Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI): Coming to the Rescue of Personalized Email Marketing

More than 30 years after the concept of one-to-one marketing was first defined, we observe that individual personalization remains a challenge for many marketing experts. The lack of resources we experience today proves to be a significant obstacle for companies eager to create multiple versions of emails based on the recipient. Despite the various existing automation platforms, creating personalized content remains a major challenge. Indeed, the personalization of marketing content still requires human expertise, and there are limits to reusing the same content from your website for your automated emails!

Faced with such a reality, it is not surprising that so many SMEs are forced to create a single version of their newsletter for everyone. Fortunately, Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help you achieve this goal, which can sometimes seem unattainable: one-to-one personalization of your automated marketing emails.

How can AI help you personalize your content?

By improving behavior prediction and analyzing newsletter topics, AI can significantly enhance the level of communication personalization, even generating entire content pieces. It can also greatly reduce the effort needed to personalize your messages.

Let's also take a moment to recall some golden rules when using artificial intelligence to create your content, as suggested in this AIContentfy article :

• Maintain a human tone: Avoid the robotic or overly formal aspect of some text editors.
• Test and refine: Always keep an eye on the performance of your emails to determine which ones work best and identify the most effective approaches to reach your subscribers.
• Don't rely solely on AI: Content creation is not the only thing to consider in personalizing your communications. Also, remember to segment your contacts and use automation tools for sending.
• Be transparent: Do you want to use AI in your communications? Inform your subscribers and give them the option to unsubscribe from AI-generated content.

Some useful AI tools for your personalized content:

To generate text:

• ChatGPT : Developed by OpenAI, this generative AI tool comes with a free and user-friendly version.
• Phrasee : This marketing tool uses AI to optimize your emails by testing different formulations.
• Persado : This software generates persuasive messages by analyzing the emotions and language of your audience.
• Jasper : This software provides, among other things, product descriptions, AI-generated illustrations, and content summaries.

To generate images:

• DALL-E : This artificial intelligence program developed by OpenAI generates visual content from textual descriptions. A paid version is also available with ChatGPT for more advanced features.
• Deep Dream Generator : Thanks to deep learning, this free online tool can transform existing images into original artistic creations.
• RunwayML : This online video editor offers several AI options, including image generation.
• Shutterstock : This paid image bank offers AI options for generating or customizing images.

Let's put AI to the test (and try it out on your end too)!

Here is a concrete example of how generative AI tools can help you generate personalized emails quickly and easily. We asked the free version of ChatGPT to generate 5 different versions of a promotional email text for a fictional renovation company we called "SCREWDRIVER." The email aimed to announce a 20% discount on all SCREWDRIVER products.

Here are the parameters we set for ChatGPT for each version:

• The first version of the email should be tailored for construction professionals.
• The second version of the email should address agriculture experts.
• The third version of the email should target recipients who have browsed BBQ equipment in the last week.
• The fourth version of the email should target recipients who made a purchase in Montreal less than 2 months ago.
• The fifth and final version of the email should target recipients who haven't made a purchase in over 6 months.

After obtaining an initial version for these emails, we made some adjustments to make the content less formal and more dynamic, with a French language level adapted to Quebec. Subsequently, we could benefit from a series of emails tailored to each situation. In total, ChatGPT took 1 minute 30 to draft the content of the 5 emails, and we only needed 5 minutes to refine everything!

Finally, we asked the Deep Dream Generator software (for the first 4 photos) and Open.AI (for the last photo) to generate images based on the same parameters. Let's see the results!

Email n° 1 - Construction Professionals

Hi [Name],

Ready to give a boost to your construction projects? We have exciting news for you: a special sale at SCREWDRIVER with a 20% discount on everything!

Yes, you read it right. It's the perfect time to invest in quality without breaking the bank. Visit your local SCREWDRIVER store today!

Best regards,

[Your Name]

[Your Company]

Email n° 2 - Agriculture Experts

Hi [Name],

Friend of the earth and harvests, guess what? The big SCREWDRIVER sale is here, with a fantastic 20% discount on everything!

Whether you need special seeds, quality tools, or agricultural equipment, we have everything you need!

Head to your local SCREWDRIVER store and make your crops thrive in style!

Best regards,

[Your Name]

[Your Company]

Email n° 3 - Recipients who have browsed BBQ equipment in the last week

Hi [Name],

We noticed that you were checking out our BBQs last week. Well, you'll be delighted to learn that an incredible sale at SCREWDRIVER is happening, with a 20% discount on everything!

Transform your outdoor space into a perfect grilling haven without breaking the bank. Hurry to SCREWDRIVER to take advantage of it!

Best regards,

[Your Name]

[Your Company]

Email n° 4 - Recipients who made a purchase in Montreal less than 2 months ago

Hi [Name],

How's it going since your last cool purchase at our Montreal store? We hope you're still enjoying it! To thank you for your loyalty, we're offering an amazing sale with a 20% discount on everything.

Get ready to be surprised on your next visit to SCREWDRIVER!

See you soon,

[Your Name]

[Your Company]

Email n° 5 - Recipients who haven't made a purchase in over 6 months

Hi [Name],

We hope everything is going well on your end! We noticed that it's been a while since your last purchase at SCREWDRIVER.

Guess what? We're organizing a special sale with a 20% discount on everything! Is it worth coming to visit us, right?

Looking forward to seeing you again!

[Your Name]

[Your Company]

Make AI your ally for customizing your automated emails

With recent technological advancements, there are now various powerful generative artificial intelligence tools to help simplify your marketing email customization process. While many of these tools are available through paid subscriptions, they are often very affordable, allowing you to benefit from quality solutions while staying within your budget.

Artificial intelligence is here to stay, so you might as well leverage it for the benefit of your business!