Have you ever had a conversation with someone you just met who remembered your name?
“It was so nice talking with you, Tatum.”
“Tatum, where did you get that skirt?”
That’s me! I’m Tatum! For most, hearing their name said out loud is the sweetest sound.
Even sweeter now that it seems to be the norm for someone to justify not remembering your name as if it’s in their DNA.
“Sorry, I’m just not great with names, what was your name again?”
Lame.
The big boom of digital marketing has opened the doors for brands to have one-on-one conversations with their customers online. Which brand would you rather have a conversation with—the one that remembers your name or the one that keeps forgetting it? It’s a proven fact that brands who personalize their marketing efforts turn meaningful content into engaged customers.
According to a study by Campaign Monitor, email marketing delivers the highest ROI for marketers and is 40 times more effective at acquiring new customers than Facebook or Twitter. Better yet, marketers have recorded a 760% increase in revenue from segmented campaigns.
Email marketing is still going strong. For brands looking to implement a personalized email campaign, there are some simple ways to create tailor-made content that will stand out in a cluttered inbox.
First, let’s talk about segmentation.
It’s very common for marketers to send out one email to their entire email list in hopes of catching a handful of conversions. I lovingly call this spraying and praying. Segmentation is a personalization tactic that delivers more relevant content to multiple subsets of your subscriber list. It’s sort of like putting a nozzle on the hose, allowing you to aim at your target and turn the water on and off with the pull of the lever.
When implementing a segmentation campaign, divide your email subscribers into smaller lists based on certain criteria. Then, create specific email content for each list based on that criteria.
One easy example is when a clothing brand segments its email list by gender. Males are sent an email featuring a male model showing off the latest menswear. Females are sent the female version.
Personalized subject lines are another simple way to catch your customer’s attention. Some examples include:
- New products just for you, Tatum
- It’s here, Tatum!
- Tatum, your appointment is coming up.
- We miss you, Tatum. Here’s 20% off!
Individualized featured content takes a personalized subject line one step further. Here are some examples:
- New products featuring your first initial (monogramming, jewelry, clothing)
- Air conditioning service offer based on the age of your HVAC unit
- Featured over-the-counter remedies during allergy season in your city
- Baby gear for your growing family
The goal with these tactics is to connect with your customer on a personal level and give them a reason to click through to your website or take the action you want them to take.
You might be thinking this all sounds great, but are at a loss for where to begin. Having the right tools to craft personalized content is the first step. The good news is that your email software probably already offers these basic tools, you just have to dig around and learn how to use them. Smart marketing software like Salesforce, Infusionsoft, Campaign Monitor, Drip and more are all great options for building a personalized email marketing campaign.
As you begin to build your campaign it will become very clear to you that the more you know about your customers, the more options for individualized content you will have. When customers sign up to receive your emails, it’s a good idea to ask them a little bit about themselves. You might ask them to fill out basic information like age and gender before opting in to receive your email content.
Part of building trust with your customers via personalized emails is keeping that trust. Make sure you are being a responsible marketer by following the latest data compliance regulations laid out by the new GDPR.
If you’re ready to stop spraying and praying and start getting smart with your email marketing –we’re here to help! If you’re looking for a smart digital marketing partner, contact us at Commit Agency.
