One-to-one Marketing
The next big thing in marketing, one-to-one marketing (aka relationship marketing, customerized marketing, pinpoint marketing) targets consumers individually, "one-to-one." One-to-one is the antithesis of mass marketing. Instead of focusing on market share, it focuses on customer share. Instead of trying to sell a product to as much of the market as possible, ont-to-one tries to sell as much to individual consumers as possible. Like niche marketing, it concentrates on establishing the strongest possible relationship with consumers. But unlike niche marketing, it measures its target audience by ones.
"Customer-ize" Products. According to Peppers and Rogers, Software Sportswear already sells a program that enables swimsuit retailers to "customer-ize" bikinis to individual bodies. Stores that use the technology have a digital camera that takes customers' pictures and, after a few adjustments, shows them what they'd look like in the bikini of their dreams. Once the computer has someone's body shape and measurements, it can produce customized bikinis for them anytime. The store could even send out personalized postcards each season, depicting customers in the latest style.
New uses for ATMS. Replace store and fast-food restaurant clerks and put in machines that react faster and remember their lines. The authors fantasize about going to McDonald's and reading this on screen:
Welcome, Ms. Fenwick, and thanks for coming in for lunch again. Your order will be read in two minutes. Touch the Please button and we'll be happy to print out a coupon good for a free Filet-O-Fish sandwich or Large Fries any weekday evening in the next two weeks. And, because you've never tried our very popular Cherry Pie dessert, just touch button four and you'll receive one with our compliments today. Thanks again for coming.
Customized books, magazines, CD compilations, from web news filters customized with news and advertisements to retail jukebox-like banks that allow customers to make their own CD-compilations. If sponsored news about sponsored news about sponsored news is your thing, these services are for you. Heavily mediated (these aren't just secondary sources or tertiary sources but sources far removed from primary experience) relationships that pass themselves off as personal.
I'm sure somewhere there must be (living, breathing, fully functional) humans who have a problem finding stuff to read/listen to/watch/do and need these things. But maybe their real problem is that they're not trying too hard. Granted, if you're living under a rock or in Florida, you have a harder time finding quality entertainment and/or good art. But having Microsoft and Co. spoon-feed it to you isn't much of a solution. Besides, there's always cable.
