In The Wise Words Of Destiny’s Child—Say My Name

Destiny’s Child, what haven’t you done for us? You gave us Beyonce (thanks for that), some killer songs and you may have taught us the most valuable lesson when it comes to personalising, “Say My Name”.

From the moment I wake up, I’m greeted with my name, “Welcome back, Jayme” says Facebook, as I scroll down my newsfeed. 

As I walk through the doors of my favourite local cafe at 8 a.m., my barista asks, “Latte today, Jayme?” (Ok, if I’m being honest, it’s a 1/2, almond milk, strong latte– Yep I’m one of those). 

The moral of the story is, the majority of my experiences throughout the day are personalised– and quite frankly, I love it!

While using someone’s name may seem like a simple act, what you’re doing is allowing that person to feel like they’re one in a million. And isn’t that what we all want?!

In Australia in 2011, Coke devised probably their most successful campaign to date, “Share a Coke”. Coke’s sales were declining, and the ‘no-sugar’ bandwagon had just about every man and his dog signing up. Coke was suffering. Their solution? Let’s get personal. 

The top 150 names were printed on Coca-Cola cans and bottles, asking Australian’s to “Share a Coke with…”. This campaign accumulated sales of 250 million coke bottles Australia-wide, which is impressive for a country with a population of around 23 million people (Jay Moye, 2016). 

So, what does this mean for you? Whether you want to get more personal in business or life– using someone’s name and personalising their experience will benefit you, because, as research points out, “Over 70% of customers expect a personalised experience.” (Hong, 2014). Addressing someone by their name demands attention and places immense value towards that individual. One study, in particular, found that our brain becomes ecstatic and activated when one hears their name (Carmody & Lewis, 2006). 

So the next time you’re grabbing your daily dose of caffeine, I urge you to ask the barista for their name. Not only will it make their day, but trust me, you’ll receive the best coffee you’ve ever had.

For more content, fun and learning head to our Instagram: frontandcentre_learning, Facebook & LinkedIn: Front and Centre Training Solutions.