From improving email click-through rates by an average of 14 per cent, to enhancing conversions by 10 per cent, and delivering six times higher transaction rates, these days, there’s no questioning the power of personalised emails.
Not only does it pay to personalise, but today’s consumers actually demand it. In fact, in our recent report: The power of me: The impact of personalisation on business performance, we found that 80% of customers prefer brands that deliver personalised experiences, while 33% of consumers abandoned a brand relationship last year because personalisation was lacking.
Data-driven email content filled with insights such as audiences’ geolocation, past purchases, and online behaviour are being sent out regularly, giving marketers the opportunity to distinguish themselves to their customers by offering a more personal touch.
Drive results by knowing where to draw the line
So, how much personalisation is too much? How do you deliver personalised emails without making customers uncomfortable and compromising their trust? Nurturing a customer relationship is much like nurturing a romantic one. Think about it: If you started seeing someone who came on too strong, knew too much about you, and contacted you all the time, you’d feel uncomfortable, lose interest, and probably even block them on social media. Same goes for a brand-to-customer relationship.
To develop meaningful communications with customers in the inbox follow these tips:
1. Get to know them
Take note of their online and purchase behaviour to get to know your audiences’ likes and dislikes. Keep in mind that different customers have different levels of receptivity to personalisation. One way to gauge their comfort level is to give them the option to define their preference settings when they subscribe. Show your customers that you know them and can give them exactly what they want, when they want it.
2. Build their trust
Securing your customers’ trust is critical. Be transparent and upfront when you ask for personal information by telling them how you will use it. Then make sure you stay true to your word and safeguard their privacy and security. Trust takes time. Once you earn it, you have to work hard to keep it.
3. Take things slow
If you’ve just started a new relationship with a customer, don’t get too intimate too fast. Gradually increase personalisation over time. If you have a long-standing relationship with a customer, they are more likely to be comfortable with you and expect you to know them and give them specialised treatment or rewards for being a good customer.
4. Be selective
Never personalise for personalisation’s sake. When you over-personalise, you risk making your customers uncomfortable. Think about what data points make the most sense given your campaign and objectives. What can you do to personalise your email to make your message more valuable and relevant to them?
5. Control your frequency
Sending too many emails can turn your customers off, cause burnout or, worst of all, force them to unsubscribe. Test your email frequency and even ask your customers how often they’d like to hear from you.
6. Keep them interested
Change parts of an email for each subscriber by using dynamic content. If you’re having a sale, you can use dynamic content to feature relevant products for different subscribers (For example, showing men’s items for men, women’s items for women, athletic items for athletes, etc.)
7. Create a dialogue with them
No one likes a one-sided conversation. Instead of touting the great features of your product or service, tell customers how your product can solve their problems or make their lives better. Engage them and allow them to interact with you, join the conversation and provide feedback. Test to see what type of content works and what type of content doesn’t work. Ask them what type of content they’d like to receive. Remember that it’s not all about you, it’s about them.
8. Leverage what you know about them
There are many ways to leverage data to create an email that’s tailored to individuals. Celebrate their birthday or anniversary. Offer localised weather-based recommendations, and products based on their past purchases, browsing history or interests. Follow up and ask for feedback on a recent purchase or send a reminder when they abandon their shopping cart.
Making a personal connection in the moments that matter most helps your brand stand out. It will also make your emails more memorable, help you build a deeper, long-lasting relationship with your customers, and ultimately boost your bottom line.
For more insights and tips, download the full report now.
