When this topic matters
Personalization works, but has a cost. 5 minutes personalization per call × 100 calls = 8+ hours of work.
Question is not "personalize or not", but "how much to personalize for which segment".
What happens in practice
Three personalization levels: 1) Segment (one messaging for whole segment). 2) Batch (personalization by company type/role). 3) Individual (1:1 personalization for each contact).
Most campaigns should be at batch level — personalization by type, not by individual.
Why it fails
Too little personalization: messaging is not relevant, conversion drops.
Too much personalization: preparation time is too high, volume drops, and sometimes personalization looks forced ("I saw you went to university at...").
How to think about it
Rule: personalize on things relevant to need/problem, not random facts.
Create "personalization triggers" for segment: what are signals that indicate need? Hiring, funding, expansion, regulatory changes...
- Segment: one messaging for all
- Batch: variants by company type/role
- Individual: 1:1 personalization
- Triggers: signals relevant to need
What you gain and what you lose
High personalization: higher conversion, better response. But lower volume, more preparation time.
Batch personalization: good balance between relevance and efficiency. Usually optimal choice.
When to apply
Enterprise/high ACV: higher personalization makes sense because one deal covers time invested in personalization.
SMB/high volume: batch personalization is usually optimal. Individual personalization does not pay off.
Personalize at level matching deal value. Most campaigns should be batch (by type), not individual (1:1). Personalize on relevant triggers, not random facts.