"Dear Valued Customer" is the email equivalent of calling someone "Hey you" at a party.
It's not just impersonal—it's actively damaging your revenue.
The Personalization Paradox
Most brands think personalization means:
Adding first names to subject lines
"Based on your purchase" recommendations
Geographic weather references
But real personalization predicts behavior and creates relevance.
Beyond First Names: True Email Personalization
🎯 Purchase History Intelligence Instead of: "You might like these products" Try: "Since you loved [specific product], here are the 3 items our customers typically buy next"
🎯 Behavioral Pattern Recognition Instead of: "Check out our sale" Try: "You always shop our Friday launches first—here's tomorrow's drop 24 hours early"
🎯 Engagement-Based Messaging Instead of: "We missed you" Try: "You haven't opened our emails in 30 days—what changed? Here's how to fix your preferences"
🎯 Journey Stage Awareness Instead of: "Buy our bestseller" Try: "You've been researching [category] for 2 weeks—here's why 847 customers chose this option"
An example of personalized done right from the brand Tarte. They know what this customer typically looks for on its website and what they often order. Based on this information, Tarte offers recommendations that will capture this individual consumer’s attention.
The Psychology of True Personalization
When done right, personalization makes customers think:
"They actually pay attention to me"
"This brand gets my preferences"
"This recommendation makes perfect sense"
When done wrong, it feels creepy or generic.
The Data You Already Have
Your email platform is tracking:
Open times and frequency
Click patterns and preferences
Purchase timing and amounts
Website behavior and browsing
Use it to create segments that feel psychic, not creepy.
The Revenue Impact
Brands using behavioral personalization see:
25% higher open rates
40% better click-through rates
60% increase in revenue per email
Your customers are individuals with unique patterns. Treat them like it.
