The Secret to Personalization at Scale: Categorization

Personalization is in. 

Clients expect it. Firms promise it. 

But when you hear the word “personalization,” what comes to mind?

Maybe you picture sending custom commentaries to each client. Or rewriting every email with personalized performance insights. Or having an entirely unique conversation in every one-on-one meeting. Now multiply that across 50 or 100 relationships (or more). Pretty soon, your day is full—and nothing meaningful gets done.

That's the puzzle. Personalization is the thing clients want most, but it also feels the most impossible to do at scale.

That is until we weigh the difference between personalization and hyper-personalization.

Many people hear personalization and think of it as customizing every last detail. They imagine a completely bespoke experience for every client, every time. The problem is, that’s not really feasible, and it’s not what clients are asking for. That’s hyperpersonalization. 

The reality is that not every client wants or needs market commentary about the effects of tariffs or the market drops. Those interested in the details are likely already inundated with information from other sources, while others are enjoying retirement, uninterested in market minutiae. 

Given our current market environment, it doesn’t take much to imagine how different clients react to major news events. Some may be interested in hearing from you about the theoretical effects of tariffs. Others just want to know they’re going to be okay after the market drops. 

As their advisor, it’s your job to help clients feel understood and meet them wherever they are. That’s personalization. 

So how do you accomplish this at scale? 

Categorization. 

At first glance, bucketing clients into groups might seem counterintuitive to personalization. However, the real value lies in identifying repeatable patterns within your client base and applying what you know about preferences to those groups. 

We like to think of personalization as a three-step process.

1. Assess clients on a multidimensional level, uncovering details about their current financial situation, outlook, preferences, and goals.
2. Categorize clients into personas based on their investment focus, perspective, and preferred approach.
3. Tweak the portfolio details and client engagement strategies to suit their individual needs.

This approach eliminates the need to recreate the wheel for every interaction, providing flexibility and scalability while ensuring clients' needs are met. 

Categorization takes care of 90% of the effect. You take care of the remaining 10%. 

Personalization starts with understanding, and understanding starts with discovery. To help advisors better meet clients where they are and provide investment personalization at scale, our assessment approach embraces a  behavioral framework called the 9 Investor Mindsets.  

By classifying clients into one of nine personas, advisors can more deeply understand their clients’s motivations and engagement preferences, while driving results that matter most to the individual. 

The 9 Investor Mindsets framework considers three main spectrums:

1. Focus: How deeply clients want to understand their portfolio details and participate in portfolio construction.
2. Perspective: How clients want their dollars to have effects beyond personal gains, such as aligning with their values.
3. Approach: How clients balance the wisdom of the past with innovation of the future. 

Segmenting your client base according to mindset allows you to have better conversations, tailor commentary distribution, and show up how and when your clients need you to — increasing your overall perceived value. 

Learn more about the Nine Investor Mindsets by downloading the guide. And, if you’re interested in discovering your own mindset, reach out to hello@seedsinvestor.com and we’ll share a link to the assessment.