Why Personalized Emails Work for Brands – and How a Good PR Strategy Makes Them Better
Photo by Solen Feyissa on Unsplash
Email may be old school, but it’s still one of the highest-converting marketing tools available. It’s relatively cheaper compared to other channels, and it’s been proven to consistently have high returns on investment (ROI).
Kpability, a Filipino customer engagement solutions firm, found that for every ₱1.00 spent on emails businesses get ₱42 back.
Yet, too many brands still send the same template email to everyone on their list. They’re missing out on clicks, engagement, and ultimately, sales! They’re void of a special touch, too.
And that’s where email segmentation comes in.
When paired with a strong brand message and smart content strategy, segmented emails transform your emails from spam into something your customers actually want to open.
Let’s talk about it!
What Is Email Segmentation?
Email segmentation means dividing your email list into smaller groups based on things like:
- Buying behavior
- Location
- Interests
- Purchase frequency
Instead of one generic message, you send more relevant emails to each ‘segment’. That way, every email is personalized without needing to write a hundred different email templates.
Why Segmentation Matters in the Filipino E-Commerce Landscape
Email may be underrated compared to Viber or TikTok, but it’s far from dead:
- 92.4% of Filipinos still use email services each month. This rate is higher than the 70.5% global average.
- Local e-commerce platforms like Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok Shop send emails as part of their customer touch point strategy (like receipts for purchase, feedback surveys, etc.). Some customers even worry about not getting an email.
- Ever received a sales email from Lazada? In studying Lazada’s omnichannel marketing approach, Voy’s Kevin Urriata found that personalized, segmented emails were just as crucial as social media and influencer marketing, especially during special holiday sales!
And with Filipinos being highly community-driven, personalized messaging that feels sincere works far better than cold blasts with little thought.
I mean, be honest: you’d click away from a sales-y email, too.
How to Segment Your Email List (With Subject Lines)
Segmentation doesn’t have to be too complicated. Here are straightforward examples that work.
1. Customer Behavior
Segmenting by customer behavior (like clicking “add to cart” or leaving a bad review) is powerful. Emails segmented by behavior are great during big campaigns like Back to School, or Valentine’s Day Budol Bundles.
What to send:
- Browsed but didn’t buy → “Still thinking it over?” reminder + limited offer
- Added to cart → “Your item is waiting!” + social proof from other customers that it’s worth the buy
- Repeat buyer → special thank-you note + exclusive sneak peek of new or upcoming items
2. Location
Segmenting by location is useful for vendors with delivery limitations or customers near physical pickup hubs. You can also use location-segmented emails for regional promos or province-specific partnerships.
Some Email Subject Examples:
- “Free shipping to Davao this week only!”
- “Come visit our QC pop-up this weekend”
- “Ilocos-based orders: New delivery partner, faster turnaround!”
Not only does this touch on customers (and vendors) outside of Metro Manila, localized content feels more thoughtful. It’s as if you’ve taken them into account!
3. Customer Lifecycle
Are they new to your list, or are they loyal subscribers? Just made their first purchase, or 100th? Segmenting by your customer’s current lifecycle tells them that you pay attention.
Disclosure: they’re my favorite kind of promo emails.
Some Email Subject Examples for:
- New subscriber: “Thanks for joining! Here’s 10% off your first budol.”
- At-risk customer who hasn’t visited in awhile: “We miss you! Here’s what’s new since your last visit.”
- Loyal buyer: “You’ve supported us 5 times! Get a thank-you reward.”
4. Interest or Product Category
Simple enough: prioritize the things a customer actually enjoys. If a customer only buys pet items, don’t email them skincare lists.
Here are some email subject examples with clear targets:
- “New kitchen finds we think you’ll love”
- “Shop our latest pet care accessories”
- “Home spa bundles for your self-care Sundays”
Why PR and IMC Strategy Should Guide Your Email Messaging
Now, segmenting emails helps you send emails that people open. But public relations and integrated marketing communications (PR and IMC) is what gives those emails real impact.
Here’s why a PR and IMC agency is essential:
1. They Shape Your Message and Weave Stories on All Touchpoints — From Media to Email
Just like good media coverage, good email is a chance to build reputation, personalize your brand, and put your shop’s story at the forefront. A reputable PR and IMC agency would reflect your brand’s values and message, and resonate with your Filipino audience through trust, community, and, sometimes, content for families.
Emails should do more than say “Buy me!.” A good PR email includes:
- Mini stories (e.g., “Meet our Baguio-based craftsman behind this tote”)
- Real user testimonials
- Behind-the-scenes peeks of your advocacy or CSR efforts
- News-style updates about product awards or media features
2. They Sync Emails With Larger Campaigns
Whether you’re launching a campaign tied to Women’s Month or a product collaboration, your agency can:
- Help with a large (yet very personalized) omnichannel approach similar to (or different from) Lazada’s approach. That’s up to you.
- Build consistency across emails, social media, events, and press
- Repurpose media coverage into email content (or vice versa!)
- Use influencer or brand partner stories in your newsletter
With a strong relationship and the right PR direction, your emails won’t feel like blasts—they feel like timely conversations your customers, vendors, etc. would love to open.
3. They Help You Track What Matters
It’s not just about clicks or open rates or conversions. Your PR and IMC agency helps you track:
- How your email strategy supports your overall brand equity
- What kind of stories build loyalty
- What messaging improves brand sentiment
- Which content boosts repeat purchases
Invest in agencies that have a diverse set of experiences. That way, you have more ground to work on.
Some Examples of Personalized, Segmented Emails
To prove a point, here are some personalized emails from this writer’s own inbox that were really good.
- Lalamove
Why I received this:
I reinstalled Lalamove after a while and immediately got this clever email. Nothing’s too formal. It feels like a friend offering a solution.
- Grab Philippines
Why I received this:
Dear reader, let it be known that this writer uses Grab A LOT! I haven’t for a couple of weeks and received this in my inbox:
- Moneymax
Why I received this:
Not sure if this counts, but it does for me. I remember laughing at this in my inbox because I was looking for an airfryer that day.
Before Segmenting, Invest in PR.
Email segmentation is a powerful tool. But without strong messaging, it’s just inbox clutter.
By partnering with a PR agency that understands the core of your brand and the logic of your campaigns, you create emails that do more than sell.
Want to create emails that build relationships, trust, and long-term value? Email NGP IMC! They have more than two years of connecting with audiences for different brands!
Kriztin Cruz is a recruitment and digital marketing professional, freelance writer, hobbyist painter, and frustrated sociologist–with too many things to want and too little time to spare. She graduated with a Psychology degree in 2019 at De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde Antipolo. When she’s not drafting a corporate letter or working on anything digital marketing, you can find her doing the following, but not in this order: reading a good book, scavenging for a good book, sketching, painting, journaling, junk journaling, obsessing over an obscure Czechoslovakian surrealist film (or anything by Miyazaki or Del Toro), cooking, finding a cafe to relax in, and creating new things while a nice documentary plays in the background.