By rleist@hubspot.com (Rachel Leist)

Remember the last time you got an email that started with ‘Hey {First_Name}’ and immediately felt like deleting it? That visceral reaction isn’t just about poor execution — it signals a fundamental shift in buyer expectations.

HubSpot research shows that 78% of customers expect more personalization in business interactions than ever before. Yet only 47% of business leaders say their customer service experiences are highly personalized.

You can no longer rely on old-school personalization tactics like adding basic customer details to a holiday card or making a generic comment like “I love what your company is doing” in your outreach.

Buyers want to feel like their favorite brand understands their underlying needs and motivations. And they’re doing business with those who prioritize deep connection.

The Next Chapter of Personalization

These expectations have raised the bar. You know that “How did they know?” moment when you’re browsing Netflix and the algorithm picks your next binge-watch for you — and actually gets it right?

That’s the new personalization standard that buyers are holding your brand to.

Reaching that level of resonance isn’t possible with old marketing tactics. The good news is that we’re in the age of AI, where traditional marketing strategies have evolved and opportunities for hyper-personalization are endless.

This is where playbooks like HubSpot’s Loop Marketing come in. Businesses need the right tools to adapt to a world where you have access to unlimited information and endless distribution channels — and AI to make sense of it all.

The Loop is the four-stage playbook that helps businesses evolve with customer habits. Here are the stages:

1. Express who you are: Define your taste, tone, and point of view.

2. Tailor your approach: Use AI to make your interactions personal.

3. Amplify your reach: Diversify your content across channels for humans and bots.

4. Evolve in real-time: Iterate quickly and effectively.

Each of these stages is important, but today, we’re focusing on Tailor.

When you combine AI efficiency with human authenticity, you can deliver customer experiences that feel one-on-one at scale. And knowing how to Tailor your messaging effectively is how you get there. Here’s the breakdown.

Tailoring a Custom-Fit Message

Tailoring is about making your content feel personal, not just personalized.

As a brand, you want to leverage your unified customer data — everything from call records to website behavior — to create genuine relevance. That means developing solutions that resonate with both prospects and existing customers.

According to a 2025 HubSpot survey, a whopping 96% of marketers reported that personalized experiences have increased sales.

And that’s a big reason why brands like Netflix, Spotify, and Amazon are at the top. They use data about your past behavior to predict your future preferences — whether that’s a TV show, a playlist, or a product recommendation. The more you know about your target customer, the easier it is to meet (and exceed) their expectations.

Delivering that kind of one-to-one relevance starts …read more

Source:: HubSpot Blog

Author: Aaron