Personalized messages are seemingly very personal messages, even though they are sent out in bulk. For example, we personalize by addressing our recipients by name, offering them specific products they have previously clicked on, etc.
Merge tags are a kind of password that we insert into the newsletter. Based on what information we have for the contact, such data is then displayed to the contact in the newsletter.
What content you will have in merge tags is entirely up to you. You can use merge tags which are already defined by Ecomail. Or create new ones using your custom fields.
Now take a look at some examples of basic personalization using merge tags.
I. Addressing
The simplest and most basic personalization is addressing by name, surname or nickname. You will use merge tags defined by Ecomail for the name and surname. You must create your custom field for the nickname.
Ecomail can define the addressing itself. If you have for example Czech names which are being inclined when using vocative, all you have to do is have your first and last name in the basic form. Ecomail inclines the first name and surname, fills in the date of the name day and gender (this is currently valid only for Czech and Slovak calendar, because Ecomail can generate date of name days for those countries). If you have recipients from Slovakia, it is necessary to have "SK" filled in the "country" field. The data will then be loaded not from the Czech but from the Slovak calendar.
Ex .: Addressing by first name, if filled in for the contact
*|IF:VOCATIVE|* Hi *|VOCATIVE|*,
*|ELSE:|* Hi,
*|END:IF|* get a discount on a Christmas present.
This condition says: If the contact has a name, enter the name in the newsletter, if the contact does not have a name, display only "Hello," and other text.
Hi Joanne, get a discount on a Christmas present.
X
Hi, get a discount on a Christmas present.
Ex .: Addressed by nickname or first name
*|IF:NICKNAME|* Hi *|NICKNAME|*,
*|ELSEIF:VOCATIVE|* Hi *|VOCATIVE|*,
*|ELSE:|* Hi,
*|END:IF|* do you want to get a discount on a Christmas present?
This condition says: If the contact has a nickname, display the nickname, if the contact has a name, enter the vocative of it, and if there is neither a name nor a nickname, display only "Hi," and other text. Here we are already working with our custom field "Nickname" (which must be a vocative if the name is Czech).
Hi Lizzie, do you want to get a discount on a Christmas present?
X
Hi Elizabeth, do you want to get a discount on a Christmas present?
X
Hi, do you want to get a discount on a Christmas present?
Ex .: Addressing by surname according to sex
*|IF:GENDER=male|*
Dear Mr. *|PRETITLE|* *|VOCATIVE|* *|VOCATIVE_S|* *|SURTITLE|*
*|ELSEIF:GENDER=female|*
Dear Mrs. *|PRETITLE|* *|VOCATIVE|* *|VOCATIVE_S|* *|SURTITLE|*
*|ELSE:|*
Hello,
*|END:IF|*
This condition says: If the contact's gender is male, display Dear Mr. If the contact is a female gender, display Dear Mrs., and if the contact does not have a gender for the contact, display only Hello.
You can see the titles before and after the surname. If the contact does not have a title next to its name, the field will remain blank.
Dear Mr. David Stone PhD.
X
Dear Mrs. M.Sc. Caroline Urban PhD.
X
Hello,
TIP: Insert the addressing into the subject of the email and personalize it before opening the newsletter itself.
II. Insert an email in the footer
At the end of the newsletter, it is good to enter information on how the contact got into your database.
Ex. Use a merge tag to prescribe an email
You have received this email
*|IF:GENDER=male|* for your email address *|EMAIL|* because you bought men's clothing in our e-shop.
*|ELSEIF:GENDER=female|* for your email address *|EMAIL|* because you bought women's clothing in our e-shop.
*|ELSE:|* for your email address *|EMAIL|* because you bought something in our e-shop.
*|END:IF|*
You have received this email for your email address david@ecomail.app because you bought men's clothing in our e-shop.
X
You have received this email for your email address caroline@ecomail.app because you bought women's clothing in our e-shop.
X
You have received this email for your email address joanne@ecomail.app because you bought something in our e-shop.
III. Inserting groups in the footer
Groups are groups to which your recipients knowingly subscribe. They do not only have to say what messages the recipients will receive, but also, for example, how often they want to receive them.
Ex. Inserting a group before the opt-out link
Adjust the frequency of your newsletters HERE, or you can unsubscribe immediately.
Under "HERE" insert merge tag *|PREFERENCES|*
Under "unsubscribe" insert merge tag *|UNSUB|*
IV. A summary of the information you have about your contacts
Do you want your recipients to be able to check what information they provided you when filling out a signup form? Summarize this information for them in the welcome campaign.
*|IF:VOCATIVE|*
Hello, *|VOCATIVE|*,
*|ELSE:|*
Hello,
*|END:IF|*
Thank you for your interest in subscribing to our newsletters.
You have entered the following information in the form:
Name: *|VOCATIVE|*
Surname: *|VOCATIVE_S|*
City: *|CITY|*
Phone: *|PHONE|*
Company: *|COMPANY|*
You do not have to send this information to your clients directly in the welcome campaign. However, if your addressee asks you for them, you are obliged to inform him, according to the Office for Personal Data Protection, what personal data you collect about him.
If you have any further questions regarding personalization in Ecomail, you can contact us at support@ecomail.app