Can Automation Make Emails More Personal?

On the one hand, you want to automate some of your marketing processes to be more efficient. But on the other hand, digital marketing is all about making a personal connection and engaging with people. Is it possible to reconcile these truths? Can you use automation to step up your email marketing while also making it more personal? Absolutely. In fact, automation can make your email efforts more personal, not less. And yes, this is a powerful strategy for small businesses – especially those selling online.

Email marketing is a powerful tool for businesses to reach and engage with their target audience. However, creating personalized email campaigns can be time-consuming and resource-intensive. Automation has emerged as a solution to this challenge, but can it really make emails more personal? In this article, we will explore how automation can make emails more personal.

1. Personalization Tags
   We use emails for everything from formal business correspondence to keeping up with college friends. Your company’s emails should use the same tone as your social media. The world is more casual than it was a couple of generations ago. Use a warm, friendly tone. “Hey, we noticed you are interested in our premium widgets, and thought you’d want to know about this deal” does not sound cold or impersonal.  Automating emails does not influence the tone you use.
2. Behavioural Triggers
   Behavioural triggers are another way automation can make emails more personal. Behavioural triggers are actions that a user takes on a website or other digital platform, such as filling out a form or making a purchase. Automation tools can use these triggers to send personalized emails to users based on their behaviour.

*Example: If a user abandons their shopping cart, an automation tool can send them a reminder email with a discount code to encourage them to complete their purchase. This kind of email is more personal and relevant to the user than a generic promotional email.

3. Segmentation
   Automation tools can also help businesses segment their email lists based on different criteria, such as demographics, interests, or behaviour. Segmentation allows businesses to send more targeted and personalized email campaigns to specific groups of users.

*Example: Clothing retailers could segment their email list by gender and send different email campaigns to their male and female customers. This kind of email is more personal and relevant to the recipient, which can increase engagement and conversion rates.

4. A/B Testing
   Automation tools also allow businesses to A/B test their email campaigns to see which version performs better. A/B testing can help businesses optimize their email campaigns for maximum engagement and conversion rates.

*Example: Business could A/B test two different subject lines to see which one generates a higher open rate. The winning subject line could then be used in future email campaigns to increase engagement and personalization.

Is automated response an answer?

Automation isn’t the answer to all of your emails. If you receive a query, it merits as personal and specific a reply as possible. Sending an automated response confirming that the query was received and a reply will follow is okay – make sure the answer addresses the specific questions posed. If you get many similar queries, you might be tempted to use a cut-and-paste reply. But really, what you should do in that situation is fill in the missing information on your website and make sure it is easy to find!

In conclusion, automation can make emails more personal by adding personalization tags, using behavioural triggers, segmenting email lists, and A/B testing email campaigns. By leveraging automation tools, businesses can create more personalized email campaigns that resonate with their target audience and increase engagement and conversion rates.