If you’re well-versed in the realm of email marketing, you likely understand the significance of email open and click rates. These metrics are key in gauging the effectiveness of your communication with contacts and, ultimately, how engaging your content really is.
However, amidst a saturated digital marketing landscape where individuals contend with a daily flood of emails, how can you ensure your message stands out? The solution lies in your ability to leverage personalization. Did you know that emails with personalized subject lines are 26% more likely to be opened? Further, marketers like us are observing upwards of a 760% increase in email revenue from personalized audience segments.
Nevertheless, incorporating personalization into your email strategy isn’t quite as simple as throwing a name into the subject line. It requires learning how to intelligently leverage your data!
3 Ways We Integrate Personalization into Our Email Strategies:
Go Beyond a Name
If you’ve asked the right questions on your forms and invested time in nurturing your contacts, you will have gathered a wealth of information about your database. Now, it’s time to put all of this data to good use!
An easy way to get started is by celebrating birthdays – send your contacts a thoughtful message or coupon on their special day. Sending birthday emails is an effective way to keep your brand top of mind, engage with your database, and even drive sales. You can also utilize personalization to mark sign-up anniversaries and thank your contacts for opting into email communication. Switching up how you use personalization tools in your emails will help your brand (and your message!) stand out in a crowded email inbox.
Segment, Segment, Segment!
When you add an element of personalization to an email, you create the impression that the information included is relevant, important, and intended for the recipient. Not only do your contacts value personalized outreach tailored to their preferences, it’s become an expectation. Research performed by McKinsey in 2022 demonstrated that “71% of consumers expect companies to deliver personalized interactions. And 76% get frustrated when this doesn’t happen.” Segmenting your email lists is an effective way to ensure that your audience receives only the information they want.
Segment your email audience by attributes such as geography, age, gender, or even dietary preference and adjust your email content, copy, and subject line to resonate with each specific group. If your content is thoughtfully crafted with the recipients in mind, the additional personalization tools will reinforce the individualized connection you aim to establish.
Incorporate Time Zone Sends
If the best time to send an email campaign or newsletter is between 8-9 AM on Thursday, what about those contacts living in time zones outside of yours? That critical time window will be missed, and ROI could be affected.
Our best practice is to schedule emails at times that are most optimal for segmented audiences. For example, we might send retailer coupons on Saturday morning, in time for a weekend grocery store run, or share easy, last-minute recipes in the evening to coincide with dinner plans.
Smart email personalization starts with a well-maintained database and a permission-based marketing strategy, enabling continuous collection of valuable insights from your audience. Interested in strengthening your database and elevating the impact of your email campaigns? We would love to help!
