When Personalization Goes Too Far

Well, the next week I got a personal note in the mail written on this company's notecards. Here is what the note said:

Dear Angie,

Whatever kid got a Super Burrito for dinner is a heckuva lot luckier than I was when I was younger. I was practically malnourished. If my family took me to a Mexican place, I'd probably be forced to get one lettuce taco. Like I said, lucky kid got a Super Taco. I'm still not over it. Hope y'all enjoyed!!

Patrick

I was immediately bothered for so many reasons …

1. I think it is an inappropriate note all together — and the fact that it references not only the product I ordered but that is was for my kid seems to cross the line.
2. The product details are wrong. He calls it a burrito in the first sentence and then a taco in the second sentence. I mean, come on, there are only four sentences on the entire note.
3. The comparison to his childhood eating dynamic was out of place to me. In fact, I couldn't figure out if he was just venting about his childhood (not what I want to hear) or was actually saying I was being too nice to my kid by ordering him a Super Burrito (i.e., "luckier than me," "I'm still not over it," etc.).

So, let's say it again — don't cross the line on personalization. It can go too far. It can be creepy. Use these as guidelines for personalization strategies:

• Use some common sense (clearly missing in the above).
• Think of yourself as the recipient of the personalization, and use your own thought or those of your team as a good yardstick of being too "close." This can easily be different based on your product, your service or the mission you have.
• Do not use personal information unless it advances your marketing or is a way to show the benefit of your services/mission/offer to the recipient. The reference to my child seems a bit too close to my privacy and has nothing to do with an offer. If the company had wanted to tell me that kids menu items are free on a certain day or reduced in pricing if combined with a normal meal, then it certainly would make sense to reference that I ordered for a child.
• Don't share your story unless it is a part of the mission or a future offer you intend to send later to that constituent. If your story is designed to create alignment with you and your constituent, that's great, but make sure you spend more time on the recipient and not you. Remember, you are building the relationship with your donors/customers so make it about them and your brand's connection to helping them, fulfilling a need or creating a benefit.
• Lastly, DON'T BE CREEPY. You don't ever want to send your constituent down the thought process of "how do they know that" in a negative way. Based on my personal example above, every time I fill out the "other comments" section I will now feel like my information is in the hands of people who … well … are just creepy.