlind reads ‘Tying It All Up in the Bowtie of Personalization’. Rasmus Houlind is the author of Hello $Firstname and narrates this chapter himself because it brings Part Two together. The chapter revisits all four corners of the Bowtie of Personalization and shows how they come together across campaigns, marketing automation, and inbound platforms. The chapter explains what good looks like from the customer’s point of view. A realistic personalized customer experience is not hyper-personalized at every touchpoint. It is a mix of highly personalized communication, semi-personalized communication, and generic communication, shaped by how much data the brand has and how engaged the customer is. The chapter also goes deep into measurement. It discusses control groups, proxy metrics, statistical significance, customer lifetime value, net promoter score, and the importance of doing the math all the way to the money. It then gathers the maturity levels for campaigns, marketing automation, and inbound platforms into the front end of the Pyramid of Personalization. In his reflection at the end, Rasmus adds a 2026 perspective. AI has made it easier to turn structured and unstructured data into insight, create message variants, localize content, generate images, tag content, and prepare content feeds for activation. But he also warns that more AI-generated content is not automatically better content. Marketers still need judgment, taste, governance, and a clear model for what they are trying to do. The chapter closes Part Two with a clear conclusion: AI does not make the Bowtie obsolete. It makes the Bowtie more useful. The more powerful the technology becomes, the more important it is to understand the customer, the moment, the message, the content, and the value being created. More resources from the Hello $Firstname universe You can buy the physical book here: https://amzn.eu/d/6jV4QZT If the Amazon EU link does not work in your country, please search for Hello $Firstname: Profiting from Personalization, AI Edition on your local Amazon store. You can download the illustrations and models from the book here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/resources You can also learn more about the Personalization Cards and Canvas, which help teams turn the Bowtie of Personalization into practical use cases, here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/personalizationcards

In Chapter 13 of Hello $Firstname, Mark Robertson reads ‘Personalization on Inbound Platforms’. Mark Robertson is Partnerships Director at Mastercard Dynamic Yield and has spent around 25 years working across marketing, technology, sales, partnerships, and tools for both outbound and inbound marketing. In this chapter, he reads about personalization on websites, apps, and other inbound platforms. The chapter explains that visitors arrive on inbound platforms with some kind of intention. If campaigns and marketing automation have done their job, the brand may even have helped spark that intention. The question then becomes how websites and apps can respond with the right content, functionality, messages, and feeds. The chapter argues that the core customer experience must come before personalization. A website or app must first work well as a self-service experience. Only then should marketers add dynamic personalization, starting with ‘My’ pages, then content feeds, then personalized messages based on intent, and eventually the hiding of irrelevant content that creates unnecessary friction. In his reflection at the end, Mark draws a clear distinction between testing, conversion rate optimization, and true personalization. He also points to the importance of operability across CDPs, loyalty systems, CMSs, digital asset management systems, ecommerce platforms, and analytics tools. His view is that AI will push inbound personalization beyond single-page testing towards more journey-based optimization. The chapter reminds marketers that inbound personalization is not just about changing the homepage banner. It is about understanding customer intent in near real time and designing the whole platform experience around what the customer is trying to do. More resources from the Hello $Firstname universe You can buy the physical book here: https://amzn.eu/d/6jV4QZT If the Amazon EU link does not work in your country, please search for Hello $Firstname: Profiting from Personalization, AI Edition on your local Amazon store. You can download the illustrations and models from the book here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/resources You can also learn more about the Personalization Cards and Canvas, which help teams turn the Bowtie of Personalization into practical use cases, here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/personalizationcards

In Chapter 12 of Hello $Firstname, Maria Moreau reads ‘Content, Part 2: Content Feeds’. Maria Moreau is CRM Director at Boozt.com, where she works with CRM for millions of users. In this chapter, she reads about the second content corner of the Bowtie of Personalization: content feeds. The chapter opens with HBO Max and the challenge of personalizing which movies, series, and episodes are shown to each user. It explains how content feeds differ from messages: they are often fed from existing sources such as product information systems, article databases, application databases, or ecommerce platforms rather than being written from scratch by marketers. The chapter covers how content feeds can be grouped, sorted, ranked, filtered, and marked. It explains why the right feed can matter more than the ranking within it, how feeds can support both relevance and inspiration, and why marketers must be careful not to create narrow echo chambers when recommendation logic becomes too rigid. Maria’s framing at the beginning makes the practical stakes clear: for teams managing CRM at scale, content feeds are vital to making personalization operational. They are what allow brands to activate large bodies of products, articles, offers, shows, events, or recommendations in ways that feel useful to each customer. The chapter shows why personalization on inbound platforms is often less about writing a perfect message and more about choosing the right shelf, the right feed, and the right context. More resources from the Hello $Firstname universe You can buy the physical book here: https://amzn.eu/d/6jV4QZT If the Amazon EU link does not work in your country, please search for Hello $Firstname: Profiting from Personalization, AI Edition on your local Amazon store. You can download the illustrations and models from the book here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/resources You can also learn more about the Personalization Cards and Canvas, which help teams turn the Bowtie of Personalization into practical use cases, here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/personalizationcards

In Chapter 11 of Hello $Firstname, Jordie van Rijn reads ‘Personalization in Marketing Automation’. Jordie van Rijn is an email marketing and martech specialist who guides businesses in selecting marketing software through emailvendorselection.com. In this chapter, he reads about personalization in marketing automation and customer lifecycle communication. The chapter explains why marketing automation is different from campaigns. Instead of deciding that it is Thursday and sending a newsletter, automation waits for customers to reach specific moments of truth and then responds with a relevant message. This makes timing one of the strongest drivers of perceived relevance. The chapter explores value creation in marketing automation across increased top-line sales, churn reduction, and cost savings. It discusses abandoned baskets, onboarding flows, welcome programs, subscription upgrades, win-back tactics, next best action, next best experience, and the importance of measuring automation over a longer time horizon than campaigns. In his reflection at the end, Jordi brings the chapter back to practical marketing work. He describes marketing automation as data set in motion and encourages listeners to find one additional valuable data point or trigger that could make an automation more relevant. His point is that creativity and data belong together. The chapter reminds marketers not to let perfect become the enemy of good. A triggered message that exists and reaches the customer in the right moment will often create more value than a beautifully segmented message that never gets built. More resources from the Hello $Firstname universe You can buy the physical book here: https://amzn.eu/d/6jV4QZT If the Amazon EU link does not work in your country, please search for Hello $Firstname: Profiting from Personalization, AI Edition on your local Amazon store. You can download the illustrations and models from the book here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/resources You can also learn more about the Personalization Cards and Canvas, which help teams turn the Bowtie of Personalization into practical use cases, here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/personalizationcards

In Chapter 10 of Hello $Firstname, Morten Suhr Hansen reads ‘Insights, Part 2: Moments of Truth’. Morten Suhr Hansen is founder and senior partner at Subscrybe, where he works extensively with subscription businesses. In this chapter, he reads about the second insight corner of the Bowtie of Personalization: moments of truth. The chapter opens with FT.com and a usage digest designed to reduce churn before subscription renewal. It explains how the timing of a message can make the difference between relevance and irrelevance, especially when customers are close to making a decision that affects their relationship with a brand. The chapter defines a moment of truth as a moment in time where a customer or potential customer is, or should be, making up their mind about a decision that involves your company. It covers the difference between discovering intent and creating intent, how dynamic data can indicate a moment of truth, how absence of data can also be meaningful, and why marketers must be careful not to assume too much. In his reflection at the end, Morten explains why this chapter is particularly important for subscription businesses. Moments of truth are central to retention, renewal, churn reduction, and long-term customer value, which is why they are also essential when working with the Personalization Cards in consulting and strategy work. The chapter sets up the next discussion on marketing automation by showing why timing is often the most powerful personalization lever of all. More resources from the Hello $Firstname universe You can buy the physical book here: https://amzn.eu/d/6jV4QZT If the Amazon EU link does not work in your country, please search for Hello $Firstname: Profiting from Personalization, AI Edition on your local Amazon store. You can download the illustrations and models from the book here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/resources You can also learn more about the Personalization Cards and Canvas, which help teams turn the Bowtie of Personalization into practical use cases, here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/personalizationcards

In Chapter 9 of Hello $Firstname, Peter Anders Franch reads ‘Personalization in Campaigns’. Peter Anders Franch is Head of CRM, CLV, and Customer Insight at Matas in Denmark, where he works with Club Matas, one of Scandinavia’s largest loyalty programs. In this chapter, he reads about how personalization creates value in campaigns. The chapter defines what a campaign is and distinguishes campaign communication from customer lifecycle communication. It explains how personalization in campaigns can increase sales, improve efficiency, reduce unnecessary media spend, avoid customer dissatisfaction, and even create new revenue streams through retail media. The chapter ties together the upper part of the Bowtie of Personalization: segments and messages. It shows why customer segments matter so much when marketers decide which message variants to create, which audiences to target, which customers to exclude, and where paid media budget should be spent. In his reflection at the end, Peter brings the chapter into the current AI moment. He argues that ecommerce, CRM, and personalization are changing fast, but that technology is only as good as the thinking behind it. AI can help brands reach relevance at greater scale, but judgment, empathy, and an understanding of what the customer actually needs still have to come from marketers. The chapter is a practical reminder that personalized campaigns are not about doing more for the sake of doing more. They are about improving relevance, efficiency, and business value without becoming creepy, lazy, or wasteful. More resources from the Hello $Firstname universe You can buy the physical book here: https://amzn.eu/d/6jV4QZT If the Amazon EU link does not work in your country, please search for Hello $Firstname: Profiting from Personalization, AI Edition on your local Amazon store. You can download the illustrations and models from the book here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/resources You can also learn more about the Personalization Cards and Canvas, which help teams turn the Bowtie of Personalization into practical use cases, here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/personalizationcards

In Chapter 8 of Hello $Firstname, Ana Mourão reads ‘Content, Part 1: Messages’. Ana Mourão is a global martech and customer data leader, originally from Brazil and now based in the Miami area. In this chapter, she reads about the first content corner of the Bowtie of Personalization: messages. The chapter opens with FC Copenhagen and its season pass renewal campaign. It shows how a brand can use customer segments, first-party data, paid media, owned media, and message variants to make outbound communication feel more relevant to different types of fans. The chapter explains what a message is, how brand-led and customer-led messages differ, and why the same core message often needs to be adapted across channels, segments, cultures, and local markets. It also covers parametrization, personalized video, category entry points, customer value, and the danger of using personalization tricks without delivering actual relevance. In her reflection at the end, Ana points to the practical power of the chapter: data, localization, the FC Copenhagen case, and the Personalization Cards as a resource for ideation, training, and turning a Bowtie strategy into something teams can actually use. The chapter reminds marketers that outbound communication is an interruption. If you want people to stop what they are doing and pay attention, the message had better feel relevant. More resources from the Hello $Firstname universe You can buy the physical book here: https://amzn.eu/d/6jV4QZT If the Amazon EU link does not work in your country, please search for Hello $Firstname: Profiting from Personalization, AI Edition on your local Amazon store. You can download the illustrations and models from the book here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/resources You can also learn more about the Personalization Cards and Canvas, which help teams turn the Bowtie of Personalization into practical use cases, here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/personalizationcards

In Chapter 7 of Hello $Firstname, Jens Hård reads ‘Insights, Part 1: Segments’. Jens Hård has around 20 years of experience in data-driven marketing and is CEO of Root Digital Group. In this chapter, he reads about the first insight corner of the Bowtie of Personalization: customer segments. The chapter uses the Canadian bank Groupe Desjardins as its opening case and explores how segments can help an organization understand the different needs, desires, behaviours, and life situations of its customers. It explains how segments are built, how they can be turned into personas, and why demographic, behavioural, and value-based segmentation each serve different purposes. The chapter also offers an important warning: segments help marketers get it less wrong, but they do not give perfect knowledge about individual people. That distinction matters when deciding whether to communicate explicitly or implicitly, especially when the topic is sensitive or the underlying data is probabilistic. In his reflection at the end, Jens distils the chapter into a simple but powerful point: segmentation is not about categorizing people. It is about understanding what customers need at different moments in their lives and using that understanding to create more relevant experiences. The chapter helps marketers see segmentation not as an outdated alternative to personalization, but as one of the core insight tools that makes better personalization possible. More resources from the Hello $Firstname universe You can buy the physical book here: https://amzn.eu/d/6jV4QZT If the Amazon EU link does not work in your country, please search for Hello $Firstname: Profiting from Personalization, AI Edition on your local Amazon store. You can download the illustrations and models from the book here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/resources You can also learn more about the Personalization Cards and Canvas, which help teams turn the Bowtie of Personalization into practical use cases, here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/personalizationcards

In Chapter 6 of Hello $Firstname, Tom Peace reads ‘The Bowtie of Personalization’. Tom Peace is CEO and founder of Sway Outcomes, a global customer strategy consultancy focused on loyalty and CRM. In this chapter, he introduces the central model of Part Two: the Bowtie of Personalization. The chapter explains how meaningful personalization is created by combining two kinds of customer insight, segments and moments of truth, with two kinds of content, messages and content feeds. Through the Viva Gym case, the chapter shows how a fitness brand can use onboarding, inactivity signals, customer segments, message variants, and recommended classes to create a more relevant experience and reduce churn. The chapter also makes an important point: true personalization magic happens before the channels. The marketer’s job is not simply to send an email, push notification, ad, or website banner. The job is to decide who should receive which message, in which moment, and with which supporting content, before adapting that experience to each channel. In his reflection at the end, Tom connects the Bowtie to loyalty and CRM strategy. He highlights the importance of moments of truth in a congested marketplace, the growing need for first-party and zero-party data, and the opportunity to move beyond earn rules and reward value by creating emotional connection through relevant, timely, and personal communication. The chapter opens Part Two by giving marketers a shared model for understanding what personalization really consists of. More resources from the Hello $Firstname universe You can buy the physical book here: https://amzn.eu/d/6jV4QZT If the Amazon EU link does not work in your country, please search for Hello $Firstname: Profiting from Personalization, AI Edition on your local Amazon store. You can download the illustrations and models from the book here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/resources You can also learn more about the Personalization Cards and Canvas, which help teams turn the Bowtie of Personalization into practical use cases, here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/personalizationcards

In Chapter 5 of Hello $Firstname, Kim Jong Andersen reads ‘Marketing Without Personalisation’. Kim Jong Andersen is Managing Partner at the Danish agency WDP. In this chapter, he reads a deliberately difficult exploration of what marketing would look like if we removed personalisation from the equation. The answer helps clarify what personalisation can and cannot do. Personalisation is a powerful communication tactic, but it cannot compensate for a weak value proposition, boring creative work, poor reach, or a badly designed customer experience. The chapter introduces the personalisation-value equation and explains how marketing value depends on proposition, format, reach, and personalisation. It discusses the balance between performance marketing and branding, the importance of creativity, the role of friction, and the danger of becoming so narrow with hyper-personalisation that reach disappears. In his reflection at the end, Kim emphasises two important reminders from a brand-building perspective: the power of fame, and the danger of focusing only on customers who are already in-market. His point is that segmentation and personalisation matter, but they do not remove the need to build broader brand value and reach. The chapter closes Part One by reminding marketers that personalisation creates extra value only when the fundamentals of marketing are already working. More resources from the Hello $Firstname universe You can buy the physical book here: https://amzn.eu/d/6jV4QZT  If the Amazon EU link does not work in your country, please search for Hello $Firstname: Profiting from Personalisation, AI Edition on your local Amazon store. You can download the illustrations and models from the book here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/resources  You can also learn more about the Personalisation Cards and Canvas, which help teams turn the Bowtie of Personalisation into practical use cases, here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/personalizationcards 

In Chapter 4 of Hello $Firstname, Dr Matt Johnson reads ‘Why Does Personalisation Work?’ Matt is the author of Blindsight and Branding That Means Business, and he hosts the blog neuroscienceof.com. In this chapter, he brings the listener into the psychology behind personalisation. Why do people respond better to messages and content that feel relevant to them? The answer is connected to evolutionary psychology and the fundamental motives framework, including motives such as avoiding harm, avoiding disease, making friends, attaining status, acquiring a mate, and caring for family. The chapter also tackles the darker side of personalisation: when it becomes creepy. It explains how personalisation can backfire when brands appear to stalk customers with repetitive ads, use data customers did not realise they had shared, or address topics that feel too sensitive or intimate. Finally, the chapter explores the difference between being personalised and being personal, and why brands should be careful not to pretend they have a closer relationship with customers than they really do. In his reflection at the end, Matt connects the chapter to the age of generative AI. His key point is that brands will not win merely by doing more personalisation, but by deciding how they personalise, and how well they express their unique brand personality in those personalised experiences. More resources from the Hello $Firstname universe You can buy the physical book here: https://amzn.eu/d/6jV4QZT  If the Amazon EU link does not work in your country, please search for Hello $Firstname: Profiting from Personalisation, AI Edition on your local Amazon store. You can download the illustrations and models from the book here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/resources  You can also learn more about the Personalisation Cards and Canvas, which help teams turn the Bowtie of Personalisation into practical use cases, here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/personalizationcards 

In Chapter 3 of Hello $Firstname, Mhari Coxon reads ‘Defining Personalisation’. Mhari is a marketer from the United Kingdom, and in this chapter she takes the listener into one of the book’s central missions: creating a practical definition of personalisation that marketers can actually use. The chapter distinguishes personalisation from customisation, actual personalisation from perceived personalisation, and explicit personalisation from implicit personalisation. It also explores the blurry boundary between segmentation, targeting, and personalisation, arguing that personalisation is not a simple either-or question, but a matter of degrees. The chapter focuses specifically on personalised communication, meaning communication initiated by companies through marketing or communications teams. It builds towards a practitioner-friendly understanding that can unite different marketing disciplines and make personalisation easier to discuss, plan, and execute. In her personal reflection at the end, Mhari expands on the idea of value creation. Drawing on her experience in B2B and B2B2C, she introduces the idea of a ‘triple win’: value for the company, value for the customer organisation, and value for the end user. More resources from the Hello $Firstname universe You can buy the physical book here: https://amzn.eu/d/6jV4QZT  If the Amazon EU link does not work in your country, please search for Hello $Firstname: Profiting from Personalisation, AI Edition on your local Amazon store. You can download the illustrations and models from the book here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/resources  You can also learn more about the Personalisation Cards and Canvas, which help teams turn the Bowtie of Personalisation into practical use cases, here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/personalizationcards 

In Chapter 2 of Hello $Firstname, Dr Jason Pallant reads ‘What Is the Problem with Personalisation?’ Jason is Director of the Marketing Technology Lab at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. He has also used some of the frameworks from Hello $Firstname in the marketing technology curriculum at RMIT. This chapter explores why personalisation is such a difficult topic to align around. Marketers often use the same word while meaning very different things. UX and website teams may think about dynamic content and recommendations. Media and advertising teams may think about targeting and audiences. CRM and direct marketing teams may think about customer data, triggers, journeys, and owned channels. The chapter also asks whether personalisation is worth the effort. It covers the operational complexity, the cost of technology and content production, the scepticism from parts of the branding community, and the risk of investing in personalisation without a shared definition. In his reflection at the end, Jason highlights how different marketing backgrounds shape different interpretations of personalisation. He also points to the importance of shared definitions, especially if marketers want to build credible business cases, case studies, and use cases for personalisation. The key point is that marketers need a clearer and more common understanding of personalisation before they can expect senior leaders to invest in it properly. More resources from the Hello $Firstname universe You can buy the physical book here: https://amzn.eu/d/6jV4QZT  If the Amazon EU link does not work in your country, please search for Hello $Firstname: Profiting from Personalisation, AI Edition on your local Amazon store. You can download the illustrations and models from the book here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/resources  You can also learn more about the Personalisation Cards and Canvas, which help teams turn the Bowtie of Personalisation into practical use cases, here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/personalizationcards 

In Chapter 1 of Hello $Firstname, Kim Motroen reads ‘The Hype of Personalisation’. Kim is one of the founders of Publicis Foundry and has spent more than 20 years working with marketing, technology, and customer experience.  This chapter traces the roots of personalisation hype back to The One to One Future by Don Peppers and Martha Rogers, and explores why the idea of individualised communication has remained so powerful for marketers, brands, and technology vendors. The chapter looks at the commercial promise of personalisation, from higher customer lifetime value to better omnichannel performance, while also questioning whether the technology has truly matured. It discusses martech growth, Gartner’s hype cycles, personalisation engines, multichannel marketing hubs, and the arrival of generative AI. In his reflection at the end, Kim points out that even though we have moved from one-to-one marketing in the 1990s to AI and real-time personalisation today, many organisations still struggle with the fundamentals: data quality, ownership, execution, and actually getting things live. The conclusion is clear: personalisation can create major value, but it is not magic, and it is not always plug-and-play. To avoid misunderstandings, bad investments, and broken promises, marketers need more clarity. More resources from the Hello $Firstname universe You can buy the physical book here: https://amzn.eu/d/6jV4QZT  If the Amazon EU link does not work in your country, please search for Hello $Firstname: Profiting from Personalisation, AI Edition on your local Amazon store. You can download the illustrations and models from the book here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/resources  You can also learn more about the Personalisation Cards and Canvas, which help teams turn the Bowtie of Personalisation into practical use cases, here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/personalizationcards 

Welcome to the audiobook edition of Hello $Firstname, the AI edition. In this opening episode, Rasmus Houlind reads the introduction to the updated edition of the book and explains why personalisation has changed so dramatically since the first edition. Generative AI has made the content challenge easier to solve, but it has also made the need for clear frameworks, shared language, and practical execution even more urgent. At the end of the introduction, Rasmus adds a short reflection on how agentic commerce, agentic personalisation, and agentic workflows are already changing how personalisation is perceived. You will also hear the forewords read by Scott Brinker, longtime martech analyst and editor of the Chief Martec blog, and Rupali Jain, Chief Product Officer at Optimizely. Together, they frame the book from the perspectives of martech, AI, customer experience, data, content, and digital experience management. This episode sets the stage for the full audiobook and introduces the core ambition of Hello $Firstname: to help marketers create more profitable, scalable, and meaningful personalised customer experiences. More resources from the Hello $Firstname universe You can buy the physical book here: https://amzn.eu/d/6jV4QZT  If the Amazon EU link does not work in your country, please search for 'Hello $Firstname: Profiting from Personalisation, AI Edition' on your local Amazon store. You can download the illustrations and models from the book here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/resources  You can also learn more about the Personalisation Cards and Canvas, which help teams turn the Bowtie of Personalisation into practical use cases, here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/personalizationcards 

What has actually changed in personalization now that generative AI is everywhere? In this digital launch recording for the AI Edition of Hello $Firstname, Rasmus Houlind is joined by co-author Frans Riemersma and Maria Moreau from Boozt. Together, they explore how AI affects personalization, why the Content Layer has become increasingly important, how the Bowtie of Personalization still helps marketers create shared language, and what Boozt’s practical CRM approach can teach us about making personalization work in the real world. Consider watching the video-edition of this episode on youtube: https://youtu.be/_GgTJagrBT0?si=nUtoSsLMup6zaR6f The conversation covers the Bowtie of Personalization, the CX Layers, the growing importance of the Content Layer, the difference between data and content as prerequisites for personalization, and Boozt’s practical approach to CRM and email personalization. This is not just a conversation about AI hype. It is a discussion about what it takes to make personalization work in practice, across teams, channels, customer journeys, and commercial priorities. In the episode, you will hear about: • Why Hello $Firstname needed an AI Edition • What generative AI changes in personalization • Why the core logic of personalization has not changed • The Bowtie of Personalization • The CX Layers: Data Layer, Content Layer, and Personalization Layer • Why content has become a critical bottleneck • How AI changes the economics of content variation • Why more content does not automatically mean more relevance • Boozt’s approach to CRM and email personalization • How personalization becomes an operating discipline, not just a strategy slide • The Personalization Cards and how they help teams move from abstract ambition to concrete use cases Resources: The episode on youtube (including models and visuals) https://youtu.be/_GgTJagrBT0?si=nUtoSsLMup6zaR6f Buy Hello $Firstname: Profiting from Personalization, AI Edition https://amzn.eu/d/6jV4QZT  Explore the Personalization Cards https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/personalizationcards or https://youtu.be/-sBQCySi180?si=LUzj_hRSmhd1r4Ns  Download the free abstract of Hello $Firstname, AI Edition https://bit.ly/HFNAI-ABS  Explore the Beyond Hello $Firstname: Personalization Practitioner course https://omnichannelinstitute.learnworlds.com/course/personalization-practitioner   00:00 Welcome and intro 01:34 Meet Rasmus Houlind 01:48 Meet Frans Riemersma 03:03 Meet Maria Moreau from Boozt 05:13 Agenda for the session 06:34 Why create a new AI Edition of Hello $Firstname? 10:02 What has not changed in personalization 11:40 The Bowtie of Personalization 13:12 Which types of personalization are most affected by generative AI? 15:32 Frans Riemersma on AI, martech, and the content challenge 17:13 The content crisis in personalization 18:35 The Data Layer explained 19:48 The Content Layer explained 21:35 The Personalization Layer explained 24:49 Brand LLMs, canonical content, and AI-generated variants 26:40 Using generative AI for campaign production 27:42 People, skills, technology, and governance 30:32 Maria Moreau introduces Boozt’s approach 31:02 AI as a hot topic inside Boozt 32:03 What is Boozt? 34:23 Boozt’s Nordic department store strategy 35:51 Why personalization is the heart of CRM 37:18 Boozt’s email personalization results 38:38 Three CRM jobs at Boozt 40:17 Scaling email personalization across 1.2 billion emails 41:59 Boozt’s email framework and prioritization logic 57:14 Personalization Cards, Canvas, and course 58:04 Final resources and closing  

In this episode of Hello $Firstname, I’m joined by Nikolaj Skarbye from Scratcher.io for a deep dive into what might be the most overlooked shortcut to personalization: asking people directly - while making it fun. At the heart of our conversation is zero-party data: the kind of willingly shared data that can include preferences, intentions, interests - even motivations. And instead of waiting for transactional behaviour to build up, gamification offers a way to collect this data early in the journey, at scale, and in ways that engage rather than interrupt. The twist? If done well, gamification doesn’t just capture data - it builds emotional connection with the brand while it’s at it. 🔍 Highlights from the episode: Beyond Spin-the-Wheel: From preference quizzes to product advisors and loyalty re-engagements, the real power of gamification lies in how it's designed, branded, and contextualized - not just the mechanics. Short-cut to Smart Segmentation: You don’t have to wait for purchase data to personalize. Interactive experiences can surface intent and profile data long before a sale. Data That Feeds the CX Layers: Zero-party data connects the Content Layer, Data Layer, and Personalization Layer - bridging marketing, CRM, and even call centre scripting. Creative Use Cases: From Penguin knowledge tests for NGOs to Whopper giveaways at Burger King, and B2B IT assessments - Nikolaj shares cases that go well beyond e-commerce. The Incentive Myth: Big prizes don’t always mean better participation. Smaller, brand-relevant rewards often lead to higher redemption rates and better lead quality. From Collecting to Activating: We explore how zero-party data gets mapped, enriched, and activated across CDPs, ESPs, web personalization, and even in-store experiences. 📺 Watch the full video 🎮 Check out Scratcher 📚 Want more? This episode is part of Season 2 of Hello $Firstname, based on the book Hello $Firstname – Profiting from Personalization and the Content Crisis Manifesto. 📘 Buy the book 📄 Get the abstract 🎧 Listen to the audiobook 🖼️ Download the models & illustrations 🎤 Book Rasmus for a keynote or workshop

What happens when the Content Crisis meets AI creativity? In this episode of the Hello $Firstname podcast, I sat down with Villads Leth, CEO and Founder at Alvas.ai, to explore what fully individualised, AI-written email content looks like in practice. And why it’s forcing marketers to rethink what content is, how it’s created, and what it means to personalise at scale. 🎯 Here’s what makes this conversation so relevant: Villads and his team are enabling brands to go far beyond segmentation. They’re generating email content that’s 100% unique—based not just on the products in a customer’s basket, but also their behavioural history, preferences, and context. It’s 1:1 communication, built in real time by AI. But this isn’t just a story about scale. It’s a story about what happens when content creation becomes decisioning—and when marketing teams have to shift from writing to prompting, from planning to QA. 🧠 Key Topics We Cover: The Two Modes of Content Production: Hyper-individualised 1:1 emails for triggered flows Efficiently produced, semi-personalised content for broader segments and campaigns Prompting ≠ Briefing: Why marketers need to learn to talk to machines—and teach them to speak brand. Content QA at Scale: What internal processes are needed to safely roll out GenAI-driven content. When Not to Personalise (or at least individualise): Yes, really. Villads makes a strong case for restraint when intent is fuzzy. The New Content Pipeline: How GenAI transforms not just what content gets made—but how, when, and by whom. Villads also reflects on how fast things are moving: 🧠 The cost of content creation with AI has dropped by a factor of 200. ⚠️ But trust is fragile—one bad AI-generated message, and the damage is done. 💡 That’s why they’re big on guardrails, education, and starting small. 📺 Watch the full video here 📥 Download the CX Layers & Content Crisis Manifesto 📚 As always, this episode is grounded in: The book 'Hello $Firstname – Profiting from Personalization' The Content Crisis Manifesto 📘 Buy the book 📄 Download the abstract 🎧 Get the audiobook (free) 🖼️ Download all illustrations & models 🎤 Book me for a talk or workshop  

In the latest episode of the Hello $Firstname podcast, I had the pleasure of talking with Chris Kjær Sørensen, CTO and co-founder of Landfolk — the curated holiday rental platform that’s redefining what it means to rent a holiday home with character. What struck me most in this conversation is just how naturally Landfolk operates in alignment with the Content Layer of the CX Layers framework. Not because they set out to do so—but because their approach to content is rooted in human stories, structure, and AI-powered scalability. ✨ So, what makes their content work so special? 📥 Collection, but with heart Landfolk doesn’t ask hosts to write their own listings. Instead, they encourage them to tell the story of their holiday home—the memories, the rituals, the morning light. This host-generated content is rich and emotional, and it becomes the foundation for everything that follows. 🔧 Enrichment and modeling into Master Content Those heartfelt descriptions are then cleaned, structured, and standardized using Generative AI—forming what we in the CX Layers would call Master Content. The result is brand-consistent, emotionally rich, and structurally sound content that’s ready to go. 🌍 Localization and platform adaptation From there, the Master Content is localized into multiple languages and adapted for use across web and mobile experiences—ensuring every guest, regardless of language or device, gets a coherent and delightful experience. 📬 Outbound activation—and what's next Landfolk is also reusing this enriched content in email newsletters and recommendation flows, with push notifications likely next on the roadmap. It's a brilliant example of how content can scale across both inbound and outbound channels without sacrificing soul or story. 🤖 Generative AI as a quiet powerhouse AI doesn’t replace the human voice at Landfolk—it supports it. From narrative cleanup to localization and platform-specific adaptation, AI enables a small team to operate with large-scale ambition. It’s the Content Layer with a Scandinavian accent—and a really good camera lens. 🎧 In the episode, Chris and I talk about: The power of host storytelling in a data-driven business Why content isn't just a product description—it’s the product How AI plays a supportive, not dominant, role in personalization And what personalization means when your content already feels personal 📝 Disclaimer: Yes, Landfolk is an Agillic client (🙋‍♂️), having moved from a simpler setup to one that could support both a flexible content and data model. But we promise—we only mention it once. As always the episode is based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ and in turn the Content Crisis Manifesto. The Content Crisis Manifesto can be downloaded here. The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here (or your local amazon in case it doesn't work...) An written abstract of the book can be downloaded here. The full audiobook can be downloaded here (courtesy of Agillic). All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here. Book me for a presentation, meeting or talk here!  

In the latest episode of the Hello $Firstname podcast, I’m joined (Again! Congrats on being the first 2nd-time guest, David) by David Mannheim — author of The Person in Personalisation, founder of MadeWithIntent.ai, avid Disney fan and all-around provocateur of personalization norms. David and I go way back — he even wrote the foreword for Hello $Firstname — but this episode isn’t just a nostalgic reunion. It’s a bold look at how website personalization has lagged behind other parts of the customer experience, and how understanding customer intent is the key to finally catching up. 📊 What’s the Intent Gap? David’s team recently released a report that shows just how off the mark many ecommerce websites are. Despite having tons of data, 63% of online shoppers say digital experiences feel “inappropriate” or even “manipulative.” That’s not just a CX issue — it’s a trust issue. 💥 The Big Idea: Most web personalization doesn’t match buying stages, it matches page templates. But just because I’m on a product page doesn’t mean I’m ready to buy. (Maybe I’m still browsing, maybe I’m stuck, maybe I’m about to bounce.) David argues — convincingly — that we should personalize for intent, not location. 🔁 Context Is King What’s powerful here is how MadeWithIntent generates real-time data signals based on digital body language — scroll depth, mouse movements, time between clicks — and turns that into insights about a user’s mindset. The aim? To surface the right message at the right time, both onsite and in outbound comms. And this connects beautifully to the CX Layers framework. MadeWithIntent enriches the Data Layer with real-time context, enabling the Personalization Layer to act meaningfully — not just generically. 🧠 We also dive into: Why discounting might feel like the only optimization lever (but is often a race to the bottom) The difference between existing content and new nudges How outbound marketing can learn from onsite signals Why most retargeting emails are just… bad The long-term promise (and current limits) of GenAI in website personalization 🎧 This one’s packed with sharp insights, useful provocations, and some delightfully David-style perspectives on what real personalization should look like in 2025 and beyond. Check out 'The Intent Gap Report' here or 'Made with Intent' here or Connect with David here As always the episode is based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ and in turn the Content Crisis Manifesto. The Content Crisis Manifesto can be downloaded here. The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here (or your local amazon in case it doesn't work...) An written abstract of the book can be downloaded here. The full audiobook can be downloaded here (courtesy of Agillic). All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here. Book me for a presentation, meeting or talk here!

Not Enough Traffic for A/B Testing? Here’s How VodafoneZiggo Scales Personalization Anyway 📉 In B2B marketing, low traffic volume is often a CRO killer. But that hasn’t stopped VodafoneZiggo from building a smart, insight-driven personalization engine anyway. In the latest episode of the Hello $Firstname podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Daniel Granja Baltazar, CRO Specialist at VodafoneZiggo, about how his team is rethinking Conversion Rate Optimization and Personalization in a B2B context—where statistical significance isn’t always an option, and complexity is the norm. Daniel shared how qualitative research, from customer interviews to service center conversations, plays a central role in shaping the personalized customer experience. The transcripts and insights collected feed directly into the Personalization Layer—alongside behavioral data—and are then activated across web and email touchpoints. 🔍 Key Insights from the Episode 🎯 Why qualitative research is the backbone of B2B CRO With limited traffic and massive variation in the SME segment, Daniel's team relies heavily on qualitative methods—interviews, feedback loops, and even in-person time at customer service—to shape hypotheses and content strategies. 🧠 From assumptions to insights: how interviews feed content strategy By analyzing common misunderstandings and recurring questions, the team uncovers "invisible friction" in the journey—then translates that into smarter, simpler content that helps guide customers toward the right solution. 📬 Lifecycle content that prevents service calls Many of the best content ideas come directly from the call center. Proactive outbound emails that answer questions before they’re asked can save thousands of service hours—and create a better experience in the process. 🌐 Personalization in B2B is about people, not just companies At VodafoneZiggo, they’re working toward tailoring content not just by segment or industry, but by the individual’s role, preferences, and behavior—whether that’s a founder, an IT manager, or someone else entirely. 🤖 Generative AI as a CRO co-pilot Daniel also shares how their internal GPT instance helps summarize interviews, categorize feedback, and analyze large sets of qualitative data—saving time and enabling faster learning. 🔗 How It All Connects to the CX Layers Daniel’s approach aligns beautifully with the CX Layers framework—with qualitative insights feeding the Content Layer, behavioral signals informing the Data Layer, and personalization being orchestrated across inbound and outbound channels. It’s a great example of how Experience Optimization in B2B isn’t about volume—it’s about relevance. And sometimes, it starts by just sitting down and listening to your customers. As always the episode is based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ and in turn the Content Crisis Manifesto. The Content Crisis Manifesto can be downloaded here. The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here (or your local amazon in case it doesn't work...) An written abstract of the book can be downloaded here. The full audiobook can be downloaded here (courtesy of Agillic). All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here. Book me for a presentation, meeting or talk here!

🐟🍦 If we just increase the number of shark attacks, we’ll sell more ice cream! Sounds ridiculous, right? Yet, many businesses unknowingly fall into similar data traps when working with predictive analytics. While the two graphs might correlate - one is not causing the other. Could the sun be at play as the common determining factor? The shark anecdote is one many great anecdotes Ola Lindeberg shared in the latest episode of the Hello $Firstname podcast. Ola, an indeed very senior data scientist with experience from Telia Sweden, Ivbar, and Swedish Armed Forces, joined me to discuss the flawed assumptions businesses make when using predictive analytics—and why prescriptive analytics would often be better if you want to drive real behavioral change in personalization. (OMG also just remembered the anecdote with the genAI powered spoof caller trap!!! It’s towards the end of the episode!) 🔗 How This Ties Into the CX Layers At the core of our conversation was the Data Layer in the CX Layers framework. While most personalization setups heavily rely on data-driven insights, many fall into the trap of using predictive analytics without considering how to act on those insights. In other words, they’re forecasting the weather instead of deciding what to do about it. Ola’s perspective perfectly illustrates why the Data Layer isn’t just about insights—it’s about decisioning and action. And that’s where prescriptive analytics comes in: Instead of just predicting what a customer might do, it helps businesses determine what action should be taken to actually influence customer behavior. 🔍 Key Insights from the Episode: 📊 Predictive vs. Prescriptive Analytics: Why Knowing Isn’t Enough Predictive Analytics tells you what is likely to happen (e.g., “This customer might churn”). Prescriptive Analytics helps determine what action should be taken to influence the outcome (e.g., “This content or offer could actually prevent churn”). Businesses often mistake correlation for causation—leading to wrong conclusions and poor personalization decisions. 🌦️ Why Wearing a Jacket Won’t Change the Weather (And Why Your Marketing Might Be Doing Just That) Another great analogy from Ola: You check the weather, see it’s cold, and decide to wear a jacket. But that doesn’t change the weather - which might be what you’re actually after… figuratively speaking of course. Many companies use predictive models the same way—reacting to insights without considering how to actually influence customer behavior. ⚡ The Booking.com Experiment: Why One Day in Paris Sells More Trips Booking.com tested an AI-driven recommendation model to suggest trip lengths based on user behavior. When they suggested three days (which was indeed the most frequently bought option), it had no impact on conversions. But when they suggested just one day, it triggered higher engagement and bookings, even though most people ultimately booked longer stays. The takeaway? Sometimes, the best way to drive action isn’t the most "logical" data-driven assumption—but rather an approach that nudges customer behavior effectively. 🤖 The Role of Generative AI in Decisioning Generative AI is already streamlining content production, but its impact on decisioning is still developing. Ola sees potential but argues that businesses need to test and quantify the impact of AI-generated personalization efforts rather than assuming they will automatically improve engagement. 🚀 Final Takeaway: Stop Predicting—Start Influencing If you’re only using predictive analytics, you might just be forecasting the shark attacks of your industry—without knowing how to actually drive change. True personalization means using data to prescribe actions that influence customer behavior—by integrating content, context, and decisioning models in a much smarter way. Follow Ola on LinkedIn here. As always the episode is based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ and in turn the Content Crisis Manifesto. The Content Crisis Manifesto can be downloaded here. The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here (or your local amazon in case it doesn't work...) An written abstract of the book can be downloaded here. The full audiobook can be downloaded here (courtesy of Agillic). All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here. Book me for a presentation, meeting or talk here!

In this special episode of the Hello $Firstname podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Ronald Griffin, CEO and co-founder of SEEN.io—a trailblazer in personalized video content for marketing. I first met Ronald at Dialogkonferansen 2024 in Sweden, where his powerful presentation on Generative AI and video creation left a lasting impression. He introduced the now-famous phrase: “That’s cute, but so what?”—a challenge to all marketers using AI to move beyond creating visually impressive content and focus on making it meaningful. In this episode, we dive deep into how personalized video fits within the Content Layer of the CX Layers framework. Ronald shares how SEEN is helping brands like Norsk Rikstoto, Nespresso, and Carrefour deliver videos that not only grab attention but also drive real business outcomes like customer engagement and retention. 🔑 Key Insights from the Episode: 🎯 The Content Layer’s Power in Personalization We explore how the Content Layer—especially through video—can elevate personalization strategies, creating more emotionally resonant and memorable customer experiences. 📊 Personalized Video That Delivers Results SEEN’s work with Rikstoto shows how incorporating personalized video into onboarding flows lifted 29-day repeat business by 37%—a clear sign that well-timed, data-driven video makes a difference. 🤖 Generative AI: Streamlining Video Creation Ronald discusses how Generative AI is making it faster and easier for brands to produce, update, and repurpose video content without sacrificing brand guidelines or quality. 🚧 The Challenges of Personalized Video at Scale From brand consistency to data privacy, Ronald shares the hurdles enterprises face in adopting AI-driven video solutions—and how SEEN is overcoming them with innovative tools and processes. 🚀 What’s Next for Personalized Video? Could creating a personalized video become as simple as sending a personalized email? Ronald believes that with the rise of AI-powered tools, video personalization at scale is closer than we think. 🎬 Why Personalized Video Should Be on Every Marketer’s Radar Marketers have long focused on data for personalization—but the power of personalized video is often overlooked. As Ronald points out, video uniquely captures attention and emotion in a way static content simply can’t. With Generative AI making personalized video more scalable and cost-effective, this content format is poised to become a game-changer for brands looking to stand out and foster deeper customer connections. As always the episode is based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ and in turn the Content Crisis Manifesto. The Content Crisis Manifesto can be downloaded here. The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here (or your local amazon in case it doesn't work...) An written abstract of the book can be downloaded here. The full audiobook can be downloaded here (courtesy of Agillic). All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here. Book me for a presentation, meeting or talk here!  

In this special episode of the Hello $Firstname podcast, we’re doing things a little differently than normal. Having covered several episodes of season 2 and having discussed and presented the concept of the CX Layers that show how Personalization feeds from both the Data Layer AND the Content Layer, I thought it was time for a midway stop and introduce an update on the framework. This episode represents a key milestone, offering an in-depth look at how Content and Data work together to drive Personalization at scale. NB: Since I'm sharing a graphical overview of the CX layers in this episode, it may well be worth watching on YouTube 🎥  The Birth of the CX Layers The CX Layers framework was born out of a growing need to understand how content and data intersect in a world of personalized marketing. The initial spark for this idea came from the work of Scott Brinker and my co-author Frans Riemersma and the growing understanding of how not only a Data Layer was needed in a MarTech stack, but evenly so a separate Content Layer should exist. From the initial work on the Content Crisis Manifesto, I realized that of course this had a major impact on how marketers should think, build and ultimately scale Personalized customer experiences. Because once data was under control, marketers faced another challenge: namely content. So, Frans Riemersma and I started investigating and discussing the Content Layer in greater detail. We realized how much sense it made to separate the Content from the Data Layer and envisioned an almost parallel process for getting content ready for activation and ultimately personalization. Ultimately our first draft made it into the Martech 2025 trend report that Scott and Frans presented to the world in December 2024. Our perception is that for many marketers, this new way of thinking about content is a game-changer. Historically, marketers have struggled with how to apply data principles and data processes—such as data modeling, data activation, and data insights—to content. By separating the Content Layer from the data processes, it has allowed marketers to manage content in a more structured and scalable way, with the same rigor they apply to data. This alignment of content and data – along with the use of generative AI - will enable marketers to finally create the personalized experiences at scale that they’ve always been dreaming of. Ok, so what are the CX Layers? The CX Layers model breaks down the process from content and data collection to personalization and consists of three key layers: Content Layer: This layer is where all content is created, managed, and optimized. It's not just brand-led content such as the master content assets and campaign content. It’s also not just product descriptions and blog posts. Because it’s also all the customer-led lifecycle content that is meant to drive customer actions—offers, messages, nudges, calls-to-action, and more. This layer is responsible for content collection, creation, modeling, and activation. Data Layer: The Data Layer is where customer data is captured, enriched, and processed into actionable insights. This includes the use of CDPs (Customer Data Platforms) to create a unified view of the customer, helping marketers understand who their customers are, what they need, and when they need it. Personalization Layer: This is where the magic happens—where the Content and Data Layers merge to deliver personalized experiences. By applying decisioning of the insights from the Data Layer to the content in the Content Layer such as Messages and Content feeds, brands can create personalized customer experiences that truly resonate across touchpoints and channels. As always the episode is based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ and in turn the Content Crisis Manifesto. The Content Crisis Manifesto can be downloaded here. The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here (or your local amazon in case it doesn't work...) An written abstract of the book can be downloaded here. The full audiobook can be downloaded here (courtesy of Agillic). All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here. Book me for a presentation, meeting or talk here!  

In this week’s episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Zsuzsa Kecsmar, Chief Strategy Officer and co-founder of Antavo, one of the most powerful loyalty management platforms. Together, we unpacked how loyalty programs can act as the glue between content, data and personalization, and how they’re helping brands build emotional connections with their customers. Here are some key takeaways from our conversation: 1️⃣ The Role of Loyalty Programs in the Content Layer: It’s clear that loyalty programs generate valuable transactional and preference data to the data layer, but they also contribute to the content layer by providing unique, loyalty-specific content – from tier communications to personalized reward messages. Zsuzsa shares how both the data and the content become the foundation for personalized experiences across channels. 2️⃣ Personalized Rewards = More Loyalty: Antavo’s research shows that loyalty members who redeem personalized rewards spend 4x more annually than those who don’t. And customization matters: 8 out of 10 consumers prefer brands that allow them to tailor their rewards to their preferences. 3️⃣ Gamification as a Data Goldmine: Gamified surveys and quizzes are a powerful way to collect zero-party data while keeping customers engaged. Zsuzsa highlights how these tools help brands quickly overcome the “cold start problem” in loyalty programs, making it easier to personalize communication early in the customer journey. 4️⃣ Transactional vs. Emotional Loyalty: While transactional loyalty (points and discounts) attracts customers, it’s emotional loyalty that keeps them coming back. Zsuzsa shares examples from brands like Adidas, which rewards fitness efforts, and Rip Curl, which connects rewards directly to surfing activities – building loyalty tied to lifestyle and identity. 💡 The Generative AI Connection: We also discussed how Generative AI is transforming loyalty programs by: Localizing content faster and more efficiently. Streamlining customer service to solve complex loyalty queries in seconds. Creating unique, scalable loyalty program content that feels personal and timely. 🎧 Don’t miss this insightful episode where loyalty meets personalization! 🎥 You can also watch this on YouTube 📥 Bonus: Download the just-released 2025 Antavo Global Loyalty Report for the latest loyalty trends and strategies. As always the episode is based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ and in turn the Content Crisis Manifesto. The Content Crisis Manifesto can be downloaded here. The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here (or your local amazon in case it doesn't work...) An written abstract of the book can be downloaded here. The full audiobook can be downloaded here (courtesy of Agillic). All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here. Book me for a presentation, meeting or talk here!

In this episode of The Hello $Firstname Personalization Podcast, I had the pleasure of chatting with Rasmus Schlosser, AI Manager at Flying Tiger Copenhagen. What really stood out was how Generative AI is solving a massive challenge they face. ✨ This episode is a little different – it doesn’t dwell much on personalization but instead explores the upstream phase of the Content Layer, where Master Content is gathered, created, and cleansed. Flying Tiger Copenhagen handles thousands of SKUs, many with limited descriptions from suppliers. 🏷️ Crafting meaningful, localized product descriptions at scale is no small task. You need it not only for your customers but also for SEO purposes! That’s where Generative AI steps in, producing core content assets quickly, consistently, and with the right tone for each market. 🌍 💡 As Rasmus Schlosser puts it: "The question we need to ask ourselves is, are we done with translation? Is it time to start crafting content that speaks to each culture individually, with the help of Generative AI?" This is a big leap forward in tackling the Content Crisis – the gap between having data and insights ready for personalization and actually creating the content to make it work at scale. 🤯 🎯 Tune in to learn: 1️⃣ How Flying Tiger uses Generative AI to create product descriptions at speed. 2️⃣ The challenges of working with incomplete product data. 3️⃣ How AI-driven content creation enables companies to scale without sacrificing quality – even for diverse cultural audiences (localization with GenAI!). Based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ and in turn the Content Crisis Manifesto. The Content Crisis Manifesto can be downloaded here. The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here (or your local amazon in case it doesn't work...) An written abstract of the book can be downloaded here. The full audiobook can be downloaded here (courtesy of Agillic). All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here. Book me for a presentation, meeting or talk here!  

In this episode of The Hello $Firstname Personalization Podcast, Rasmus Houlind sits down with Tom Burrell, founder of Retention Coach, to explore how businesses can turn retention strategies into a powerful growth engine. Drawing on a career spanning roles at Manchester United, DAZN, and TalkTalk, Tom shares actionable insights into why retention is often undervalued—and how personalization can change the game. 💡 What you’ll learn in this episode: How personalized onboarding journeys can boost retention by 10% or more Why the "content crisis" in retention is holding businesses back—and how to overcome it The role of GenAI in creating emotionally engaging, hyper-personalized customer experiences 💬 "Retention isn’t just about keeping customers; it’s about connecting with them emotionally, understanding their motivations, and inspiring loyalty," Tom explains. Whether you’re in subscriptions, e-commerce, or CRM, this episode is packed with insights to help you rethink retention strategies for 2025 and beyond. Based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ and in turn the Content Crisis Manifesto. The Content Crisis Manifesto can be downloaded here. The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here (or your local amazon in case it doesn't work...) An written abstract of the book can be downloaded here. The full audiobook can be downloaded here (courtesy of Agillic). All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here. Book me for a presentation, meeting or talk here!  

In this latest episode of Hello $Firstname Season 2, I sat down with Nicole France, Chief Evangelist at Contentful, to dig into how brands can truly make personalization work at scale—and the challenges they face in making it happen. Personalization sounds like a simple concept, right? After all, we all know the importance of getting data sorted and leveraging customer insights in order to speak to our customers in a way that feels personal and relevant. But hey - what about ‘the right message’, I mean the content side of things? What good is the perfect audience if we have nothing relevant and engaging to say? And how do you scale that part of the solution?  Nicole’s insights on content orchestration, headless CMS, and the interplay between data and personalization are invaluable for anyone serious about mastering scalable personalization. But here’s the kicker—some of the hidden gems from our conversation go far beyond what you’ll read here, so I highly recommend listening to the full episode for an even deeper dive into these topics. The Real Challenge of Personalization at Scale Nicole and I discussed one of the biggest pain points for marketers: scaling personalization. As marketers, we all know content is fragmented across various platforms, and reaching the right customer with the right message can feel like finding a needle in a haystack. Nicole shared how headless CMS platforms like Contentful help manage content at scale and deliver it seamlessly across touchpoints, which is key to ensuring that personalization doesn't become just another buzzword. The secret? Ensuring a seamless flow of content from the Content Layer to the Personalization Layer—because personalization can’t stand alone. It needs to be backed by solid data and the right content to truly resonate with customers. Master Content vs. Execution Content: The Key to Actionable Personalization Another fascinating point Nicole shared was the importance of distinguishing between master content and execution content. Master content serves as the foundation, but it’s the execution content—tailored, personalized content—that takes the interaction from static messaging to a dynamic, customer-centric experience. This is where the Personalization Layer truly comes into play. AI’s Role in Scaling Personalization We also touched on the exciting potential of Generative AI (GenAI) in content creation. Nicole discussed how GenAI can assist with everything from content creation to repurposing across channels—helping brands scale personalization without losing the human touch. But how does it all fit together? That’s where it gets really interesting, and you’ll want to hear Nicole’s thoughts on this in the podcast. Hint: It’s something about a rug…! Building Emotional Connections through Personalization At the core of everything Nicole and I discussed was the idea that personalization isn’t just about data and content—it’s about emotion. Personalization should make customers feel heard, understood, and valued. It’s about crafting messages that resonate emotionally, even if the message isn’t hyper-individualized. For a deeper dive into these insights, listen to the full episode where Nicole and I explore how content and personalization work hand in hand to create scalable, meaningful customer experiences. Based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ and in turn the Content Crisis Manifesto. The Content Crisis Manifesto can be downloaded here. The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here (or your local amazon in case it doesn't work...) An written abstract of the book can be downloaded here. The full audiobook can be downloaded here (courtesy of Agillic). All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here. Book me for a presentation, meeting or talk here!

A Conversation with Julie Marie Hermann: Personalization at Pandora In this episode of Hello $Firstname Season 2, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Julie Marie Hermann, Personalization and CX Manager at Pandora, the world’s largest jewelry brand by volume. With over 33,000 employees and a presence in more than 100 countries, Pandora is leading the way in scaling personalization. Julie shared some insightful thoughts on the challenges and opportunities Pandora faces when it comes to delivering personalized customer experiences. Here are some key takeaways: 1. The Content Crisis: Navigating the Overflow Julie talks about the overwhelming amount of content Pandora manages across markets and platforms. With so many products and customer segments, finding the right content for each touchpoint can feel like looking for a diamond in a sea of options. Julie explains how Pandora is working to streamline content delivery and ensure customers receive relevant, personalized messages. 2. Brand-Led vs. Customer-Led Content: Finding the Balance Julie makes an important distinction between brand-led content (broad, brand- and campaign-driven messages) and customer-led content (personalized messaging that speaks directly to specific customer needs). The key is ensuring the right mix: not every communication needs to be personalized, but as the customer comes closer to a purchase decision, the content must resonate more and more with the individual and their needs. 3. GenAI: Personalization's Digital Assistant Julie is particularly excited about how Generative AI can help Pandora scale personalization efforts. From automatically tagging content to adapting it for different channels, AI can enabling Pandora to work more efficiently and deliver highly relevant, personalized experiences for their customers. 4. Balancing Short-Term Wins with Long-Term Strategy Julie offers valuable advice for marketers: balancing short-term tactical wins with long-term strategic goals. At Pandora, her team is focused on laying the foundation for sustainable personalization that delivers long-term value while still generating immediate results. Based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ and in turn the Content Crisis Manifesto. The Content Crisis Manifesto can be downloaded here. The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here (or your local amazon in case it doesn't work...) An written abstract of the book can be downloaded here. The full audiobook can be downloaded here (courtesy of Agillic). All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here. Book me for a presentation, meeting or talk here!

The Content Crisis in Personalization and the Content Layer In the season premiere of Hello $Firstname Season 2, I had the privilege of sitting down with my co-author, Frans Riemersma, founder of MartechTribe and a global thought leader in marketing technology. Frans is working closely together with Scott Brinker on the MartechMap.com that most marketers are familiar with (hint: crazy map with an ever increasing list of vendors). Together, we introduced the theme of this season: how to solve the content crisis for personalization. The content crisis has become the key bottleneck for scaling personalization. In this episode, Frans sheds light on: The Content Layer Vision: Much like the Data Layer revolutionized marketing, Frans predicts the emergence of a Content Layer, enabling seamless content flow from master files to personalized messages. Together - Frans and I - have been putting a lot of work into demystifying this layer and how it works. GenAI’s Role: Generative AI isn't just a tool; it’s a game-changer for creativity, localization, and scalability. Frans introduces the idea of Brand LLMs—custom AI models trained on a company’s unique assets, values, and tone. Personalization as Dialogue: Frans reframes personalization as a human-like conversation between a brand and its customers. Imagine talking directly to the essence of a brand’s founder—deeply personal and deeply effective. Metrics That Matter: Personalization must drive real business value. Frans emphasizes ROI and innovative metrics like return on content to optimize marketing efforts. We also explored how GenAI and the Content Pipeline can fix common pitfalls, like brands overselling (or over-personalizing!) irrelevant products. Watch the full Episode with video on Youtube here. The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here. (or your local amazon...) An abstract of the book can be downloaded here. All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.

This is the last episode of this season of the 'Hello $FirstName' podcast. It consists of an audio book chapter - well two actually - namely...  CHAPTER 22: ACHIEVING ORGANIZATIONAL MATURITY FOR PERSONALIZATION - with the points: The glass ceilings and how to break them Breaking the glass ceiling between the Hack and Pack levels Stabilize the performance of your core platforms Transition your team of builders to a team of executors (Makers to Marketers) Secure resources for both campaigns and marketing automation Secure data quality and format for marketing automation Switch from a project-based to a hybrid operating model Change from a simple ESP to a real MAP Breaking the glass ceiling between the Pack and Stack levels Establish cross-functional teams Centralize data and insights Centralize production and orchestration of content Realign your incentives and personalization accountability around customer-centricity and CHAPTER 23: CONCLUSION Conclusion About the authors The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here. (or your local amazon...) An abstract of the book can be downloaded here. All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.

In this week's episode of the 'Hello $FirstName' podcast we'll be discussing chapter 21: ’GOVERNANCE. Our special guest this week is Tina Lambert from Danish Industry. Tina is currently working as Head of CRM after many years within the political organization. Stakeholders wanting to inform all clients are many and the need for balancing priorities within CRM makes it necessary to rely on fixed processes and governance. In the episode we cover the following points: Tina's background and career The importance of Governance in CRM and Marketing How data processing, privacy regulations, and consent management play into the CRM strategies at Danish Industry How the CRM department connects with both Legal, Procurement and IT How the CRM department interplays with other departments to get the client communications rolling What stakeholder strategies they use to align internally on customer communications and lastly... Tina's own favourite example of personalization that he has experienced personally Based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ Watch the full Episode with video on Youtube here. The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here. (or your local amazon...) An abstract of the book can be downloaded here. All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.

This week's episode of the 'Hello $FirstName' podcast consists of an audio book chapter, namely...  CHAPTER 21: GOVERNANCE How does governance apply within marketing? What is subject to governance when it comes to personalization? Governance topics imposed by law Data processing, privacy regulations, and consent management Governance topics imposed by other departments IT Governance Procurement processes HR policies Brand guidelines Governance topics you should consider imposing Personalization accountability Data operations Marketing operating model Contact and suppression policies Retail media policies Martech governance Maturity levels for governance The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here. (or your local amazon...) An abstract of the book can be downloaded here. All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.

In this week's episode of the 'Hello $FirstName' podcast we'll be discussing chapter 20: ’MARKETING TECHNOLOGY. Our special guest this week is Martin Wammen. Martin is the founder of the boutique Martech consulting agency Marchitechs. And he has extensive experience from both SaaS, the agency side and even from classic direct marketing and is currently working with several high end brands in the Nordics. In the episode we cover the following points: Martin's background and his aim with founding Marchitechs What the most common challenges companies face when choosing marketing technology are Which key criteria he recommends that brands consider in this process How representative the considerations by Norsk Rikstoto (who are in the book) are across the board What the need is for a central customer profile and how that fits with Customer Data Platforms How companies should deal with the fact that the 3rd party cookie is dying and how they should focus on 1st party data How Martin sees the order of which technology should be applied for personalized customer experiences His view on what he calls the 'Content Crisis' and how that is tied closely into GenAI How he sees the two martech trends 'Atomization' and 'Aggregation' that we cover in the book Which trends he sees in the future Martin's own favourite example of personalization that he has experienced personally Based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ Watch the full Episode with video on Youtube here. The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here. (or your local amazon...) An abstract of the book can be downloaded here. All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.

This week's episode of the 'Hello $FirstName' podcast consists of an audio book chapter, namely...  CHAPTER 20: MARKETING TECHNOLOGY Systems of record Will a customer content platform (CCP) emerge? Atomization and aggregation Go for best-of-integration Growing your stack’s maturity Rightsizing your martech stack Using atomization and aggregation to rightsize your martech architecture Maturity levels for marketing technology The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here. (or your local amazon...) An abstract of the book can be downloaded here. All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.

In this week's episode of the 'Hello $FirstName' podcast we'll be discussing chapter 19: ’PEOPLE AND SKILLS FOR PERSONALIZATION’. Our special guest this week is Christian Peter. Christian has vast experience as a leader in CX from several large banks in the financial sector in Germany. He even has the award statuettes to prove his success in the field. Last year I saw Christian receive an EDDI Award from DDV, German Dialog Marketing Association for his and his team's work at CommerzBank. He's also an author at Sulona.com and has written the book ‘It Depends on the Ands’ that sums up his experiences in bite sized advice.  In the episode we cover the following points: Christian's career path and his work for multiple German banks What it was that drove him towards becoming an author What the state of Personalization is in Finance today and how it has changed How much of the Customer Experience that Marketing owns in Finance How the mix of Outbound vs Inbound channels is in Finance The importance of Tech vs. People in Personalized Customer Journeys Scott Brinker's 5M Model and Marketing Technologist Roles The necessity of T-Profiles in Smaller Teams Challenges in Hiring and Retention vs. the Utilization of External Consultants and Agencies Changes in Operating Model with Increased Maturity Automated Lifecycle Communication vs. Campaigns Project vs Process based operating models The Impact of Generative AI on Personalization in the Future Christian's own favourite example of personalization that he has experienced personally Based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ Watch the full Episode with video on Youtube here. The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here. (or your local amazon...) An abstract of the book can be downloaded here. All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.

This episode of the 'Hello $FirstName' podcast consists of an audio book chapter, namely Chapter 19: People and Skills for Personalization CHAPTER 19: PEOPLE AND SKILLS FOR PERSONALIZATION Enter the marketing technologist How about the creative skills? How the 5M model applies to personalization Applying these skills to the Pyramid of Personalization Shifts in focus Shifts in composition Shifts in operating model Size matters Insourcing vs outsourcing Maturity levels for people and skills The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here. (or your local amazon...) An abstract of the book can be downloaded here. All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.

In this week's episode of the 'Hello $FirstName' podcast we'll be discussing chapter 18: ’MODELS FOR ORGANIZATIONAL MATURITY IN PERSONALIZATION’. Our special guest this week is Frans Riemersma. Apart from being a co-author on a very important part of ‘Hello $Firstname’, Frans is driving a lot of interesting research out there with MartechTribe.com and is really getting to the bottom of Martech and Martech Ops. This also includes the work on MarTechMap.com with Scott Brinker from ChiefMartec. So who better to take this discussion with? In the episode we cover the following points: Frans's career path and his work MarketingTribe.com and the Martechmap.com with Scott Brinker What the term Marketing Ops means? How big personalization is in Martech these days and how that has changed over the years What a maturity model is - and how it can be used by e.g. a CMO The CMMi maturity framework What the Hack, Pack, Stack steps mean for marketing and how it fits with Marketing Productization How to break through the glass ceiling from one maturity level to the next How GenAI affect personalization and finally Frans's own favourite example of personalization that he has experienced personally Based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ Watch the full Episode with video on Youtube here. The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here. (or your local amazon...) An abstract of the book can be downloaded here. All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.

This episode of the 'Hello $FirstName' podcast consists of an audio book chapter, namely Chapter 18: Models of Organizational Maturity in Personalization. CHAPTER 18: MODELS OF ORGANIZATIONAL MATURITY IN PERSONALIZATION The Omnichannel Hexagon A realistic view on organizational maturity within personalization Productization in marketing The back end of the Pyramid of Personalization The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here. (or your local amazon...) An abstract of the book can be downloaded here. All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.

In this week's episode of the 'Hello $FirstName' podcast we'll be discussing the third and last chapter in part 3 of the book: THE PREREQUISITES FOR PERSONALIZATION. Chapter 17 is called ’CONVERSION RATE OPTIMIZATION AND PERSONALIZATION'. This week’s guest is a special friend of mine who's also known as 'The Queen Of CRO' (.com). Marianne Stjernvall has her own consulting and speaking business which is hard earned from her succesful history of CRO work at COOP Sweden and Tele2. Who better to discuss the inter-relation between CRO and Personalization with? At least I only see a few other options that come close (and that haven't already been on the show). In the episode we cover the following points: Marianne's career path and her work within CRO at COOP, Tele2 and her own business from the CRO community What CRO really is What her biggest achievement in CRO has been How the whole CRO community works How Personalization and CRO converge? (if they do) When to shift from CRO to Personalization What Direct Marketers can and should learn from the CRO tribe and finally... Marianne's own favourite example of personalization that she has experienced personally Which interestingly enough leads into a discussion about whether the best personalization is something that is clearly and explicitly personalized or that merely removes friction and makes things go smoothly... What do you think? Based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ Watch the full Episode with video on Youtube here. The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here. (or your local amazon...) An abstract of the book can be downloaded here. All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.

This episode of the 'Hello $FirstName' podcast consists of an audio book chapter, namely Chapter 17. It is the third and last chapter in Part 3 of the book - The Prerequisites for Personalization and the chapter is called: Conversion Rate Optimization & Personalization. CHAPTER 17: CONVERSION RATE OPTIMIZATION AND PERSONALIZATION Prioritizing between CRO and personalization Shifting from CRO towards personalization When to shift from CRO to personalization So, who is personalization not for? The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here. (or your local amazon...) An abstract of the book can be downloaded here. All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.

In this week's episode of the 'Hello $FirstName' podcast we'll be discussing the second chapter in part 3 of the book: THE PREREQUISITES FOR PERSONALIZATION. Chapter 16 is called ’DATA AND PERSONALIZATION'. This week’s guest is no-one but Chief Consulting Officer from the DACH based agency Nexum AG, Michael Bietenhader. Michael has extensive experience from both within consulting, from working ‘client-side’ at COOP Switzerland and from his long time hosting of ‘the loyalty podcast’. In the episode we cover the following points: Michael's career path and his work at COOP Switzerland and NEXUM AG How the adventure of 'the Loyalty Podcast' began How personalization fits with customer loyalty (seems to be a popular topic these days!) How the DACH region is doing in terms of personalization in general How much data a company needs for profitable personalization What the trade-off is between having enough data and having the right data If more data is always better? If too much data can become a problem How fast data becomes obsolete What brands should do, if they have too little data... and... Michael's own favourite example of personalization that he has experienced personally Based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ Watch the full Episode with video on Youtube here. The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here. (or your local amazon...) An abstract of the book can be downloaded here. All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.

This episode of the 'Hello $FirstName' podcast consists of an audio book chapter, namely Chapter 16. It is the second chapter in Part 3 of the book - The Prerequisites for Personalization and the chapter is called: Data & Personalization. CHAPTER 16: DATA & PERSONALIZATION Is your data clean? How much data is needed to make personalization profitable? Re-evaluate often! How to scale permissions and data Persistent customer log-ins The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here. (or your local amazon...) An abstract of the book can be downloaded here. All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.

In this week's episode of the 'Hello $FirstName' podcast we'll be discussing the first chapter in part 3 of the book: THE PREREQUISITES FOR PERSONALIZATION. Chapter 15 is called ’THE BASIC FOUNDATIONS FOR PERSONALIZATION'. To help us getting to the bottom of this, I've had the opportunity to spend a really good time discussing matters with Jesper Damsgaard, SVP of Ecommerce at the world famous jewelry company Pandora. In the episode we cover the following points: Jesper's career path and his work at Pandora The business of Pandora, business model, concept, the scale What the charms mean to the company - and to the customers Which types of personalization that Pandora is using If you can start too early as a company  ... or as a marketing practitioner What needs to be in place before doubling down on personalization The balance between brand building, Top-of-mind awareness and Personalization The balance between Owned and Paid media Which data, that Pandora collects How personalized their customer journey is and finally... Jesper's own favourite example of personalization that he has experienced personally Based on Rasmus Houlind's latest book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ Watch the full Episode with video on Youtube here. The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here. (or your local amazon...) An abstract of the book can be downloaded here. All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.

This episode of the 'Hello $FirstName' podcast consists of an audio book chapter, namely Chapter 15. It is the first chapter in Part 3 of the book - The Prerequisites for Personalization and the chapter is called: The Basic Foundations for Personalization. In the chapter we discuss the things that need to be in place in order for personalization to be worth doubling down on as a company. This is closely related to different go-to-market models. CHAPTER 15: THE BASIC FOUNDATIONS FOR PERSONALIZATION  Three areas to manage well before investing in personalization Solid core offering Brand trust and demand Access to plentiful customer data Data types Special considerations for FMCG Value propositions with frequent engagement create more and better data The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here. (or your local amazon...) An abstract of the book can be downloaded here. All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.

In this week's episode of the 'Hello $FirstName' podcast we'll be discussing chapter 14: ’TYING IT ALL UP IN THE BOWTIE’ with Håvard Hovdahl, SVP of Loyalty at the Nordic hotel chain, Strawberry. It's a conclusive episode of the series - almost a season finale (except there will be a new season starting next Wednesday already) - as we're concluding on the Bowtie of Personalization - but also adding a twist of Customer Loyalty. Håvard seems to know all about the intersection between Hospitality, Loyalty and Personalization - so do take the time to listen to this one! In the episode we cover the following points: Håvard's career path and his work at Strawberry What is so special about working in Hospitality How personalization fits into Loyalty and Hospitality How personalized a customer journey could actually become (if suddenly all challenges were gone and there were no roadblocks) How personalized the AVERAGE customer journey in hospitality is and what the reasons for the gap is How they measure the results og loyalty and personalization at Strawberry - eg. balancing CLV and 'Proxy metrics' How he sees the general maturity of personalization in hospitality and last but not least... Håvard's own favourite example of personalization that he has experienced personally (Yes - at a Strawberry hotel! - and I agree it is such a good example!) Based on Rasmus Houlind's latest book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ Watch the full Episode with video on Youtube here. The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here. (or your local amazon...) An abstract of the book can be downloaded here. All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.

This week's episode of the 'Hello $FirstName' podcast is a BONUS episode and we'll be discussing Moments of Truth and the role of CDPs within Personalization. To help us become wiser on this topic we have Founder and CTO at Tealium, Mike Anderson in the studio. In this episode we cover the following points: Mike’s career and how Tealium was born before the term CDP was even invented How important Personalization is in the world of Tealium What ‘When’ and ‘Realtime’ mean for personalization How Tealium can help marketers uncover both Segments and Moments of Truth with their customers Which companies can benefit from a CDP? How Martech-mature do they need to be? Who doesn’t need one… (tricky one there but Mike manages to answer quite good!) What the biggest value-add normally is for CDP clients What Mike’s best advice is for companies wanting to evaluate or implement a CDP Mike’s own favourite example of personalization that he's experienced personally. Based on Rasmus Houlind's latest book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ Watch the full Episode with video on Youtube here. The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here. (or your local amazon...) An abstract of the book can be downloaded here. All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here.