Companies are constantly looking for automated and effective ways to reach consumers. However, as consumers, we expect relevant messages that provide value and arrive at the right moment. This is where personalisation plays a crucial role.
The Impact of Personalisation in Email Marketing
A good email marketing program should include a drip marketing system, meaning an automated flow of emails that guides the customer through their consumer journey. However, many companies make basic mistakes, such as sending discounts to customers who have already purchased a product instead of a post-sale email that fosters loyalty.
Personalisation enhances the effectiveness of email marketing campaigns. For example, according to a study by Campaign Monitor, personalised emails have an open rate of 29% and a click-through rate (CTR) of 41%. Additionally, according to Statista, in the United States, 78% of consumers say they only interact with offers if they are personalised based on their interaction history. ((Sources: Campaign Monitor and Statista)
Designing an Effective Email Marketing Strategy
The first step in designing an effective strategy is setting clear objectives. Those should be SMART. Some examples include:
- General level: Increase the email open rate by 2.5% by sending behaviour-based personalised emails, ensuring subject lines and content are tailored to user engagement patterns.
- Campaign level: Boost product awareness and improve conversion rates by 3% during the summer campaign (June–August) by implementing a targeted email sequence featuring personalised recommendations and limited-time offers.
Most Effective Types of Emails
Not all emails generate the same level of engagement. Transactional and loyalty emails consistently achieve higher open rates because they provide immediate value to the recipient. In contrast, re-engagement emails face more challenges in capturing attention. According to Campaign Monitor, order confirmation emails boast an impressive 65% open rate, whereas emails aimed at reactivating inactive customers struggle with a 15% open rate.
To optimize your email marketing strategy, it’s essential to diversify your email types based on specific objectives. Transactional emails build trust and reinforce brand credibility, while loyalty emails nurture long-term customer relationships. Meanwhile, re-engagement campaigns require stronger incentives, optimized timing, and compelling subject lines to regain audience interest. By implementing a balanced mix of email types, businesses can enhance engagement, improve retention, and drive higher conversions across different customer segments.
The Importance of the Customer Journey in Personalisation
To improve the relevance of email marketing, it is essential to map the customer journey and send emails based on the phase the user is in, ensuring they receive them at the right time. To optimise personalisation, it’s essential to consider three key elements:
- Frequency: Sending too many emails can overwhelm users, while too few may lead to missed opportunities. Finding the right cadence for each audience segment is crucial.
- Subject Lines: A compelling, personalised subject line tailored to the user’s journey stage enhances open rates.
- Calls to Action (CTAs): The effectiveness of a CTA depends on its clarity, urgency, and alignment with the customer’s current intent. Each email should have a single, well-defined CTA that smoothly guides the user to the next step.
Automation and AI: The Future of Personalisation
With the use of CRM tools and marketing automation, companies can segment their audience based on criteria such as:
• Geographic location
• Purchase behavior
• Purchase frequency
• Type of product purchased
However, the future promises even more advancements with the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI enables:
- Even greater message personalisation based on real-time interaction data.
- Predicting the best time to send an email.
- Generating highly relevant product recommendations.
The Challenge of Personalisation: Connection or Automation?
Despite the benefits of personalisation, it is essential to find a balance.
On one hand, AI allows large-scale personalisation, adapting messages to each consumer’s needs and preferences. This can make customers feel understood and valued, strengthening their connection with the brand.
However, there is a risk that excessive automation may cause messages to lose authenticity. If a customer perceives that personalisation is artificial and lacks genuine human intent, the real connection with the brand could weaken.
In my opinion, two aspects should be considered. First, it is important to refine AI with the brand’s tone strategy, ensuring messages feel aligned with customers expectations. Additionally, analysing the results of these interventions to find-tune the approach. Second, brands must continue building relationships, fostering real connections, and creating key experiences for brand differentiation and preference.
The final question is: Is your company using personalisation effectively, or are you simply sending automated emails without a real strategy?
Mind of Consumers 