one-to-one marketing

Providing services or products to one customer at a time by identifying and meeting their individual needs. The aim is to do this on a continuing basis with each customer. The theory is that one-to-one marketing should extend beyond the sale of a product or service to the customer and should permeate the organization. One-to-one marketing should become part of the company's culture.

The concept is most closely associated with US consultants Don Peppers and Martha Rogers of the Peppers & Rogers Group. Once it would have been an impractical approach with any company other than one serving a niche market of wealthy customers. However, with modern technology, it is possible to provide mass customization of products. One-to-one marketing offers several benefits including: concentrating on the most profitable customers; making comparative shopping difficult; building lifetime customers; developing customer feedback, thereby improving products; and differentiating the company from its competitors.