Dear Valued Community Member...

Article by Joyce Neth, Audience Strategist

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When personalization doesn't feel very personal

I got a mailing this week from an organization I belong to — a place where I’ve been an active, engaged part of the community for years. So imagine my surprise when the address label greeted me as… “Community Member.”

Not my name.

Not even “Friend.”

Just… a generic placeholder that might as well have been “Occupant.”

I don’t need over-the-top personalization. No one is asking for “Hi Joyce, we noticed you were thinking about puffins today.” But recognizing me by name feels like the absolute floor for building community.

If I’m truly a member, shouldn’t you know who I am?

And while we're talking personalization… can we talk about behavior-based content?

There’s a big industry push to personalize content based on behavior — “You clicked puffins, so here are more puffins!”

But here’s the problem:

Behavior only tells you what I did. It does not tell you what I want next.

I love puffins. They’re adorable. I spent a lot of time with puffins at the St. Louis Zoo.

But when I’m actually at the zoo? I wander. I discover. I linger at the insectarium, the giraffes, the sea lions. If the zoo only showed me puffins because that’s what my past behavior suggested… I’d miss out.

And organizations miss out, too.

If your website, newsletter, or recommendations only feed me more of what I’ve already done, you’re not actually personalizing — you’re boxing me in. You’ll never learn what else interests me unless you create space for exploration or simply… ask.

Behavior is part of the story, not the whole story. Personalization should open doors, not close them.

The takeaway

Knowing someone’s name is basic.

Knowing what else they could love? That’s where the magic is.

Organizations that get this right don’t just personalize — they build real relationships.