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Email Personalization: 12 Tips for Personalizing Your Email

Email personalization is one of the key factors to increase email response and sales. Here are 12 tips for personalized emails.

First published

22.08.2022

Last edited

14.11.2024

Read time

11 minutes


    By Irena

    Irena is an experienced Content and Email Marketer who loves animals, slow mornings, and all things Tolkien.

    Recent advancements in technology have been a boon for working professionals. One significant tool has been the power of email marketing to generate leads and gain new clients.

    To make sure your messages continue to be read and engage the customer with your brand, email personalization is key.

    Research suggests that email personalization increases click rates by 14% and improves conversions by 10%.

    But what exactly is email personalization, and how does it work?

    Key Takeaways

    • Use Sign-Up Forms: Ask simple questions to gather customer needs and interests.
    • Analyze Previous Emails: Identify content preferences and effective send times.
    • Send Surveys: Collect additional information from subscribers, such as preferred content and email timing.
    • Schedule Emails in Recipient’s Time Zone: Ensures emails are received at optimal times.
    • Use Dynamic Content: Provide different content to different recipients within the same campaign.
    • Integrate with Other Platforms: Connect email with CRM or e-commerce platforms
    • Link to Personalized Landing Pages: Ensure links and CTAs lead to content specific to the recipient’s needs.
    • Automate Email Strategy: Use software to send automated emails based on specific criteria.
    • AI for Email Personalization: Use AI tools to craft personalized emails and automate responses.
    • Personalize Subject Lines and Preview Text: Use recipient’s name and relevant details to increase open rates.
    • Behavior-Triggered Emails: Send automated emails based on user actions like cart abandonment or recent purchases.
    • Leverage AI and Data Analytics: Use predictive analysis and optimize send times to enhance personalization.

    What is email personalization?

    Personalized email is the use of information you already know about a certain client or subscriber to tailor the message specifically for them.

    More than just addressing the client by name, it involves sending out messages with relevant and timely content that your client will want to click on.

    Specific data on a customer that's typically used in email personalization include their age, geographic info, last product purchased, and last page visited.

     12 Tips for personalizing your email

    Here are some more tips on how you can create more personalized emails:

    1. Use sign-up forms to ask questions

    To begin personalizing emails, you'll need to collect the right information from your prospects. A good place to start is to include questions in your sign-up forms.

    Your questions should be simple so that you’re able to find out the customer's needs and interests.

    For instance, a digital marketing company may ask subscribers to select the services that interest them and what their monthly budget is.

    Be sure not to inundate visitors with multiple, in-depth questions. This is an easy way to scare prospects off before they complete the form and join the email list.

    2. Understand the contents of previous emails

    Taking a look at former email campaigns can help you collect important information for personalizing your emails.

    This will help you identify the kind of content subscribers like best. It can be either informational or promotional content, or perhaps it's both. You’ll also want to look at what were the popular send times for your campaigns.

    Many also find it useful to segment their email campaigns using data like location, gender, and a potential client's role in an organization.

    3. Send surveys

    While you don't want to immediately send new subscribers surveys after they sign up for your emails, strategically using surveys can help you collect new information about your subscribers.

    For instance, it might be a good idea to add a survey at the end of a welcome email.

    The survey may ask recipients about the kind of information they would like to get in their newsletters and what time they prefer to receive messages.

    This will allow you to further segment subscribers and send even more personalized messages they'll want to read.

    4. Schedule emails to be sent in the recipient’s time zone

    Another simple and effective way to personalize your emails is to send them in the recipient's time zone. If you send emails to clients in London and you’re based in New York, you need to make sure your emails aren’t arriving in the middle of the night.

    Certain email extensions offer you the ability to send messages in your recipient's time zone which boosts your open rates and allows you to get more from your email strategy.

    Use dynamic content in emails

    5. Use dynamic content

    Dynamic content allows you to personalize certain parts of an email to better engage with specific recipients. Dynamic content is simply being able to give different content to different people.

    For example, if you have ever received an email from a company like Priceline, you know the top portion of the email contained a link to the nearest airport.

    It typically reads something like “Lowest Fares from Atlanta!”

    The great part is you don't have to create several different campaigns to use dynamic content. You only have to create a single email campaign to show different messages to subscribers.

    6. Integrate your email with other platforms

    When you connect your email to other sources of data such as your CRM or your e-commerce platform, you'll be able to create more in-depth subscriber profiles and send out more personalized emails.

    You'll be able to access purchase history and demographic data to create personalized messages based on past behavior to send related product recommendations.

    For example, once you purchase something on Amazon, they will send you a confirmation email suggesting additional items you might want to buy.

    7. Link to personalized landing pages

    Be sure to add links to personalized landing pages in your email campaigns. If you receive an email saying “click here to see Lowest Fares from Atlanta,” you expect to be redirected toward a page with that content.

    Your personalized landing pages should work the same.

    When your email recipients click on the links and CTAs in your message, they expect to be shown information that is specific to their needs. This, of course, gives customers the confidence to make a purchase and helps you boost your conversion rates.

    8. Automate your email strategy

    One of the best things you can do to better your personalized email marketing is to automate your messages.

    Email automation uses software to automatically send emails to customers based on criteria determined by you. You can explore some ways to automate your email campaigns here.

    You can set emails to be sent to recipients when they perform certain actions.

    For example, you could set a trigger on an email if they renew their subscription with you, or when they reach a milestone in a reward program.

    Automated emails allow you to provide customers with the exact information to buy a product, or re-purchase it if they are already a customer, without you having to constantly send manual emails yourself.

    For example, hotel chains like Hilton and Mariott will send automated emails to reward members when they reach a new tier, enticing them to take a vacation and stay with them.

    9. Personalize your emails with artificial intelligence

    New AI software like Mailbutler's Email AI Assistant can be a big help and a huge time saver when you're composing emails. Simply enter a few keywords and ask the AI to craft a personalized email for you, and it's done almost instantly. Enter the name of your recipient, their interests and their relationship to you and have your message written for you. After the email has been crafted, you can then make any further edits you need to - such as being more specific with the personalization than the AI is able to be.

    The Mailbutler Smart Assistant can also respond to messages you've received, improve your spelling and grammar, and find tasks and contacts from your messages.

    Improve your email campaigns with Mailbutler

    10. Personalized subject lines and preview text

    Subject lines are a crucial part of any email campaign. They are the first thing your recipients see and can significantly impact your open rates.

    Personalizing subject lines by including the recipient's name or referencing something specific to their interests can make a big difference. For example, instead of a generic "Check out our new products," a personalized subject line could be "John, see the latest gadgets just for you!"

    Tips for Creating Personalized Subject Lines:

    • Use the recipient’s name: Incorporating the recipient’s name in the subject line grabs their attention and feels more personal.
    • Include relevant details: Reference a recent purchase or an item they’ve shown interest in.
    • Create a sense of urgency: Use phrases that encourage immediate action, like "Limited time offer just for you, Sarah!"

    Preview Text: Preview text is the snippet of text that appears next to the subject line in the inbox. It's an additional opportunity to capture the recipient’s attention and entice them to open the email.

    Tips for Creating Personalized Preview Text:

    • Summarize the email content: Give a brief overview of what the email contains, ensuring it aligns with the subject line.
    • Use personalization tokens: Similar to the subject line, include the recipient’s name or a specific detail about them.
    • Highlight a benefit: Mention a key benefit or offer that will make them want to open the email.

    Example of a Personalized Email Header:

    • Subject Line: "Anna, don’t miss our exclusive sale on running shoes!"
    • Preview Text: "Hi Anna, we have handpicked running shoes just for you. Grab them before they’re gone!"

    Including these personalized elements can help increase your email open rates and engagement, making your campaigns more effective.

    11. Behavior-triggered emails

    Behavior-triggered emails are automated emails sent based on specific actions taken by your recipients. These emails respond to user behaviors such as browsing history, cart abandonment, recent purchases, or email interactions. They are highly effective in engaging users at the right moment, leading to better conversion rates.

    Examples of Behavior-Triggered Emails:

    • Cart Abandonment Emails: If a user adds items to their cart but doesn’t complete the purchase, send a reminder email encouraging them to finish the transaction. Include images of the items, a clear call-to-action (CTA), and maybe an incentive like a discount.
    • Welcome Emails: When a new user signs up for your newsletter or service, send a personalized welcome email introducing them to your brand and what they can expect from your emails.
    • Post-Purchase Emails: After a user makes a purchase, send a thank-you email with related product recommendations, instructions for using their new purchase, or a request for a review.
    • Re-Engagement Emails: If a user hasn’t interacted with your emails or website in a while, send a re-engagement email with a special offer or an update on what they’ve missed.

    Tips for Effective Behavior-Triggered Emails:

    • Personalize the Content: Use the data you have on the user’s behavior to tailor the email content. Mention the specific product they viewed or added to their cart.
    • Timing is Key: Send these emails promptly after the triggering behavior occurs to keep the user engaged.
    • Clear CTA: Make sure each email has a clear and compelling call-to-action, guiding the recipient on what to do next.

    Example of a Behavior-Triggered Email:

    • Subject Line: "Still thinking about that camera, Mike?"
    • Body: "Hi Mike, we noticed you left this camera in your cart. Complete your purchase now and enjoy a 10% discount!"

    Behavior-triggered emails ensure that your communication is relevant and timely, helping to improve user engagement and drive conversions.

    12. AI and data analytics

    Using AI and data analytics can significantly enhance the personalization of your email campaigns. AI tools can analyze user data to predict behaviors and preferences, enabling you to deliver more relevant content.

    Applications of AI in Email Personalization:

    • Predictive Analysis: AI can predict what products a user might be interested in based on their past behavior, helping you send targeted recommendations.
    • Optimized Send Times: AI can determine the best times to send emails based on when users are most likely to engage, improving open and click rates.
    • Content Personalization: AI can tailor email content, such as product recommendations and special offers, to match the recipient's preferences.

    Benefits of Using Data Analytics:

    • Improved Targeting: By analyzing data from various sources (website behavior, purchase history, social media interactions), you can create detailed customer profiles and segments.
    • Enhanced Engagement: Personalized content based on data insights leads to higher engagement rates as users receive information relevant to them.
    • Higher Conversion Rates: Tailoring emails to individual user needs and behaviors increases the likelihood of conversions.

    Email Personalization FAQs

    What is email personalization?

    Email personalization is the process of tailoring messages for specific clients by using data such as age, geographic info, last product purchased, and last page visited. Personalized emails increase click rates by 14% and improve conversions by 10% according to Campaign Monitor.

    To personalize emails, you can use sign-up forms to ask questions, understand the contents of previous emails, send surveys, schedule emails to be sent in the recipient's time zone, use dynamic content, integrate email with other platforms, link to personalized landing pages, and automate email strategy. 

    Mailbutler is an email management tool that provides customizable email marketing solutions for automated, personalized messages from within your email platform.

    How do I personalize my email?

    To personalize your email, you can use the information you already know about the recipient to tailor your message specifically for them. Here are some tips for personalizing your email:

    • Use sign-up forms to ask questions that will help you gather information about the recipient's needs and interests.
    • Understand the contents of previous emails to identify the kind of content subscribers like best.
    • Send surveys to collect new information about your subscribers.
    • Schedule emails to be sent in the recipient's time zone.
    • Use dynamic content in emails to give different content to different people.
    • Integrate your email with other platforms to access purchase history and demographic data.
    • Link to personalized landing pages in your email campaigns.
    • Automate your email strategy to send automated, personalized messages to customers based on criteria determined by you.

    By personalizing your email, you can make it more engaging for the recipient and increase the likelihood that they will take action on your message.

    Is email personalization good? 

    Yes, email personalization can be very effective for engaging customers and improving click-through rates and conversions. By tailoring your email messages to each recipient's interests, preferences, and behavior, you can make your emails more relevant and valuable to them, increasing the likelihood that they will engage with your brand and take the desired action. 

    Studies have shown that personalized emails have higher open rates, click rates, and revenue compared to non-personalized emails.

    What is a hyper-personalization in Email?

    Hyper-personalization in email refers to a highly customized email message that goes beyond using just the recipient's name or basic personal details. It involves using a wide range of data points such as browsing history, purchase behavior, interests, location, and more to create highly targeted and relevant emails that address the individual recipient's specific needs and preferences. 

    Hyper-personalized emails can result in better engagement, increased open and click-through rates, and more conversions.

    Email personalization examples

    Here we can share a few examples of how other companies are personalizing their emails.

    Peppertype.ai

    email personalization example

    Why do we like it?

    Firstly, it begins with a friendly tone, which can make you feel special. Secondly, the fact that your name is used in the message can make it feel more personal and individualized for you. Thirdly, the sender introduces themselves and their role, which can help create a sense of trust and confidence in their message. Lastly, the assurance of continued support can help you feel more confident to use their product.

    Plus they are using a GIF from the TV show "The Office", that can grab the attention of the client.

    Supermetrics

    email personalization example from Supermetrics

    They are casually reminding you that you have not used their product, and they are sharing articles to help you out. Plus they are mentioning the benefits and credibility of the product.

    Overall, the sender understands their potential pain points and is offering a solution tailored to their needs.

    Improve your email campaigns with Mailbutler

    Mailbutler offers you customizable email solutions that can help you engage more customers by using automated, personalized messages from within your own email platform.

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