Why Personalisation is Overrated in Outbound Emails

Amidst the sea of advice on email marketing, there is one mantra that resonates louder than personalise, personalise, personalise. The prevailing belief is that if you tailor your emails to recipients, they are more likely to engage. However, have we perhaps placed too much importance on personalisation? Is it possible that in our pursuit of crafting each email as if it were a letter, we are overlooking the bigger picture?

The Illusion of Personalisation Let’s address the concern first. Most “personalised” emails are not genuinely personalised. They are generated by algorithms pulling data from databases. Starting an email with “Dear [First Name]” may seem like a personal touch. It’s actually just a result of merging information. Recipients are aware of this fact. In an era where data-driven marketing is commonplace, consumers have become savvy to these tactics. The superficial personalisation employed by companies can often feel insincere and robotic.

The Drawbacks of Personalisation There exists a balance between making recipients feel acknowledged and making them feel surveilled. When an email references specific details about an individual, it can come across as creepy rather than considerate. Moreover, relying heavily on personalisation can lead to negative consequences when the data used is incorrect. There’s nothing worse than receiving an email that gets personal details wrong, immediately undermining the trust between a brand and the recipient.

Being Generic Can Still Be Authentic It’s important to note that some of the most successful email campaigns in history were completely generic. Consider those emails that went viral and were shared across the internet. They didn’t have any personalisation. They resonated because they tapped into universal truths, emotions, or humour. They felt authentic not because of a tailored greeting, but because of genuine and relatable content.

The Key: Value and Relevance Instead of fixating on personalisation, focus on delivering value and relevance. An email that offers value, whether through insightful content, an exclusive offer, or timely information, will always outperform a superficially personalised but ultimately empty message. It’s better to send an email filled with value than a personalised one lacking substance.

Re-evaluating Our Approach This doesn’t mean that personalisation has no place in email marketing. When executed correctly, it can enhance the recipient’s experience. However, it shouldn’t be the foundation of your strategy. Instead of starting with the question “How can we personalise this?”, it is better to begin by asking, “What kind of value are we offering? What would engage someone in reading this?”. Afterwards, utilise personalisation as a tool to enhance your message rather than solely relying on it.

In Conclusion It is never easy to challenge the established norms, especially when it concerns the significance of personalisation in email marketing. However, like everything, finding a balance is crucial. While striving to make emails feel personalised, we should not lose sight of what truly matters: delivering messages that resonate, engage, and provide value. Ultimately, an email’s worth is not determined by how customised it is, but by the impact it has on its recipient.

Original source: https://www.leadlounge.co/why-personalisation-is-overrated-in-outbound-emails/