In the world of CRM, it’s easy to fall into bad habits that might spook your audience. But for every trick that could harm your customer relationships, there’s a treat that will keep them coming back for more. Today, we’re diving deeper into the CRM tricks to avoid and how to treat your audience to a memorable, engaging experience.

🎃 Trick 1: Over-Personalisation That Feels Creepy

We all know that personalisation is key to modern CRM. But there’s a fine line between making customers feel understood and like they’re being watched. According to research from Salesforce, 84% of customers say being treated like a person, not a number, is key to winning their business, but 44% are uncomfortable with brands that use too much personal data.

Brand Example:

Take Facebook’s infamous push notification strategy, which once tried to re-engage inactive users by sending notifications about what their friends were doing. While the intent was to foster connection, the over-personalisation backfired, leading to discomfort among users.

How To Avoid It:

Focus on using relevant, non-intrusive engagement data. Ensure imagery and copy is fitting for every audience. Brands like BBC have mastered this with the latest Election email which helped share the result in their local area. Powered by our new image tool that combines data with beautiful imagery we were able to offer a very helpful, clear and creative email.

Use design, copy, and clever strategy to give users data-driven insights that feel personalised, but not invasive. It’s a delightful way of celebrating the brand connection, and showing “We know you,” without overstepping boundaries.

🍬 Treat 1: Value in Every Interaction

Many brands fall into the trap of only firing up their CRM when they have a flash sale to promote. But according to Hubspot, 68% of customers are more likely to engage with brands that send relevant, targeted communications. This means being attentive to brand lovers’ problems and desires to provide genuinely useful content.

Brand Example:

Sephora is a master at this, using its CRM to provide beauty tutorials, personalised recommendations, and member-exclusive events. They don’t just send emails about sales — they enrich their customers’ beauty journey at every stage. This approach has helped Sephora boost its Beauty Insider loyalty program to over 25 million members worldwide.

How To Do It:

Treat your customers by delivering real value at every touchpoint. This can be through exclusive offers, early access to new products, or personalised content that helps solve their problems.

🎃 Trick 2: One-Size-Fits-All Messaging

Nothing drives customers away faster than irrelevant, generic emails. A staggering 45% of customers say they will not engage with a brand that delivers irrelevant content (Accenture). Sending blanket messages to your entire audience is like handing out the same candy to every trick-or-treater — eventually, they’ll lose interest.

Brand Example:

In contrast, Nike leverages customer data to send highly segmented emails based on purchase history, location, and even activity level. Their email campaigns aren’t just generic product pushes — they’re curated collections tailored to the individual.

How To Avoid It:

Use segmentation and dynamic content to speak directly to customer needs. With modern CRM tools, you can segment based on behavior, preferences, and even lifecycle stages, ensuring that every message feels personal and timely.

🍬 Treat 2: The Power of Timing

Timing can make or break a CRM campaign. The wrong message at the wrong time can feel disruptive and irrelevant. However, sending emails at the right time increases engagement rates by up to 30% (Omnisend).

Brand Example:

Look at ASOS — a brand that has honed its CRM timing to perfection. By analysing customer behaviour and engagement data, ASOS sends emails when customers are most likely to shop. During peak seasons like Black Friday or holiday sales, they also use countdown timers and reminders, building urgency and excitement.

How To Do It:

Optimise send times using data insights and be mindful of your audience’s habits. CRM platforms like HubSpot and Salesforce offer tools to analyse engagement patterns, helping you deliver messages when your customers are most receptive.

🎃 Trick 3: Neglecting Mobile Optimisation

With mobile usage skyrocketing, a CRM strategy that ignores mobile is a recipe for disaster. Over 61% of email opens happen on mobile (Litmus), yet many brands still send emails that are difficult to read or navigate on smaller screens.

Brand Example:

Apple leads by example, ensuring that all communications - from emails to push notifications - are sleek, responsive, and easy to interact with on mobile. Their clean design and concise messaging are perfect for users on the go.

How To Avoid It:

Prioritise accessible, mobile-first design in all CRM communications. This means using responsive layouts, concise text, and clear CTAs that are easy to tap on mobile. Accessible, Mobile-optimised campaigns ensure everyone can engage with your content anytime, anywhere.

🍬 Treat 3: Use Data to Continuously Improve

Data is the secret sauce in any successful CRM strategy. But it’s not enough to collect data — you need to use it effectively. Regularly reviewing CRM metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and customer behaviour is key to optimizing your campaigns. According to McKinsey, companies that leverage customer behaviour data outperform competitors by 85% in sales growth.

Brand Example:

Patagonia, a leader in sustainability, uses data to continuously improve its CRM efforts without compromising its values. Through its Worn Wear program, Patagonia tracks customers’ preferences for repairing or trading in their old gear. This data allows the brand to personalise offers and encourage eco-conscious decisions, all while building customer loyalty around sustainability.

How To Do It:

Treat your customers to a continually improving experience by utilising the insights your CRM data provides. This helps you refine your messaging, timing, and content strategy to keep delivering value over time — just like Patagonia does by aligning customer engagement with its environmental mission.

Avoiding CRM tricks and focusing on the right treats will strengthen your customer relationships and drive long-term loyalty. By personalising with care, offering value, and leveraging data, you can transform your CRM strategy into one that delights customers time and time again.

Remember, the best CRM strategies are the ones that make your audience feel seen, valued, and understood. Now go out there and deliver those treats! Drop us a message here, to discuss how we can help you out. 🎃🍬