Marketing today isn’t just about pushing out content—it’s about understanding customer needs and delivering relevant, valuable experiences. AI is making personalization smarter, automation seamless, and insights more actionable. But where do we draw the line between personalization and intrusion?
Mailchimp’s latest research found that 87% of customers engage more with personalized emails, and segmented campaigns boost click-through rates by 54%. Customers expect personalization to save them time, not overwhelm them with irrelevant messages. Marketers must strike the right balance—ensuring AI-driven engagement enhances, rather than disrupts, the customer journey.
On this episode of The Modern Customer Podcast, I sit down with Malinda Sandman, Senior Director of Global Acquisition and Partner Marketing at Intuit Mailchimp, to break down the best practices in:
✔️ AI-driven marketing personalization
✔️ How customer experience and marketing intersect
✔️ The future of AI in real-time engagement
Key Insights from the Episode
07:44 | Personalization vs. Intrusion: Striking the Right Balance
Customers want relevant content—but no one likes feeling watched. Malinda explains how marketers can use AI-driven segmentation and behavioral insights to make personalization feel helpful, not invasive. She emphasizes that trust is earned, and brands must focus on value-driven, customer-centered marketing to build lasting relationships.
11:15 | AI Trends in Real-Time Engagement: Smarter, Faster Customer Interactions
AI is revolutionizing how brands engage with customers—from predictive analytics to natural language processing. Malinda shares how brands can leverage AI to create more seamless, data-informed interactions, ensuring customers get what they need before they even ask.
14:51 | Leveraging Platform Data: The Key to Smarter Marketing
With third-party cookies disappearing, owning first-party data is critical for long-term success. Malinda discusses how Mailchimp helps marketers harness insights from email, SMS, and customer behavior to create more effective campaigns—all while keeping customer trust at the center.
What’s Next for AI in Marketing?
Hyper-personalization, real-time engagement, and AI-driven segmentation will continue to shape the future of marketing. Brands that master the art of balancing data with meaningful customer interactions will have a competitive advantage.
“Marketers who leverage AI as an assistant—not a replacement—will create more relevant, authentic experiences that customers actually want,” Malinda shares.
Want to stay ahead in the AI-driven marketing revolution? This episode is packed with practical strategies to help you level up.
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.
Blake Morgan was called “The Queen of CX” by Meta. She is a customer experience futurist and author of three books on customer experience. Don’t miss her new book, “The Eight Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership.” To learn more visit www.8CXLaws.com.
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