Top 4 Personalization Moves Every Financial Marketer Needs

Let’s face it—working in financial services has its share of complexities, especially when striving to deliver personalized content. With aging legacy systems, the rapid rise of AI, and consumers tightening their belts in uncertain times, the stakes have never been higher. Today’s informed customers expect transparency, relevance, and proactive support tailored to their financial needs—and expect you to deliver it seamlessly. So, how do you meet and exceed these elevated expectations and earn trust?

The answer is clear: personalized, 1:1 experiences that guide customers through every step, from managing accounts to making financial decisions. To help you work towards providing those experiences to your customers, we’ve gathered the most effective tactics and use cases that will help you meet customer needs and build the kind of loyalty that transforms relationships into long-term partnerships.

Keep these Financial Trends in Mind

Before diving into the tactics, it’s essential to recognize some key financial trends shaping the landscape.

Consumer Spending – With US economic optimism reaching new highs in Q3 2024, it’s clear that confidence is growing, but many customers are still approaching purchases cautiously. While younger consumers are feeling more confident, the uncertainty among other age groups makes it crucial to craft experiences that truly resonate with your entire audience.

Slower Product Expansion – Financial institutions are branching out at a more measured pace and taking on what makes sense for their business. While institutions like Wells Fargo have decided to back out of the mortgage market, other credit card companies are exploring short-term loans or "Buy Now, Pay Later" models. As you innovate, focusing on what matters most to your audience is vital.

Focus on Retention – Did you know 80% of banking customers say they would switch banks due to poor customer experience? Even more telling, 56% of those who leave feel their bank made no effort to keep them. That's why shifting the focus to retaining and nurturing customers is more important than ever.

Now, let’s explore some always-on tips for financial services that you can use to maintain strong customer relationships, no matter the economic climate.

Start 2025 Strong with Financial Wellness Content

As 2025 approaches and annual planning is well underway, look to start the new year by offering valuable content centered on financial wellness. By directing customers to resources that support their financial planning goals, you have the opportunity to build strong connections at a time when your customers are looking at a fresh start.

In the example below, Inkredible Financial helps customers start the year on the right foot by offering educational content that aligns with their specific needs and interests to help support their long-term financial health.

To take it a step further, close data gaps by gathering insights into the account types your customers are most interested in. You can also follow up with personalized emails featuring tailored product or account recommendations based on their previous choices. This not only meets their current needs but anticipates future ones.

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Turn Data into Decisions with Personalized Visuals

More than half of customers feel their bank’s digital tools lack personalization, making it harder for them to find relevant information. That’s why tactics like customer data visualization are great to guide customers toward the next best steps, making updates and actions easy to spot.

As seen in this Inkredible Financial's Retirement Account Summary, leveraging contextual, zero-party data—such as the time of year, customer age, and average retirement age—they illustrate how much customers could earn by investing now. This approach not only encourages action but also builds trust by connecting customers with consulting services, educational content, and cross-sell products that meet individual needs.

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Build Urgency with Real-Time Reminders

Contribution deadlines and tax day are among the most important times of the year. Ensuring your customers are aware of these deadlines not only drives business but strengthens trust by showing you have their best interest in mind. Dynamic, real-time personalization is especially impactful during these key moments.

For example, in this Retirement Account Cross-Sell campaign using data visualization to highlight how maximizing contributions can boost long-term investments—and clearly indicating the time left before deadlines—helps guide customers along their financial journey. This tactic also creates an opportunity to cross-sell relevant products, reinforcing these important milestones and deepening engagement.

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Celebrate Milestones and Keep the Momentum Going

When customers reach significant milestones, like reaching their maximum contributions, it's a prime moment to celebrate—and make the most of the opportunity. Send a personalized message to congratulate them on their achievement, while also highlighting other relevant products or services.

Inkredible Financial smartly reuses their polling feature from the earlier example to encourage customers to explore additional investment options tailored to their portfolio—a strategy that boosts both efficiency and gathers valuable zero-party data on the customer's future interests.

Based on the accounts customers currently hold (or don't hold), suggest their next best move with exclusive offers or incentives for opening new accounts. These timely suggestions not only keep the momentum going but also strengthen the partnership's value.

It's time for financial services to bring their marketing into the modern era. With these easy-to-apply personalization tips and tricks, marketers can make every message feel like a helping hand that builds trust and reliability with customers. 

Ready to strengthen those customer bonds? Check out more resources below!