Let's face it, everyone wants to feel special. When you walk into a coffee shop and you're greeted by name, or a waitress remembers that you like your eggs over easy before you order, you feel at home. And the next time you want a cup of coffee or an omelet, you're more likely to go back for the personal touch that makes you feel special.

With so much business conducted remotely and online, sometimes it feels like we've lost that personal touch. But it doesn't have to be that way. Companies willing to invest in getting to know a little bit more about customers and prospects can build a competitive advantage through the use of marketing personalization.

Where do you start? Well, it can be as simple as incorporating a person's name into your marketing. For example, when you send an email to your entire database, add the person's name or a relevant fact about them to the email to increase your response rates. I'm not suggesting you send an individual email to hundreds or thousands of people, but take advantage of the personalization tags that are available in most email marketing tools.