Remember the 1970’s Burger King’s theme song?

“Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce, special orders don’t upset us,
all we ask is that you let us serve it your way.
Have it YOUR WAY… Have it YOUR WAY…”
At the time, this campaign seemed to be nothing more than a clever bid to beat the competition by delivering better service. With the benefit of hindsight, I see now that this may have been the beginning of one of today’s hottest trends: mass customization.

For example Scion invites perspective customers to: “build your own car;” while Reebok allows visitors to “create your own shoes”… and the list goes on and on. Whether they’re ordering bags of green-only M&Ms or buying custom-made shirts, it’s no surprise that people like things their way. This holds true in the world of training too.

Creating content that speaks directly to both learners’ unique emotional needs and their rational must-haves is a surefire way to make quick connections that allow learning to begin… and stick. You’re probably thinking that there’s no way you could ever afford to create a personalized learning experience for every member of your company. The good news is, you don’t have to.

Instead of customizing – think configuring - with new technology you can improve the fit of your mass-produced programs and create experiences that feel unique without breaking the bank. For example, Burger King didn’t let you create your own menu, but they did allow you to arrange a discrete group of ingredients your way. By the same token, it may not be feasible to allow every user to create their own personal learning website. But simple things, such as allowing folks to select an interface layout they actually like to work with, as well as more intricate tasks, such as offering a choice to learn the same technical content in either “plain speak” or “techie speak” are completely doable.

The best part is, unlike customization, configuring software allows you to seamlessly, quickly and inexpensively, update and upgrade future versions of your content. Speaking of content, configuring it is one thing, making it engaging is something completely different. I guess you could say that content is still king. Case in point - most people only had to see the “Your Way” commercials once for that tune to get stuck in their heads forever. Just for fun, check out the Super Bowl commerciall that brought back the King’s most memorable hit.

According to emailexperience.org, emails that include the sender’s name and/or branding in the subject line enjoy open rates up to 60% higher than those that don’t. So knowing (and liking) who’s contacting us is critical. But that’s just the first step.

From terrific offers to important information, the value you deliver the first time customers or coworkers say open sesame has a huge impact on whether or not they’ll let you in again and again. B-to-B, B-to-C or internal communications, the challenges are the same, at least when it comes to convincing people to open up.

Preview panes, subject lines, time of day, day of the week--they’ve all been studied, and they all appear to play a part in how we make the hundreds of split-second decisions we make every day. The statistics boil down to one simple reaction: “What’s in it for me?”

If the email is from my client, my boss or my co-workers, I open it because I like working here and I’d like to keep it that way. If it’s from family or friends, I open it because I love them. If it’s from anyone else, it’s either relevant or it’s trash.

Whether it’s a person or a brand, all of these choices are based on relationships with the sender. We realize email’s full potential when we create messages that cultivate positive relationships by delivering something our audiences really want or need. This builds trust, and trust builds loyalty.

one study claims that in a consumer environment, loyalty–in the form of emotional connections with brands–allows companies to charge 20-200% more for their products or services. When it comes to internal communication programs, developing these kinds of relationships may be even more valuable because we’re connecting with people who help our companies succeed.

Okay…if you still want some stats, here are just a few regarding consumer open rates; but remember, it’s really all about relationships:

- About half (41.1%) of consumers open an email because something in the subject line caught their attention.

- Half (53.7%) read the subject line first and then decide to open the email.

- The best subject lines, according to consumers, clearly state the offer (55.2%), promise immediate answers (30.3%) or promise to solve a specific problem (15.2%).

- Discounts work well (49.6%) as does having the brand name of the sender (48.8%), humor (14.1%), and personalization (11%).

If you found this information valuable, wouldn't you be more likely to open an email from me? Check out a ton of great research here

Once upon a time… just kidding, but that’s exactly the problem when you mention the word “story.” Too often your audience assumes you’re about to get all soft and gushy or speak to them like children.

Fact is, storytelling is one of the oldest and, when done with purpose, most effective means of communication on the planet. Great corporate stories present an opportunity to focus on what differentiates a company. 
They can tell us where we come from – Hewlett Packard started as two guys in a garage – and where we’re going, like AT&T's "You Will" campaign.

Authentic customer stories are powerful marketing tools. And product stories, like “our eggs come from free-range chickens” or “this table is made of salvaged wood,” tickle opinions and our emotions.

Objectivity, openness and a willingness to tell it like it is are some of the attributes that go into creating a believable, repeatable story worth telling or listening to. Whatever you do, make sure your mantra is consistently deliverable and make sure it has buy-in across the corporate strata. When it’s fully baked, test it internally, tweak it, and then encourage every associate to learn it and repeat it.

Consumers taking part in Procter & Gamble research studies never asked for a lightweight waterless cleaning tool that could boldly go where no mop or vacuum has ever gone. The Swiffer is now a $500m brand.

A car mechanic struggling to complete a two-tone paint job using glue and butcher’s paper never spoke to, but none-the-less inspired, a college dropout to invent masking tape.

When customers told 3M they needed bigger batteries to power larger computer screens, 3M delivered an ultra-thin plastic film that not only reduces power usage but also enhances image clarity and brightness.

What’s my point? These products are all tangible examples that define what the word innovation is all about: meeting unspoken customer needs. To accomplish this, you have to do more than just listen; you have to collaborate.

I’m not talking about all the cool new mass collaboration opportunities made possible by wikis, social networking sites and open source software. I’m referring to the roll up your sleeves, live in your client’s shoes, communicate openly, and freely admit when you’re wrong kind of collaboration. It may not sound glamorous, but it definitely leads to long-term relationships and more creative and, yes, innovative work. Man, I feel like Jerry Maguire.

When you build collaborative customer relationships, you can brainstorm together, dream out loud together and play the what-if game without any baggage. This is real transparency. This is customer-led innovation. Creating innovative experiences is an aspirational but achievable goal if we keep one thought in mind–we’re in this together.