Email personalization is a key ingredient for a successful email marketing program. But too often, personalization becomes no more than a few merge tags thrown into a general email.

Hi, [Name] 👋

Email personalization that actually builds relationships with customers takes more than using merge tags. True personalization requires real empathy.

In this article, we’ll explore how empathy can make email personalization more effective and how you can leverage data and tools to create relationships that drive customers to open emails, click, and buy from you.

From faking it (with merge tags) to making it (with true empathy)

Let’s get this clear, we’re not against using merge tags. We’re simply tired of the blatant use of them. 

Too many times, we’ve seen emails attempting personalization with a generic merge tag. And when every email contains your first name, none of them stand out.

In the past, this kind of strategy worked. It was a unique tactic that made people feel like they were special. That is, after all, the true goal of personalization. To make people feel listened to and understood. 

And when customers feel like they’re not just a number, and you’re attuned to their needs and wants, they’ll reward you with purchases, referrals, and loyalty.

This means scraping LinkedIn to fill in your CSV file with role and company information is not enough. Meaningful personalization requires taking the time to put yourself in the customer’s shoes, asking yourself questions such as:

• Who is this person?
• What are they going through?
• What are they trying to achieve right now?
• What have they tried so far?
• How can I help them get there?

It’s about empathizing with what people care about at each step of their relationship with your brand and giving them what they want when they want it.

When we empathize with our customers, marketing becomes a lot easier.

Only then can you go from using personalization in your emails (a tactical approach) to sending emails that connect with people on a deeper, more personal level (a strategic approach).

Why does email personalization matter?

Email is a one-to-one channel. It lets you reach individuals with a personalized message, at scale.

When you have the opportunity to send each subscriber a tailored message that speaks to their specific needs and interests, there’s no excuse not to do it.

Especially when the benefits are clear, with personalized email campaigns generating more clicks, conversions, and revenue compared to non-personalized campaigns.

To enjoy an uplift in these crucial KPIs, you must rethink your approach to email personalization, taking this concept to the next level.

Here are a few ways to get you started.

4 ways to rethink email personalization

We prefer to focus on the positive rather than the negative. However, identifying and accepting what’s wrong is the first step toward solving the issue.

The following is a list of 4 common (but not necessarily comprehensive) mistakes email marketers should avoid if they want to send truly personalized emails.

1. Trusting merge tags too much
   It’s 2023 — people know.

   They know it’s automated whenever you use their name, company, birth date, or any other data point in your messaging. We’re not fooling anyone anymore.

   And subscribers are now taking advantage of this. They use fake, funny names and cringe when reading your emails. They add an emoji to their LinkedIn profiles so they can tell if you’re scraping their data. People even add modifiers to their email accounts (Gmail lets you do this) to keep track of who’s selling their data.

   Is it good to use merge tags? Yes. But don’t abuse them. And don’t think, even for a second, they’ll have the impact you expect them to.

2. Pushing personalization over context
   From huge billboards to proximity-activated texts, we marketers have a tendency to try and occupy every possible space we can get away with.

   We need to understand that some spaces and topics are personal and should remain personal.

   Certain industries require an extra layer of marketing sensitivity. If you’re in the health, financial, or wellness industries, to name a few, you must consider where people are coming from before you engage with them.

   Consider someone who gets an email from their local store about pregnancy-related products only 24 hours after buying a pregnancy test. Though it can lead to a sale, it can also creep out your customer and create negative emotions.

   While personalization can be a massive tool, it’s important to tread with a human touch. Remember: Empathy first.

3. Relying on outdated segmentation practices
   Demographics like age, gender, and location are not enough to drive meaningful engagement.

   It’s easy to lump together all women in your subscribers’ list and call it a segment.

   Does that mean it will be effective? Probably not.

   When you rely on demographics alone, you’re not getting the whole picture of who your subscribers are and what they want. This will make your emails generic and bland.

   Try to uncover shared behaviors, motivations, and challenges. Build segments using these insights to create more targeted and effective campaigns.

4. Forgetting each individual’s relationship with your brand is unique
   From unaware to most aware. From a free trial to a long-term customer. From anonymous visitor to repeat buyer.

   Each contact in your list has a unique experience with your brand. The path they took to get to where they’re now is different from everyone else’s.

   You can’t email them all the same way.

   Yes, things like dynamic content and merge tags come in handy. But more important than the features your tools allow you to set up is your willingness to consider how you can help each subscriber the most, based on who they are and what they’ve achieved with your business so far.

   By taking the time to understand each customer’s unique journey, email marketers can send highly personalized messages that improve engagement and conversions.

4 ways to understand subscribers’ journeys and improve email personalization

Successful businesses don’t just keep track of where customers are in their life journey, but they also understand what drove them there in the first place.

By understanding customers’ journeys, businesses can provide subscribers with the content they’re actually interested in, which in turn builds loyalty and trust.

This approach requires a mindset shift towards being more empathetic. But how do you develop empathy?

1. Walk with your customers instead of observing from afar
   Email is a way to help every interaction with your brand feel positive. But you can’t identify the best email to send at any point if you don’t have a clear idea of what’s going on in your customers’ minds.

   Empathy enters the chat.

   You need to understand the customer experience from start to finish.

   One way to get insights into how they interact with your business is to perform the same activities they do.

   If you’re selling products online, go through the entire process of adding items to your cart and completing checkout.

   Pay close attention to every step of the journey, and take note of anything that causes frustration or confusion. Are there any steps that are particularly time-consuming or difficult to complete? Is there information that is hard to find?

2. Listen to your customers
   Listening builds empathy. Pick a handful of customers and reach out for an honest conversation. By talking to them directly, you can find out what their specific challenges, hesitations, and motivations are before they even come to you.

   Take the time to understand their journey and you’ll discover new ways to make their relationship with your brand more enjoyable and human.

   Next time you’re feeling stuck, get closer to your customers. You might be surprised at what you learn.

3. Consider your customers’ actions
   Surveys and conversations are a fantastic way to gather insight. But sometimes, people have a hard time putting their underlying emotions and motivations into words.

   This is where activity tracking plays a major role.

   By keeping track of your customers’ past behaviors and purchases, you can gain a wealth of insight into their current needs and wants.

   Someone subscribing to your list after searching for ‘best plants to grow in autumn’ might be looking to buy some seeds.

   Someone who just bought seeds could use new gardening tools.

   And a few weeks from now they’ll love you if you send them an email that teaches them how to protect their seedlings from the cold.

   (Image courtesy: Ongage)
4. Go beyond the sale: ask and engage after they buy
   Some marketers disappear from the face of the earth after making a sale.
   Big mistake.
   Most of the time, a sale is the beginning of a relationship, not the end of it.

   Reach out to recent buyers and ask them questions such as:

   1) What problem they are trying to solve?
   2) What else have they tried before?
   3) How come they picked you?

   Map their answers to emails you could send other prospects to help them along the way.

Listen to Billy Joel and bet on honesty

Honesty is such a lonely word

Everyone is so untrue

Honesty is hardly ever heard

And mostly what I need from you

Image courtesy: Ongage

Being personal is all about honesty. Putting in an honest effort to get to know your customers helps you speak to them and their needs, but it takes discipline.

Even when some of your campaigns don’t lead to direct sales, you’ll be building a brand that people care about and are happy to listen to. This paves the way to stronger communication with truly engaged subscribers.

The harder present-you works on today’s strategies and campaigns, the easier it will be for future-you to market to your list, cut through the noise, and get results.

Written by Melissa Pekel.

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