When Personalization Backfires

Email marketing gurus claim that including a recipient's name in an email or online offer is a good idea. "Marketing response rates rise when communication is personalized. That's what the stats tell us," writes Elaine Fogel in a post at MarketingProfs' Daily Fix blog. But there's a caveat: "What's the point in doing it if you do it badly?"

Before you personalize your next campaign, consider a recent experience Fogel had with Continental Airlines. A promotional email with the subject line "continental.com Specials for Elaine Fogel" piqued her interest. "Since I have to book a flight for an upcoming speaking engagement," she says, "I click on the specials link to see the departures from my home airport. Guess what? None there." It turns out the tease was an entirely "impersonal" offer.

There are two fundamental reasons for making sure your personalized message does not appear mass produced:

You provide a call to action that is meaningful to recipients. In Fogel's case, there was literally no way for her to use the special fares from where she lives. Since she is a member of their loyalty program, Continental knows her address. Thus, for her, the personalization ended with her name.
You increase the odds that recipients will open your next email. Sending even one irrelevant message creates the impression that reading your emails is a waste of time.

The Po!nt: Fogel puts it succinctly: "Use personalized communication [only] if the message is relevant to the recipient."

Source: MarketingProfs. Click here for the post.

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