inbox hacking logo

Email – only the strong personalize and thrive 

personalize email marketing so your business thrives

When you personalize emails it pays off. But making email campaigns personal requires you work your butt off. Or think about it so hard that you’re struck by a migraine. 

I’m here to protect your brain and butt. BTW, I’m Shane McLendon, your new editor. Thanks to Jennifer Gibbs for passing me the baton and keyboard. 

Let’s dive into how you can make your campaigns more personal → to make more sales.

Sign-up Forms: Every human sending business emails now knows to use email recipients’ first name. That’s a must but doesn’t stand out anymore. So ask for more info on your forms. 

Not too much, it can’t be a biography. But a knowing their location opens up major personalization options like:

  • News tidbits related to their region
  • Local sports team mentions
  • Stats that matter to their area 

Example: Knowing part of your list lives near a lake would help sell more sunscreen, no? Rhetorical, let’s keep moving…

Scan a Small List for Clues

Please don’t stalk members of your list. Mentioning the color of their bath towels is creepy, trust me. Plus, browsing even a few social media accounts would take forever. 

But you might grab good intel by browsing their email address wording. Clearly, dog people signed up for your dog training tips. Scan their email addresses though and you might discover:

  • Which readers own a dog business versus a pet owner
  • A hobby is part of their email address
  • They still use AOL – you have endless jokes for that segment😃

Personalize Email Segments

As your list grows you can automate more personalization based on audience actions and attributes with:

  • Tags
  • Custom fields
  • Separate lists (keep this number super low)

When someone downloads your guide, make that action tag them as a guide reader, for instance. Custom fields go back to sign-up forms and are enhanced with surveys. 

Use info you already have also. Previous purchases, website browsing when possible, or perhaps course progress of users. What’s trackable is useful. 

Personalize Email Ideas

Need help creating segments? We picked a few easy ones from this 170-idea checklist:

  1. Local climate
  2. Rural or city life
  3. Food preferences (unsubscribe those rowdy beet-eaters)
  4. Entertainment likes and dislikes
  5. Opted in for your SMS promotions

Inbox timing matters and personalization is effective, as our Facts & Stats show below. More proof? You don’t see Boston Butt coupons on Kroger’s Vegan aisle.

The Knowledge Base 

Knowledge without motivation lacks power, so light a 🔥 fire under your butt.

Hell-bent on putting a video inside an email? Use these steps.

Email deliverability is full of 17-letter acronyms – this vocab cheat sheet eases brain pain.

How to set up tags in MailChimp and how auto-tagging works in ActiveCampaign.

Ask Jeff@Amazon.com (yeah, him) how to use customer complaints to personalize emails or read his thoughts.

Experts’ advice to get more business? Slash YOUR prices – easy for them to say! Boost word of mouth instead.

And for next time you screw up an email, these blunders will make you feel better.

Self  Help 

With the email marketing info we’re drilling into your cranium you’re in a great spot to help not only your business. But other folks too. Inflation is hurting charities and mom-n-pops alike.

You can’t force your favorite local cafe or non-profit to try email marketing. But think how much it would mean to them if you nudge them in the right direction. 

Still thinking?

Ok, it will mean more revenue for them. 

Share this newsletter with that cafe owner or nonprofit director. You can also just mention email stats 👇 to them. 

*Inbox Mailers has a great promotion for nonprofits.

Facts & Stats

Segmented Email KO’d 🥊Unsegmented Email in a test that saw Segmented rack up a 38% CTR vs. 4.5% CTR for Unsegmented.

Only 4% of marketers use highly-personalized targeting.

72% of customers prefer email for business communication. 

Pre Inbox Mailers Quote Circa 1983: “I had good timing. Hard to sell a car until the customer rolled onto the lot.” ~ Charles “C-Note” Pruitt, legendary local car salesman.

Personalize Email for these Benefits:

Personalize email
Source SalesCycle

Marketing Musings

Subject line emojis boost open rates. Careful which ones you choose because…

Though 67% of people think those who use emojis are friendlier, funnier, and cooler, younger crowds judge outdated trends harshly. They’re mean. 

Also, beware. This one’s 🛍️coming fast → Black Friday is 25 days after 🎃. Cyber Monday is… well, do the math.

Get Hacking

You may currently have just one audience segment → E-v-e-r-y-b-o-d-y. All lumped together. I’m not here to shame you (unless that’s what you’re into). I am here to say you can move 10 of your readers to a new segment today with very little effort. 

Start there then see for yourself the impact. Personalize then hit send at the right time.