Look beyond the customer profile
It’s easy to look at your customers and just see rows in a spreadsheet. But behind every email address and purchase history is an actual person, just like you. They might be juggling kids, a house full of pets, a calendar packed with reservations for birthdays, anniversaries, and holiday dinners, or a loyalty membership they’re racking up points on.
All of that context is useful to you, the marketer. The more you know about the people on your list, the easier it gets to send messages that feel relevant (and that they actually want to open). Instead of keeping track of just who your customers are and what they've purchased, you can connect details like their pets, reservations, and subscriptions directly to their profiles.
You probably already use customer profiles, properties, and events in Klaviyo. So where do these additional details fit in? Learn more in the video below.
Compare Klaviyo data types
Before we go any further, let's make sure we're clear on the differences between the data types we've covered so far.
The table below breaks down what each one represents, where the data comes from, and how you might use it in Klaviyo.
Data type | What it tells you | Where the data comes from | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
Custom object | Details about individual things connected to your customers, organized in records your business creates | Business-created objects populated through data sources or APIs | A pet's name, breed, and birthday |
Application object | Similar information, but provided through a supported integration instead of created by your business | Supported integrations | A hotel reservation with check-in and check-out dates |
Profile property | Information about the customer themselves | Forms, integrations, imports, APIs, or manual entry | Their birthday, location, or loyalty status |
Event | Something a customer did or something that happened | Klaviyo tracking, integrations, or APIs | Placing an order or signing up for a newsletter |
Explore how businesses use object data
Every business has its own version of information that matters to its customers. For a hotel, that might be an upcoming reservation. For a pet store, it's the pets their customers care for. And for a subscription business, it's the products customers receive regularly.
Explore the tabs below to see how businesses can use this information to create more relevant marketing experiences.
Hospitality
Make every guest feel expected
A guest books a weekend getaway to celebrate their anniversary. Instead of sending a generic email, the hotel can use reservation details to make their stay feel more personal before they even arrive.
With reservation data available in Klaviyo, hotels can:
- Send pre-arrival messages with check-in details
- Personalize emails with reservation dates and guest information
- Recommend local attractions and activities based on guests' travel dates
For example: A guest arriving on Friday receives a message on Wednesday with parking instructions, check-in information, and a few local recommendations to help them plan their visit.
Pet businesses
Treat every pet like an individual
Imagine a customer with 2 dogs: Marshmallow, a 90-pound Goldendoodle with a thick, fleecy coat, and Herman, a 6-pound ball of Shih Tzu fluff. They share an owner, but their grooming needs couldn't be more different.
With individual pet records connected to a customer's profile, grooming businesses can:
- Send seasonal grooming tips for at-home management of different coat types
- Offer special promotions for services suited to different breeds and coat types
- Recommend at-home grooming products to help owners care for their pets between visits
For example: Marshmallow is due for a full groom, so his owner receives an appointment reminder and a recommendation for detangling spray. Herman, on the other hand, just needs a nail trim and a little off the top, so their owner gets a separate reminder for his much simpler spa day.
Subscriptions
Make subscription messages more useful
Imagine a customer who loves their coffee so much that they have 2 subscriptions: one for their everyday blend, delivered monthly, and another for seasonal blends that arrive every three months.
With individual subscription records connected to a customer's profile, coffee businesses can:
- Send reminders before upcoming deliveries or renewals
- Introduce new seasonal blends based on customers' existing subscriptions
- Personalize messages with details about each subscription, like delivery frequency or coffee preferences
For example: A customer's quarterly subscription is coming up for renewal, so they receive an email introducing the next seasonal blend, while their monthly coffee deliveries continue as usual.
Restaurants
Avoid surprises with dinner reservation reminders
We talked about hotel reservations earlier, but what about restaurants? Imagine a customer who's booked an anniversary dinner, a birthday celebration, and a big family gathering over the holidays. That's 3 reservations, all for the same person, but with very different details.Each reservation could have its own:
- Remind them of their upcoming reservation, including date and time
- Confirm the requested party size is still accurate
- Mention any seating preferences or special requests
For example: A customer has an anniversary dinner reservation coming up on Friday. Three days before their visit, they receive an email confirming their 7 PM reservation for 2, reminding them of their requested window seat, and providing parking instructions to make their arrival easier.
Events
Keep recreational sports players in the game
Imagine a customer who loves playing recreational sports after work. They play softball in the spring, kickball over the summer, and pickleball in the fall. That's 3 league registrations for the same person, each with its own team, season, and game schedule.
With individual league registration records connected to a customer's profile, recreational sports organizations can:
- Send reminders about upcoming games, including dates, times, and locations
- Share team schedules and important updates for each season
- Encourage past players to register for another season of their favorite sport
For example: A customer played in a spring softball league last year, and registration for the upcoming season is opening soon. Rather than sending an invitation to everyone who's ever participated in a league, the organization can target past softball players with a personalized email encouraging them to sign up again.
Sorting activity: Decide where customer data belongs
You've seen how custom objects help businesses keep track of information beyond a customer's profile, but not every piece of customer data needs its own object.
Imagine you're organizing your company’s customer data in Klaviyo. Sort each example into the category where it fits best.
In the next lesson, you'll learn how to create, populate, and manage custom objects in Klaviyo so you can start putting that customer data to work.