Personalization works, Mr. Sample. Just be sure to get it right, Mr. Sample. And please, Mr. Sample, don’t overdo it.

By Paul Barbagallo

“Personalization means being able to talk to [donors] in a way that recognizes the support they have given to your organization,” says Michael D. Nelson, president of Minneapolis-based Digital Marketing, a full-service provider of data-driven marketing and customer communications. “When you talk to people rather than at them, you build more loyalty and a stronger relationship over time, and you will also find higher response rates for the long term.”