Make your interactions count. Personalize every experience. Morethan ever, consumers expect purchasing experiences — evenconversations — to be relevant and tailored to their needs andobjectives.

Don’t fall into the trap of using canned material orinteractions. They’re a dead giveaway, and people will quicklyrecognize they’re not authentic. Instead, personalize yourmessage.

Individualizing what and how you communicate is one key topersonalizing your approach. Gone are the days of aone-size-fits-all approach. In fact, as Yahoo CEO Melissa Mayerputs it, “To me, the future is personalization.” And so is thepresent.

Think about Amazon.com. Visit the site and you’re immediatelyrecognized, then served up recommendations based onwhat Amazon knows about you from pastinteractions.

That’s where you come in. In the business of employee benefits,using a personalized approach with your employer clients and theiremployees is all about building and nurturingrelationships — using what you know about your clients tomake relevant recommendations.

What are the keys to personalizing the client experience? Hereare a few.

1. Personalize, don’t just customize. You couldoffer a long list of options to your clients so they can choosewhat they think will work best. That’s customization. Or, you couldshape what you offer based on the relationships you’ve built andwhat you know about your clients. The second option is your bestbet if your goal is to meet your clients’ needs. Personalize whatyou recommend. And it’s OK if it ends up being a shorter list ofmore personalized options.

2. Bring analytics to life. Information is yourultimate sales tool. Use data — including information about aclient’s industry, benefit goals, past purchasing history, employeepopulation and demographics, and products currently offered — toadjust the way you work with your clients. You’ll be able to bettermeet their needs and fulfill their goals.

3. Nurture client relationships. Make transparencyand responsiveness your priorities. Be accessible and providedirect, pertinent feedback. And meet with your clients face-to-face— speaking with them in person helps you discover new needs andopportunities as you work together to develop employee benefitstrategies.

4. Eliminate the script. Make personalconnections, and remember you’re working with people, notcompanies.
   
   

5. Include personalization capabilities in what youoffer. Recommend employee benefit programs thatincorporate the ability to personalize, such as solutions tailoredto the company’s industry, location and size; personalizedenrollment options; and local service specialists who can assistwith your clients’ unique needs.

Whether it’s in the employee benefit products, services orsystems you recommend, personalization can help to build anauthentic connection with your clients. They expect nothingless.