Personalisation is now an expected aspect of every email. When you open an email, you expect it to at least be addressed directly to you. Getting this wrong is an instant deterrent. Meaning it’s critical to keep your database up-to-date, and the more information you can gather on a contact, the more personalised you can get. Marketers are looking to enhance their personalisation levels with every interaction, trying new and exciting things. So, we’ve put together our 6 methods for tailoring our emails.
1: Start simple with Merge Tags
Meet the expectation that is already set. If people expect an email to be addressed to them, then address the email to them. This is an easy goal to accomplish as well. You simply need to add a merge tag into your email to pull in the first name. A piece of data which, 9 times out of 10, you will already hold. If you do want to get more personal, you can add merge tags into the body of text. Include information like company name, sector etc to make it obvious you know who you’re targeting.
2: Don’t leave your Subject Lines out
Make it personal from the get-go. Acting effectively as the heading to any email, your subject line is the first thing your recipient will see. Make it count with direct interaction. You will seem like you’re talking directly to your recipient and them alone. And it’s possible with the simple addition of a merge tag. Why not try a split test to see the difference this makes for your own audience?
3: Replace the missing data with Salutation
Salutation is the step up from a merge tag. Since you won’t have the required data for every contact, this option allows you to set the ‘default’ if the data is missing. So instead of a blank space where a name should be, you can amend ‘Hi ,’ to ‘ Hi there,’. Even when the information just isn’t there, your emails will still read seamlessly. Keep the message, without missing a step.
4: Use Dynamic Content Blocks to amend the content
Why stop the personalisation at single words or phrases, when you can customise entire sections of your email. Using pre-determined rules and variations of articles, you can change how the email reads for each contact dependent on whether they meet certain criteria or not. It’s the ultimate customisation challenge.
5: Images are not exempt
Just because images aren’t text by default doesn’t mean they should miss out on the personalisation movement. Editing your images to include merge tags will undoubtedly make them stand out from the crowd.
6: Change the email full stop with Workflows
Personal interests should shape every buyer’s journey. Use workflows to divide your audience based on their own interactions. Interested in cars? Onto the motor show you go. Interested in knitting? Down the wool channel for you. Use various conditions based on open, clicks or web activity, whatever is most appropriate, to direct your contacts where suits them best.
And there you have it. 6 ways to tailor your content to your audience. Implement one, or all of them, and identify what result it has. See how our email marketing software can make it all possible.