Customizing an email marketing program can greatly increase openings and clicks. But a quick look at my inbox reveals that very few retailers do it effectively.
Much of the success of any marketing effort can be reduced to making the message relevant to individuals. In this article, I will look at four common methods for personalizing email to encourage conversions.
Demography
Tailoring the appearance of your e-mails to large demographic cohorts can increase response rates. The most basic methods are age and sex.
For example, showing male clothes to males and female clothes to females. Also line up products and styles according to age groups.
Adding a single item to the subject line or to the pre-header usually increases opening rates. For example, referencing a local event or a recent news item might prompt the recipient to open.
This promotion from the TJ Maxx Rewards Program offers winter gear to Sierra Trading Post and is unlikely to appeal to receivers in warmer regions.
History of Purchase
Focusing on the type of products that individuals have purchased goes beyond demographic data. People who share similar demographic attributes are not necessarily interested in the same products.
According to Kohl, customers who have purchased children's items are more responsive to emails directed at children. Kohl's has seen a rise in sales of children's products by concentrating his email program on the history gained.
When you base content on purchases, consider highlighting the brand, product type, or general category. For example, if a person bought only diamond necklaces, it might be a mistake to promote only diamond rings to that person.
Several data points
The history of purchases can tell us about a customer. But it is not foolproof. Purchases that are gifts, for example, will have no correlation with future purchases.
Thus, a combination of demographic information, past behavior and shopping can help predict future activity. Customizing the content of all these data points is the key to optimizing the personalization of e-mails.
Timing
Individuals have different email routines. Some people can watch their inbox several times an hour. Others can wait until the end of the day. Sending e-mails to recipients when they are most likely to open will encourage sales.
But it can be difficult to know when someone will probably read an email. Some e-mail service providers offer tools that analyze when subscribers interact with e-mails and adjust the sending time accordingly. For example, The Wall Street Journal reported that JustFab, a women's fashion retailer, experienced a 40% increase in purchases for the first time after customizing e-mail delivery times.
Similarly, quick automatic responses to the behavior of a recipient's site – such as dropping a cart or browsing in specific categories – can be sold.