Email Personalization: Creation, Tactics, And Benefits

Personalization refers to the process of customizing an email campaign for a particular subscriber based on the data and information available about them. This data could include details such as their first name, the latest product they purchased, their location, their frequency of app usage, or various other data points.

Research has demonstrated that implementing personalization in your email campaigns is an effective approach to boost both your open and click-through rates. Additionally, incorporating personalization can yield quantifiable benefits in terms of return on investment (ROI) and revenue. Specifically, studies have revealed that emails featuring personalized subject lines have a greater likelihood (26% more) of being opened compared to those lacking personalization. Moreover, a study conducted by Rich Relevance determined that emails integrating personalization generate revenue that is 5.7 times higher than emails without personalization.

These results are a result of personalized emails being more relevant to subscribers. Instead of receiving a campaign with generic offers and messaging, subscribers will receive an email specifically tailored to them. This email would include their name and offer products, promotions, etc. that align with their interests.

How to create personalized emails

The initial stage involves collecting users’ data in order to drive personalization. Once the data is collected, the next step is to analyze it and create different segments.

Collect user’s data

Data is essential for personalization to exist. However, how can you collect this data? You have numerous options available, such as:

• Gather information about users’ preferences, interests, and pain points by using feedback forms, surveys, and polls.

• Establish a preference center that allows users to indicate their content preferences.

• Utilize your ESP’s analytics to monitor users’ engagement with your email campaigns, considering each step in the process.

• You can monitor users’ activities on your website by utilizing third-party tools such as Google analytics.

You can personalize email content by utilizing the four types of customer data.

1. User attributes

personal information, demographics, preferences, and characteristics. By understanding user attributes, businesses can gain insights into their customer base and tailor their products or services to meet their needs and wants.

• Without altering the meaning and adhering to a systematic approach, rephrase the given text while preserving all details: “Details for contacting someone.”

• By considering each step carefully, rephrase the given text while preserving the same meaning. Avoid adding new information and do not omit any information concerning the geographic location.

• The communication channels that are favored

• Please rephrase the text below while maintaining the same meaning. Do not add new information and do not remove information: Consider the specifics of how and when they became members of your website or app.

• devices that are used

Attributes provide a comprehensive perspective of your customers and serve as an excellent initial stage for implementing personalized and segmented strategies.

2. Event data

Event data consists of activity-based information concerning your customers. These events convey a narrative about the way your users interact and engage with your brand, thereby providing you with an enhanced comprehension of their evolving interests and preferences as time progresses.

By thinking sequentially, rephrase the given text without altering the meaning, adding new information, or removing any information: Event data provides a multifaceted perspective on the behavior of your customers during their entire journey.

3. Data feeds

A data feed is a means of transferring structured and current information from one source to another. It facilitates the exchange of data and allows for the integration of external data into your messaging templates.

4. Metadata

Metadata refers to information about data. It encompasses descriptive data concerning products and services that distinguish your brand from competitors. By utilizing metadata, you can obtain insights specific to customers and curate personalized experiences that provide added value to your audience.

Segmentation is necessary before making rational and intelligent decisions about which content will serve individuals and the action you ask them to take, as this data will form the foundational pillar for such decision-making.

Segment users based on data you’ve collected

The next step after personalization is segmentation. It enables you to move from informing your entire email list about the launch of a new product to only reaching out to those who are interested and who need to know about it.

By thinking step by step, you can ensure that interested users receive more personalized and valuable one-to-one communication. Segmentation of your email list allows you to use the collected data to send more personalized and relevant email campaigns.

Creating the personalized emails

When making personalized emails, you should consider what aspects you want to personalize. There are countless possibilities for personalization, ranging from the subject line to the CTA buttons, allowing you to personalize numerous elements.

By employing the appropriate data and tools, one can create email personalization tactics that yield a greater return on investment and ensure durable customer connections.

Basic email personalization tactics

When it comes to email marketing, most marketers who use simple personalization tactics are primarily focused on email newsletter-type marketing. Although they may lack the necessary resources or capacity to prioritize email personalization, there are a few basic tactics that can enhance their results and boost their engagement metrics.

1. “From” name

When your campaign arrives in your subscriber’s inbox, the “from” name is one of the most visibly displayed components. On various desktop and mobile clients, this field is designed with larger text and a bolder font to facilitate prompt recognition of the email sender prior to opening it.

Given the significant role it plays, it is not surprising that 68% of Americans cite the “from” name as the determinant in their decision to open an email. To cater to this audience and increase the rate of opened campaigns, personalizing the “from” name in your emails ensures that different subscribers are presented with varying names.

One typical scenario involves the practice of sending marketing campaigns from the sales representative or account manager who is actively assisting a specific account.

As you develop your campaign, you just need to input the Personalization Tag in the “from” name section. Afterwards, when you send your campaign, the tag will be substituted with the corresponding information stored in your email list, such as the name of the sales representative assigned to the account.

2. Subject line

Following the “from” name, the subject line is the next noticeable component in the inbox. In an effort to distinguish it from the rest of the email’s details, the subject line typically appears in a darker, bold text on most devices.

Our research indicates that using the recipient’s first name in the subject line can lead to a 26% increase in open rates, as the chosen subject line plays a significant role in the prominence of the email in the inbox.

Converse successfully incorporates the subscriber’s first name into the subject line of their email campaigns. This strategy aims to make the campaign more noticeable in the inbox and encourage people to open it.

Medium sophistication email personalization tactics

Marketers who are implementing moderately advanced personalization techniques are gradually establishing stronger connections with consumers, and are progressing towards more focused marketing strategies that enhance overall engagement.

1. Email content

In addition to the sender’s name and subject line, you can further personalize the content of your email campaigns to enhance relevance for subscribers and improve the likelihood of click-throughs.

2. Copy

If you have the first name, company, or t-shirt size of your subscriber stored in your email list, you can use that information to personalize the text in your email campaigns. A common example is including the subscriber’s first name in the email, as done by Sephora, who addressed the subscriber more directly by adding their first name.

You can personalize campaigns by using custom fields to store various pieces of information about your subscribers (e.g., gender, t-shirt size, birthday, etc.), not just their first name.

The inclusion of the subscriber’s company name in Dropbox’s emails is done exceptionally well. This takes personalization to a higher level and makes the email more relevant for the reader. If you are a Campaign Monitor customer, you have the option to personalize your email copy directly in the drag-and-drop email builder.

To rephrase the text while maintaining the same meaning: – To access the Personalization Tags, simply click on the “Insert personalization” drop-down menu. – When you send your campaign, the tags will be automatically substituted with the corresponding information from your email list, such as the first name of the subscriber.

3. Imagery

Not only can you change the text, but you can also modify the images in your email marketing campaigns to better appeal to specific subscribers.

Using imagery in your emails can be a powerful technique to boost your click-through rate. For instance, we conducted a recent campaign where we experimented with dynamically modifying the images to align with each subscriber’s location. We designed distinct visuals for individuals in the UK, USA, and Australia, and compared their performance with a generic version that featured a single image. This allowed us to determine whether personalized images yielded better results.

4. Dynamic content offers

By utilizing demographic and geographic data, smart brands are tailoring their offers to suit individual consumers. To enhance the overall relevance and attractiveness to subscribers, it is possible to dynamically modify entire content sections within an email campaign.

An example where this is often applied is displaying clothing for men to male subscribers and displaying clothing for women to female subscribers.

5. Re-engagement

By utilizing email marketing personalization and automation, you have the ability to prompt previously engaged customers to return.

To regain the attention of subscribers who haven’t been active, you have the option to send them a re-engagement campaign where you inquire if they still wish to receive communication from you. Additionally, you can send them exclusive promotions, express gratitude through thank you messages, or actively seek their feedback. Bear in mind, this email should be exceptional in terms of content and offer, as it might be your final opportunity to impress your subscribers.

Why should you make your emails personalized

There are several reasons why prioritizing email personalization is important.

• Generates higher engagements

Emails that are customized to users’ actions, interests, and other factors provide content that is more pertinent and valuable compared to generic emails. As a result of this heightened relevance, 57% of marketers claim to have witnessed improved engagement from recipients as a result of email personalization.

• Reduces unsubscribe rate and enhances users retention

When users receive emails that are relevant and desired, they experience happiness and satisfaction. They do not perceive it as an overwhelming barrage of unnecessary sales-oriented emails. This understanding fosters mutual trust and loyalty, ultimately resulting in longer user retention as users are less likely to unsubscribe.

• Build stronger relationships with your customers

Developing an email personalization strategy helps you achieve building brand loyalty and a stronger relationship with your subscribers by treating them as humans, satisfying their wants, and making them feel valued, thereby bridging the communication gap between you and the subscribers.

Sending a weekly summary of their activity on your site or app can aid them in monitoring their progress and provide them with an enhanced experience in their inbox.

• Sets your brand apart from your competitors

If you prioritize personalizing your emails, then congratulations! You are part of the 55% of marketers who prioritize personalization in their email program. However, in order to distinguish yourself, it is important to go beyond just using the recipient’s name, which is a fact known by every brand.

When considering this, it is important to evaluate the unique knowledge that you possess about your customers that sets your brand apart from others.

Airbnb possesses knowledge regarding your summer vacation dates and destinations as you made a hotel reservation through their platform. This exclusive information allows Airbnb to send customized emails for user interaction and communication. This distinct feature distinguishes your brand from others as no other brand can access this information.