AI personalization at scale — is this what's next?
I hope so. But let's make sure that personalization is actually personal.
For most B2B marketers, personalization means dropping a contact's name, title, or company into an email. Some get fancier — referencing something the contact mentioned on social media, or a headline about their company in the press.
Personal vs. personalized: understanding the difference
Those are examples of personalization. But personalization is not the same as being personal. My company's needs are different from my needs. When I land on your site, I'm trying to solve a specific problem. Talk to me about that — not about how we share a love for coffee.
Generative AI companies today promise "personalization at scale." As far as I can tell, most of them just make it easier to send outreach emails that reference a title, a funding round, or a personal interest. That is personalization. It is not personal.
Learning from B2C: a blueprint for B2B
Our B2C counterparts understand the distinction.
When I browse Amazon, they surface products I actually find interesting — based on things I've already viewed or bought. Those recommendations don't feel spammy. They're relevant and personal.
When I search on Google, I don't see ads based on my age, gender, or zip code. I see ads based on what I searched for. They're contextually relevant to me, and again, they don't feel spammy.
When I mention needing a new tennis racket to a friend, I suddenly see Facebook ads for racket promotions. Unsettling? Yes. But not spammy — because the content matches a real intent.
The future: anticipating needs in real time
B2B marketers need to evolve toward this kind of personalization. You already know what content I'm viewing on your website. You can see the questions I type in your chat window or post on your support site. Why can't you anticipate what I need based on what I'm actually doing?
This is the next generation of personalization. AI can enable it at scale. But the technology only gets you halfway — it's up to marketers to make messages genuinely personal.
