’Hello $FirstName’ - marketing experts discussing the topic of personalization

• Scaling Soulful Content with Generative AI – The Landfolk Way - with Chris Kjær Sørensen, CTO at Landfolk.com

  In the latest episode of the Hello $Firstname podcast, I had the pleasure of talking with Chris Kjær Sørensen, CTO and co-founder of Landfolk — the curated holiday rental platform that’s redefining what it means to rent a holiday home with character. What struck me most in this conversation is just how naturally Landfolk operates in alignment with the Content Layer of the CX Layers framework. Not because they set out to do so—but because their approach to content is rooted in human stories, structure, and AI-powered scalability. ✨ So, what makes their content work so special? 📥 Collection, but with heart Landfolk doesn’t ask hosts to write their own listings. Instead, they encourage them to tell the story of their holiday home—the memories, the rituals, the morning light. This host-generated content is rich and emotional, and it becomes the foundation for everything that follows. 🔧 Enrichment and modeling into Master Content Those heartfelt descriptions are then cleaned, structured, and standardized using Generative AI—forming what we in the CX Layers would call Master Content. The result is brand-consistent, emotionally rich, and structurally sound content that’s ready to go. 🌍 Localization and platform adaptation From there, the Master Content is localized into multiple languages and adapted for use across web and mobile experiences—ensuring every guest, regardless of language or device, gets a coherent and delightful experience. 📬 Outbound activation—and what's next Landfolk is also reusing this enriched content in email newsletters and recommendation flows, with push notifications likely next on the roadmap. It's a brilliant example of how content can scale across both inbound and outbound channels without sacrificing soul or story. 🤖 Generative AI as a quiet powerhouse AI doesn’t replace the human voice at Landfolk—it supports it. From narrative cleanup to localization and platform-specific adaptation, AI enables a small team to operate with large-scale ambition. It’s the Content Layer with a Scandinavian accent—and a really good camera lens. 🎧 In the episode, Chris and I talk about: The power of host storytelling in a data-driven business Why content isn't just a product description—it’s the product How AI plays a supportive, not dominant, role in personalization And what personalization means when your content already feels personal 📝 Disclaimer: Yes, Landfolk is an Agillic client (🙋‍♂️), having moved from a simpler setup to one that could support both a flexible content and data model. But we promise—we only mention it once. As always the episode is based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ and in turn the Content Crisis Manifesto. The Content Crisis Manifesto can be downloaded here. The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here (or your local amazon in case it doesn't work...) An written abstract of the book can be downloaded here. The full audiobook can be downloaded here (courtesy of Agillic). All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here. Book me for a presentation, meeting or talk here!  

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• Pages ≠ Stages: Why Website Personalization Is Stuck in the Wrong Mindset, w. David Mannheim CEO and Founder of MadeWithIntent.ai

  In the latest episode of the Hello $Firstname podcast, I’m joined (Again! Congrats on being the first 2nd-time guest, David) by David Mannheim — author of The Person in Personalisation, founder of MadeWithIntent.ai, avid Disney fan and all-around provocateur of personalization norms. David and I go way back — he even wrote the foreword for Hello $Firstname — but this episode isn’t just a nostalgic reunion. It’s a bold look at how website personalization has lagged behind other parts of the customer experience, and how understanding customer intent is the key to finally catching up. 📊 What’s the Intent Gap? David’s team recently released a report that shows just how off the mark many ecommerce websites are. Despite having tons of data, 63% of online shoppers say digital experiences feel “inappropriate” or even “manipulative.” That’s not just a CX issue — it’s a trust issue. 💥 The Big Idea: Most web personalization doesn’t match buying stages, it matches page templates. But just because I’m on a product page doesn’t mean I’m ready to buy. (Maybe I’m still browsing, maybe I’m stuck, maybe I’m about to bounce.) David argues — convincingly — that we should personalize for intent, not location. 🔁 Context Is King What’s powerful here is how MadeWithIntent generates real-time data signals based on digital body language — scroll depth, mouse movements, time between clicks — and turns that into insights about a user’s mindset. The aim? To surface the right message at the right time, both onsite and in outbound comms. And this connects beautifully to the CX Layers framework. MadeWithIntent enriches the Data Layer with real-time context, enabling the Personalization Layer to act meaningfully — not just generically. 🧠 We also dive into: Why discounting might feel like the only optimization lever (but is often a race to the bottom) The difference between existing content and new nudges How outbound marketing can learn from onsite signals Why most retargeting emails are just… bad The long-term promise (and current limits) of GenAI in website personalization 🎧 This one’s packed with sharp insights, useful provocations, and some delightfully David-style perspectives on what real personalization should look like in 2025 and beyond. Check out 'The Intent Gap Report' here or 'Made with Intent' here or Connect with David here As always the episode is based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ and in turn the Content Crisis Manifesto. The Content Crisis Manifesto can be downloaded here. The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here (or your local amazon in case it doesn't work...) An written abstract of the book can be downloaded here. The full audiobook can be downloaded here (courtesy of Agillic). All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here. Book me for a presentation, meeting or talk here!

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• CRO Without Big Numbers: Personalization in The VodafoneZiggo Way - Daniël Granja Baltazar

  Not Enough Traffic for A/B Testing? Here’s How VodafoneZiggo Scales Personalization Anyway 📉 In B2B marketing, low traffic volume is often a CRO killer. But that hasn’t stopped VodafoneZiggo from building a smart, insight-driven personalization engine anyway. In the latest episode of the Hello $Firstname podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Daniel Granja Baltazar, CRO Specialist at VodafoneZiggo, about how his team is rethinking Conversion Rate Optimization and Personalization in a B2B context—where statistical significance isn’t always an option, and complexity is the norm. Daniel shared how qualitative research, from customer interviews to service center conversations, plays a central role in shaping the personalized customer experience. The transcripts and insights collected feed directly into the Personalization Layer—alongside behavioral data—and are then activated across web and email touchpoints. 🔍 Key Insights from the Episode 🎯 Why qualitative research is the backbone of B2B CRO With limited traffic and massive variation in the SME segment, Daniel's team relies heavily on qualitative methods—interviews, feedback loops, and even in-person time at customer service—to shape hypotheses and content strategies. 🧠 From assumptions to insights: how interviews feed content strategy By analyzing common misunderstandings and recurring questions, the team uncovers "invisible friction" in the journey—then translates that into smarter, simpler content that helps guide customers toward the right solution. 📬 Lifecycle content that prevents service calls Many of the best content ideas come directly from the call center. Proactive outbound emails that answer questions before they’re asked can save thousands of service hours—and create a better experience in the process. 🌐 Personalization in B2B is about people, not just companies At VodafoneZiggo, they’re working toward tailoring content not just by segment or industry, but by the individual’s role, preferences, and behavior—whether that’s a founder, an IT manager, or someone else entirely. 🤖 Generative AI as a CRO co-pilot Daniel also shares how their internal GPT instance helps summarize interviews, categorize feedback, and analyze large sets of qualitative data—saving time and enabling faster learning. 🔗 How It All Connects to the CX Layers Daniel’s approach aligns beautifully with the CX Layers framework—with qualitative insights feeding the Content Layer, behavioral signals informing the Data Layer, and personalization being orchestrated across inbound and outbound channels. It’s a great example of how Experience Optimization in B2B isn’t about volume—it’s about relevance. And sometimes, it starts by just sitting down and listening to your customers. As always the episode is based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ and in turn the Content Crisis Manifesto. The Content Crisis Manifesto can be downloaded here. The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here (or your local amazon in case it doesn't work...) An written abstract of the book can be downloaded here. The full audiobook can be downloaded here (courtesy of Agillic). All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here. Book me for a presentation, meeting or talk here!

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• Why Shark Attacks Won’t Sell More Ice Cream – And Other Data Pitfalls with Senior Data Scientist Ola Lindeberg ex Telia, Ivbar, Swedish Armed Forces

  🐟🍦 If we just increase the number of shark attacks, we’ll sell more ice cream! Sounds ridiculous, right? Yet, many businesses unknowingly fall into similar data traps when working with predictive analytics. While the two graphs might correlate - one is not causing the other. Could the sun be at play as the common determining factor? The shark anecdote is one many great anecdotes Ola Lindeberg shared in the latest episode of the Hello $Firstname podcast. Ola, an indeed very senior data scientist with experience from Telia Sweden, Ivbar, and Swedish Armed Forces, joined me to discuss the flawed assumptions businesses make when using predictive analytics—and why prescriptive analytics would often be better if you want to drive real behavioral change in personalization. (OMG also just remembered the anecdote with the genAI powered spoof caller trap!!! It’s towards the end of the episode!) 🔗 How This Ties Into the CX Layers At the core of our conversation was the Data Layer in the CX Layers framework. While most personalization setups heavily rely on data-driven insights, many fall into the trap of using predictive analytics without considering how to act on those insights. In other words, they’re forecasting the weather instead of deciding what to do about it. Ola’s perspective perfectly illustrates why the Data Layer isn’t just about insights—it’s about decisioning and action. And that’s where prescriptive analytics comes in: Instead of just predicting what a customer might do, it helps businesses determine what action should be taken to actually influence customer behavior. 🔍 Key Insights from the Episode: 📊 Predictive vs. Prescriptive Analytics: Why Knowing Isn’t Enough Predictive Analytics tells you what is likely to happen (e.g., “This customer might churn”). Prescriptive Analytics helps determine what action should be taken to influence the outcome (e.g., “This content or offer could actually prevent churn”). Businesses often mistake correlation for causation—leading to wrong conclusions and poor personalization decisions. 🌦️ Why Wearing a Jacket Won’t Change the Weather (And Why Your Marketing Might Be Doing Just That) Another great analogy from Ola: You check the weather, see it’s cold, and decide to wear a jacket. But that doesn’t change the weather - which might be what you’re actually after… figuratively speaking of course. Many companies use predictive models the same way—reacting to insights without considering how to actually influence customer behavior. ⚡ The Booking.com Experiment: Why One Day in Paris Sells More Trips Booking.com tested an AI-driven recommendation model to suggest trip lengths based on user behavior. When they suggested three days (which was indeed the most frequently bought option), it had no impact on conversions. But when they suggested just one day, it triggered higher engagement and bookings, even though most people ultimately booked longer stays. The takeaway? Sometimes, the best way to drive action isn’t the most "logical" data-driven assumption—but rather an approach that nudges customer behavior effectively. 🤖 The Role of Generative AI in Decisioning Generative AI is already streamlining content production, but its impact on decisioning is still developing. Ola sees potential but argues that businesses need to test and quantify the impact of AI-generated personalization efforts rather than assuming they will automatically improve engagement. 🚀 Final Takeaway: Stop Predicting—Start Influencing If you’re only using predictive analytics, you might just be forecasting the shark attacks of your industry—without knowing how to actually drive change. True personalization means using data to prescribe actions that influence customer behavior—by integrating content, context, and decisioning models in a much smarter way. Follow Ola on LinkedIn here. As always the episode is based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ and in turn the Content Crisis Manifesto. The Content Crisis Manifesto can be downloaded here. The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here (or your local amazon in case it doesn't work...) An written abstract of the book can be downloaded here. The full audiobook can be downloaded here (courtesy of Agillic). All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here. Book me for a presentation, meeting or talk here!

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  48:31
• Beyond Cute: How Personalized Video Content Is Revolutionizing CX - with Ronald Griffin, CEO and Founder of SEEN.io

  In this special episode of the Hello $Firstname podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Ronald Griffin, CEO and co-founder of SEEN.io—a trailblazer in personalized video content for marketing. I first met Ronald at Dialogkonferansen 2024 in Sweden, where his powerful presentation on Generative AI and video creation left a lasting impression. He introduced the now-famous phrase: “That’s cute, but so what?”—a challenge to all marketers using AI to move beyond creating visually impressive content and focus on making it meaningful. In this episode, we dive deep into how personalized video fits within the Content Layer of the CX Layers framework. Ronald shares how SEEN is helping brands like Norsk Rikstoto, Nespresso, and Carrefour deliver videos that not only grab attention but also drive real business outcomes like customer engagement and retention. 🔑 Key Insights from the Episode: 🎯 The Content Layer’s Power in Personalization We explore how the Content Layer—especially through video—can elevate personalization strategies, creating more emotionally resonant and memorable customer experiences. 📊 Personalized Video That Delivers Results SEEN’s work with Rikstoto shows how incorporating personalized video into onboarding flows lifted 29-day repeat business by 37%—a clear sign that well-timed, data-driven video makes a difference. 🤖 Generative AI: Streamlining Video Creation Ronald discusses how Generative AI is making it faster and easier for brands to produce, update, and repurpose video content without sacrificing brand guidelines or quality. 🚧 The Challenges of Personalized Video at Scale From brand consistency to data privacy, Ronald shares the hurdles enterprises face in adopting AI-driven video solutions—and how SEEN is overcoming them with innovative tools and processes. 🚀 What’s Next for Personalized Video? Could creating a personalized video become as simple as sending a personalized email? Ronald believes that with the rise of AI-powered tools, video personalization at scale is closer than we think. 🎬 Why Personalized Video Should Be on Every Marketer’s Radar Marketers have long focused on data for personalization—but the power of personalized video is often overlooked. As Ronald points out, video uniquely captures attention and emotion in a way static content simply can’t. With Generative AI making personalized video more scalable and cost-effective, this content format is poised to become a game-changer for brands looking to stand out and foster deeper customer connections. As always the episode is based on Rasmus Houlind's book ’Hello $FirstName - Profiting from Personalization’ and in turn the Content Crisis Manifesto. The Content Crisis Manifesto can be downloaded here. The full book is available in print and kindle and can be bought here (or your local amazon in case it doesn't work...) An written abstract of the book can be downloaded here. The full audiobook can be downloaded here (courtesy of Agillic). All models and illustrations from the book can be downloaded here. Book me for a presentation, meeting or talk here!  

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