At CaPPr we explored whether personality could add something to marketing. In my original article I asked business owners to think about their best customers: what characterizes them, and which words or images appeal to them? I referred to an interview with researcher Sandra Matz and our own tests. My claim that such campaigns performed much better needed more precision.
Fit the message
You can write different versions of the same honest message. One may emphasize certainty and practical steps, another discovery and new possibilities. Test which version a particular audience actually understands better. Measure not only clicks but also whether people find what they wanted after clicking.
Research by Matz and colleagues showed in specific experiments that appeals matched to psychological traits could affect behavior. It does not prove that you can predict every individual customer from a profile. Results depend on the audience, message and measurement.
Respect people behind the data
Use only information collected in a clear and permitted way. Personality is not a permanent label for a person. My practical lesson is to test assumptions about your audience, communicate clearly and examine differences without reducing people to a score. The old personality test and contact form in my article are not a current signup route.