The 2017 State of Inbound Marketing Report recently revealed that 91% of participants preferred to communicate via email.
That’s right. Ninety-one percent.
If email is the foundation of how humans prefer to talk with each other, why are we still blasting our entire database with the same email messaging? In a marketing world where every company is bombarding inboxes with emails about promotions, product updates, new offers, blog posts, and sales pitches, how do you make your email stand out?
Personalization is key. You’ve only got a few seconds to make your mark in an inbox. And that means you’ve got to begin and end with messaging that speaks to the recipient’s unique language and needs. If you have three different target personas, do not send them all the same email.
We repeat: stop sending your database generalized, unhelpful emails. Why? Because they won’t work. And they may have a negative impact on your email sender score.
Here are some incredibly easy ways you can use personalization and smart content in HubSpot email to increase your open- and click-through rates.
#1: Send from the contact’s sales rep.
The from name and email address are arguably the most important first impression you make when your email hits the inbox. If your contact is being nurtured through a long-term sales campaign, or has already had a conversation with a salesperson on your team, make sure your email is sent from that team member.
As the sales role transforms into more of a “concierge” role, consistency in sender name and email will matter. Contacts want to feel as though they have a champion within your company. And the content will feel more personalized coming from a human being instead of sales@yourcompany.
#2: Call out the contact’s name in the subject line.
With personalization tokens like first name, last name, company name, and industry, you have an enormous opportunity to customize your subject line to speak immediately to your contact.
Try some of these catchy subject lines:
- {first.name} you’re invited!
- How is everything at {company.name}?
- This piece of content has {first.name} written all over it
- Here’s an update about what’s going on in the {industry} field
You get the idea. You collect information on contacts every time they engage with your content. Put that information to use with savvy subject lines and watch the open rate climb higher.
#3. Use smart rich text modules to speak your contact’s lingo.
Are you sending an exciting product update, webinar invitation, or announcement to your database? Then don’t miss the opportunity to further establish your connection with your contacts by using smart rich text modules.
The first thing you’ll need to do is segment your database. Here are some ideas on smart lists you can create:
- Persona
- Industry
- Company size
- Pain point or solution
- Job title
You know your database best. Once you’ve determined how to segment your database, click the “Make smart” icon on any email rich text module. Select the target list segment. Then, write an email that is personalized to that particular group. A CEO may want different product information than a marketing manager, just like someone in construction may want a different summary than someone in the medical field. Smart content allows you to send a singular email with unique messaging for each contact.
#4. Use a smart CTA to keep the engagement going,
Chances are your contacts will be interested in different content based on any of the segmentations listed above. Instead of sending a generalized “Request a demo” or “contact us” button, why not use a smart CTA to increase your value messaging?
If a contact has already requested a demo, but hasn’t purchased, use a Smart CTA to populate an ROI analysis instead. If a contact has already viewed your most popular webinar, use a Smart CTA to invite them to subscribe to your blog instead.
Looking for more ideas on how to create content that your salespeople will love? Check out our free guide: Drive Sales with Content that Converts. Or if you're looking for more information about the basics of smart content, check out our blog post: Expedite the Buyer's Journey with this Smart Content Overview.
