Marketing is hard. There are so many variable at any given time, and most business owners need to focus on running their business, closing deals, and actually doing the work–which is why fractional CMO services are a great option for many of them. But research is also a good thing. So iadvertising messages to customers.

This is what they said.

Using CDPs to Boost Conversion Rates

Personalizing advertising messages effectively hinges on understanding and segmenting your audience using robust data tools. We leverage customer data platforms (CDPs) to analyze customer behavior and preferences, allowing us to create highly targeted segments. One tactic involved using a clients’ CDP to identify a segment of customers who frequently engaged with their content but hadn’t made a purchase. We then launched a personalized email campaign with tailored offers and relevant content for this group. This approach resulted in a 25% increase in conversion rates compared to our standard campaigns.

Focusing on individual data points ensures that each message resonates with the recipient, enhancing engagement and driving better results. This strategy demonstrates that personalized marketing can significantly boost ROI even for small to medium-sized businesses when supported by the right technology and data insights.

Mike Zima, Chief Marketing Officer, Zima Media

Recovering Sales with Automated Follow-Ups

I’ve found that personalization is the cornerstone of successful advertising. One effective tactic I’ve used to personalize messages is customer segmentation based on behavior, combined with automated follow-ups.

A few years ago, I worked with an e-commerce client who had a high cart abandonment rate. Despite good traffic, many customers were abandoning their carts before checkout. To address this, we implemented a segmentation strategy that triggered personalized follow-up emails for customers who left items in their carts. These emails were sent within an hour of abandonment and included a discount along with product recommendations.

The key to success wasn’t just offering a discount, but tailoring the message. We mentioned the exact items they left behind and recommended similar products, making the email feel more like a helpful nudge rather than a sales pitch. This approach led to a 25% increase in recovered sales, which demonstrated the power of personalized messaging.

A few takeaways from this experience:

  • Segmentation is key: Dividing your audience into distinct behavior groups (e.g., first-time buyers, repeat customers, cart abandoners) allows you to create messages that speak directly to their needs.
  • Automation is your friend: Setting up automated triggers ensures you’re reaching customers at the right time with minimal effort. It helps scale personalization without overwhelming your team.
  • Go beyond names: Personalization should focus on what customers are interested in, not just their names. Mention the products they viewed or left in their cart to make the message more relevant.
  • Test and optimize: Regularly test different messaging formats and adjust based on performance. Data-driven iteration helps refine your approach.

The challenge is balancing relevance with frequency. Early on, we sent too many follow-ups, which led to unsubscribes. We learned that timing and frequency are just as important as the content itself.

In conclusion, personalized advertising—when done correctly—builds stronger customer relationships and drives better results. It’s not just about selling; it’s about creating meaningful, relevant experiences.

Vishal Shah, Sr. Technical Consultant, WPWeb Infotech

Hyperlocal Ads for Community Connection

I use location-based targeting to personalize advertising messages.

By tailoring ads to specific neighborhoods where many of our patients live, I make them feel directly connected to our practice. This small detail—mentioning their local area—immediately catches their attention because it speaks to their daily lives. It also positions us as a convenient, community-oriented choice.

The key is combining this hyperlocal focus with services they’re likely to need. For example, around back-to-school time, I ran ads emphasizing children’s dental checkups, knowing it would resonate with parents in those neighborhoods. By being specific about both the location and the service, the message feels more relevant and personalized.

This strategy is about creating a sense of familiarity and trust. Patients often tell me they chose our practice because “you’re right in my neighborhood,” which shows how impactful location-specific messaging can be. It’s a straightforward but highly effective way to make advertising feel less like marketing and more like a conversation with the community.

Kalli Hale, Dentist, The Airway Dentists

Retargeting Users for Better Engagement

One go-to for personalizing ad messages? Dynamic content powered by HubSpot. (And no, I’m not getting paid to say that.) One tactic that crushed it: retargeting users based on their behavior. For instance, someone who downloaded an SEO guide but didn’t book a consultation got ads nudging them toward the next step—like a free audit or case study. It wasn’t just ads; it was a continuation of the conversation. The results? A solid boost in click-throughs and a noticeable uptick in leads. The key? Keep the journey seamless and make every touchpoint feel relevant—not like you’re shouting into the void.

Justin Belmont, Founder & CEO, Prose

This next one is all about email marketing:

Optimizing Emails for Better Deliverability

My strategy for personalizing advertising messages revolves around combining customer behavior data with tools that enhance email deliverability and engagement. For instance, I use Campaign Cleaner to ensure our emails are optimized for deliverability by addressing issues like broken links, spam keywords, and text-to-image ratios. This step ensures that personalized emails actually make it to the recipient’s inbox.

To create the personalized content itself, I integrate HubSpot or Marketo to analyze customer data, segment audiences, and design targeted campaigns. For example, after cleaning and optimizing a campaign with Campaign Cleaner, I might use HubSpot’s workflows to send tailored recommendations based on a customer’s purchase history or engagement patterns.

This approach combines the technical precision of Campaign Cleaner with the customer insights of CRM tools, allowing us to deliver messages that are not only relevant but also highly effective. It’s helped us increase open rates and customer engagement significantly.

Henry Timmes, CEO, Campaign Cleaner

Reach Out To Mandel Marketing For Help

Convinced yet? There’s a lot to know about personalizing your messaging — and advertising in general. That’s why we recommend you reach out to Mandel Marketing for a free consultation to see how we can help you get your business where it needs to be. Contact us using the form below, or find us on LinkedIn and mention you read this article: