So, I was chatting with Billy the other day, and we got onto the topic of email marketing – specifically, how utterly transformative AI is becoming. Billy, who runs a subscription box service for rare teas, was clearly feeling the pain of generic email blasts and longed for something more effective. We dived deep into personalised storytelling and narrative-driven emails. It was a fascinating conversation, and I thought I’d share some of our insights.
The Problem with ‘One Size Fits All’
First off, let’s acknowledge the elephant in the inbox: nobody likes receiving an email that screams, “Dear Valued Customer!” It’s impersonal, bland, and instantly signals to the recipient that they’re just another number. Billy was experiencing this firsthand. His open rates were plummeting, and his conversion rates were… well, let’s just say they weren’t inspiring sonnets. The core problem is, he was treating everyone the same, irrespective of their engagement level, purchase history, or interests.
Personalised Storytelling: Weaving Magic with Data
This is where the magic happens. Personalised storytelling isn’t just about inserting a customer’s name into the subject line (although that’s a start!). It’s about crafting an email experience that feels like a direct conversation, tailored specifically to them. Billy was intrigued. “But how?” he asked.
The key, I explained, is data. We’re talking about more than just names and locations. Think about tracking:
- Past Purchases: What teas has the customer bought before? Did they love a particular flavour profile?
- Website Activity: Which pages did they visit? Did they spend a lot of time browsing green teas from Japan?
- Email Engagement: Which emails have they opened and clicked on in the past? What offers have they taken advantage of?
- Survey Responses/Profile Information: Did they indicate they are interested in health benefits, ethical sourcing, or brewing techniques?
Armed with this data, you can start weaving a narrative. Imagine two scenarios:
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Scenario 1: The Green Tea Enthusiast. Billy could send an email with the subject line, “Discover the Emerald Elixir: New Japanese Green Tea Arrival!” The body of the email could then tell a story about the specific region in Japan where the tea is grown, the unique brewing process, and the health benefits associated with it. He could even include a short video of a tea farmer talking about their craft.
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Scenario 2: The Black Tea Lover. Instead of pushing green tea, Billy could send an email with the subject line, “A Bold New Brew: Explore Our Exclusive Assam Black Tea.” The narrative would focus on the rich, malty flavour profile, the history of Assam tea, and pairing suggestions with food.
AI to the Rescue: Automating the Personal Touch
Now, manually crafting emails for every customer segment would be a logistical nightmare. That’s where AI comes in. AI-powered email marketing platforms can analyse vast amounts of data, segment your audience, and even generate personalised email copy.
Think of it this way: you feed the AI with your customer data, your brand voice guidelines, and a framework for your storytelling. The AI then acts as a creative assistant, generating unique email variations for different segments, ensuring that each message resonates with the recipient. Here are the steps you take to do this:
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Data Consolidation: Make sure you have all the data in one place by using a CRM, customer data platform (CDP). This is used to create ‘a single view of the customer’.
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Segmentation: Use the AI to automatically segment your audience based on behaviour, interests, and demographics.
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Template Design: Create email templates that support dynamic content insertion. This allows the AI to easily swap out different sections of the email based on the recipient’s profile.
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Content Generation: Work with the AI to generate different story arcs or narratives for each segment. This might involve providing the AI with examples of successful emails and then prompting it to create similar content for other segments.
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Testing and Optimisation: Continuously A/B test different email variations to see what resonates best with each segment. The AI can then learn from these results and further optimise the email content.
Narrative-Driven Campaigns: Building Emotional Connections
Beyond individual emails, think about creating narrative-driven email campaigns. A campaign tells a story over a series of emails, gradually revealing information and building anticipation. For example, if Billy is launching a new subscription box, he could create a campaign that:
- Email 1: Teaser: “Something exciting is brewing…” – A cryptic email hinting at the new offering.
- Email 2: The Origin Story: “Discover the Secret of [Region Name] Tea” – Introduce the region where the tea is sourced and the unique traditions surrounding it.
- Email 3: The Unveiling: “Introducing the [Subscription Box Name]” – Reveal the contents of the box and highlight its unique benefits.
- Email 4: Exclusive Offer: “Unlock Your Tea Adventure” – Offer a special discount for early subscribers.
By crafting a compelling narrative, Billy can create a deeper emotional connection with his audience and generate more excitement around his subscription box.
The Death of the Generic Blast?
Ultimately, the goal is to make every email feel like it was written specifically for the recipient. This requires a shift in mindset – from sending mass blasts to crafting personalised experiences. It’s about treating your subscribers as individuals, understanding their needs and interests, and communicating with them in a way that resonates. Billy seemed a lot more optimistic after our chat. He could see the potential of moving from shotgun emails to something more like a sniper rifle, taking careful aim at the right target, delivering the message that mattered most, rather than just firing a blast in the dark.
