The pandemic tripled the e-commerce industry's website traffic and competitiveness. Today’s e-commerce marketer needs to ensure the fundamentals of convenience, connection, and customer service are up to par with the change in online consumer demands and expectations. The value of providing a humanistic connection in e-commerce marketing and experiences is what sets some e-commerce businesses over others. This presentation will provide industry best practices in this area. Key Takeaways: 1) Insights on building strategic plans around human connection in e-commerce personalization 2) Adapting framework of ideation in e-commerce personalization 3) Developing a method around data modeling input rules in A.I.

1. MASTER
CLASS
DALLAS, TX ~ NOVEMBER 2 - 3, 2023
DIGIMARCONTEXAS.COM | #DigiMarConTexas
Kyle Allison
EXECUTIVE MANAGING DIRECTOR & FOUNDER
THE DOCTOR OF DIGITAL STRATEGY
Humanistic Connection
in Modern E-Commerce
Marketing

2. Human Connection in Modern
E-commerce Marketing

3. 1. How to elevate E-commerce personalization
technology with the human connection factor
2.Optimizing rule induction tactics into digital
experience and personalization strategy with
the right analytical approach & iterative
testing environment
What are we going to learn?

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6. Digital…..is
Buzz Words:
• Transformational
• Future Proof
• Technological
• Disruptive
• Big Data
• Metaverse
• Automation
• Progressive
• Artificial Intelligence
Image Source: Pexels

7. IF/THEN Statement
• IF Customers Want Digital
Personalized Experiences…
• THEN Why are more
companies NOT doing it or
struggling to be OPTIMAL?
Image Source: Pexels

8. • 24% of firms report they are effectively investing in omnichannel
personalization, with departmental silos and outdated technology
being the main impediments to success - Segment,
Personalization Report 2022
• 43% of companies perceive accurate, real-time customer data as
the most difficult hurdle to their personalization efforts –
Segment, Personalization Report 2022
• Strategy Barriers with Personalization – Smart Insights, 2021
• Where to start?
• Lack of a strategic approach.
• Embedding a culture of experimentation.
• No buy-in when you don’t have a plan.
Some Businesses Struggle

9. Personalization is a business necessity now,
not just an upgrade
• Many know personalization is
important, but for some businesses,
it’s still untapped territory
• Some businesses already doing it,
are not doing it optimally
• Businesses who still know they need
it, don’t know where to start
• Those who know where to start,
don’t always start correctly.

10. Challenges Existing for Digital Personalization in Businesses
• Lack of Trust in the Technology
• Skepticism on results
• Strategy Barriers
• Leveraging Data to Action
And finally……

11. What’s
Missing?
Human Connection….
Human connection is an
association that people experience
when they feel seen, heard,
understood and valued as they
are. This connection builds trust
between individuals, or in this
case, from the customer with your
business. It gives them a sense of
belonging.
Image Source: Pexels

12. Artificial Intelligence Does Not Replace Human Innovation,
It Augments the Human Connection
- Dr. Allison

13. ▪ Personalization is not a “set and forget it” Technology tool
▪ Yes automate, but control it
▪ The INPUT of Rules with sound consumer behavior modeling
matters more than the metrics and test prescriptions.
▪ Don’t forget the fundamentals of assessing your customer’s
behavior, go back to the basics of customer analysis
What does it all mean?

14. ▪ Data is only a fuel to the technology, not the solve
▪ The human innovation to understand how to
develop the human connection, is the solve
▪ Let the machine learning accelerate, elevate and
produce….but be the human intelligence to fuel the
artificial intelligence
What does it all mean? Continued…

15. How to do it?
• Participate in the customer conversation
• Ask questions and share relevant
information that helps build rapport,
trust, and understanding.
• Be your authentic self in your brand.
• Respect people's boundaries.
Image Source: Pexels

16. How to do it?
Continued….
• Stay focused on the present.
• Move past the surface level,
connect deeper
• Show emotion & be empathetic
in your tone of communication
• Use behavior triggers to your
benefit
Source: Pexels

17. Don’t let transactional data limit you.
Build assumptions with Qualitative CRM data standards of human
connection: Wants, Needs, Preferences, Directional Behaviors.

18. Personalization Optimization Cycle
*It’s a strategic mindset, not a formula”
Personalization
Optimization
Cycle
Know the
Data
Facilitate
the Data
Understand
the “Rules
of the Tool”
Build rules
deeper than
surface level
Strategize
the options
Experiment

19. • Gather Comprehensive Data
• Focused Segmentation – Deeper Clustering
• Define Personalization Goals & Secondary Goals
• Create rule sets based on data-driven conditions and actions.
• Combine explicit rules (e.g., "If user browses X, show Y") with
inferred rules from historical data.
• Test & Measure
The fundamentals are the foundation, not the optimization…
Fundamental Personalization Steps

20. Then add-in Human Connection
in Rule Induction
• Embrace Emotional Intelligence
• Ethos & Psychographics
• Customer Attitudes
• Perceptions
• Craft content that sparks emotions and empathy.
• Tailoring messages and offers to resonate with
customers' emotions and preferences makes
them more likely to convert. This can translate
into higher conversion rates for purchases, sign-
ups, or other desired actions.
• Craft Contextual Messaging
• Touchpoints before, during and after their visit
• Relevancy & immediacy
Source: Pexels

21. Don’t Force the Dialogue, Build
it
• Build Dialogue to enrich data, then execute
• Take the time to build intelligence, don’t deploy
without that intelligence
• Leverage Chatbots for more than service, enrich
the market research data on your customers with
the interaction
• Iterative Refinement: Just like a relationship,
innovate based on response & action
• Customer Feedback Loop: Share Experiences
• Build a Journey of Connection… A better connection
improves conversion…
Source: Pexels

22. •Segment: Fashion Millennials
•Campaign: Fall Fashion
•AI-Powered Conversations: "FashionFriend" chatbot engaged Millennials in
personalized talks, focused on discussions around specific shoe styles, upcoming events
& fashion trends.
•Data Fusion: Merged CRM, multi-campaign response, browsing, and purchase data for
robust profiles.
•Human Nuances, AI Rules: AI learned from chat dialogues, capturing unique
preferences.
• Example: a customer might mention their love for sustainable fashion or a preference for comfortable yet
trendy footwear.
•Adaptive Recommendations: Hyper-personalized shoe suggestions evolved with
trends.
•Results: 30% ↑ conversion, 20% ↑ order value; Boosted loyalty & advocacy.
•Continual Refinement: Improved AI chatbot skills for enduring success.
•Industry Recognition: Pioneer in emotive online retail experiences
Case Example 1: Footwear Online Retailer

23. • Segment: Jewelry Enthusiasts and Gift Shoppers
• Campaign: Personal Touch Gems
• AI-Powered Jewelry Design Tool: "GemGenius" offered a starting point for
custom jewelry designs, enhanced by jeweler consultations.
• Specific Personalization Functions:
• Style Preferences Quiz: AI recommended design elements based on user
responses, which were fine-tuned by experienced jewelers.
• Gemstone Selector: Suggested gemstones and settings, with jewelers
providing insight on quality and suitability for wear.
• Visual Preview: Created a realistic render of the custom jewelry piece,
with artisans available to discuss adjustments and personalization.
Case Example 2: Ecommerce Jewelry Shop

24. • Human Connection: Direct messaging and video calls with jewelers allowed
for a collaborative design process, adding a layer of personal craftsmanship
to every piece.
• Results: 35% increase in customer satisfaction, 25% increase in custom
orders; renowned for enhancing customer involvement in the jewelry-
making process.
• Continual Refinement: Ongoing collaboration between AI tools and
jewelers to ensure design recommendations stay current with fashion
trends.
• Industry Recognition: Distinguished for integrating artisanal expertise with
innovative technology to craft bespoke jewelry experiences.
Case Example 2: Ecommerce Jewelry Shop

25. So what do we do?
● Realize ecommerce marketing is not just advertising, it’s
carrying the outbound hook all the way through the inbound
website experience
● Reimagine your ecommerce experience through the lens of
the customer
● Ask, am I covering everything I can to provide convenience,
communication, care and capabilities from my website to the
customer
● Re-invent the company culture if needed to be humanistic in
all corner posts of the ecommerce experience
● Treat ecommerce as an experience not just an advertising
channel

26. Bridging the Human Connection through Strategy
● The 4P’s of marketing and personalization are important, but not enough
● Bring the online to the offline & vice versa.
● Leverage Data for all facets of the experience, be ok with A/B Testing as an
actual requirement in digital strategy planning, not just a one-off idea
● Speak to the consumer, not to the brand
● Embrace Technology, fuel human innovation (Voice Assistants are not
replacing the human innovation behind it)
● Amplify agility & speed
● Social Media Integration
The product and price is not the sole winner anymore, it’s the trust behind the
click that matters more.

27. Build a Journey of Connection
Leading to Conversion
Source: Pexels

28. Thank you
Please connect with me at
Doctorofdigitalstrategy.com or at
kyle@doctorofdigitalstrategy.com