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If you rely on your CRM to do a lot of mass communication, such as personalized email campaigns, you need to make sure it has mail merge features to boost your efforts. After all, it's one of the most powerful tools at the disposal of marketers, sales teams, and customer service, helping busy teams personalize their communication strategy at scale. Ensuring that each recipient feels valued. To make sure you can make the most of your mail merge tools we'll explain what mail merge is, its benefits and how you can use mail merge in folk to tap into your database across Outlook and Gmail.
What is mail merging?
Mail merge is a software feature that allows users to create a batch of personalized documents, emails, or letters by combining a template with a data source, such as a spreadsheet or database. Mail merge tools are particularly useful for sending out mass communications where each document or email needs to include specific, individualized information—like a recipient’s name, address, or other unique data points.
Mail merge example
Typically, mail merge users have a general email template they need to personalize.
For instance, you may have:
- A general email message, letter or document you need to send out to your mailing list.
- A spreadsheet with data that should replace some placeholders required to personalize this to each recipient your mailing list such as their first name, email address, or other personalized information you have on them from past meetings.
A mail merge tool will then allow you to create variables so you can personalize your emails in bulk beyond the {first Name} variable. Resulting in having to go through a multiple step by step mail merge wizard which can be time consuming.
Should you use a CRM's mail merge feature, or a separate mail merge platform?
When it comes to executing large-scale, personalized email campaigns, businesses often face a critical decision: Should we use the mail merge feature integrated within their CRM, or should we opt for a separate, dedicated mail merge platform? Understanding the differences and advantages of each option can help you make an informed choice that aligns with your business needs.
Mail merge platforms
Mail merge platforms such as Yet Another Mail Merge are dedicated tools designed specifically for creating and sending personalized mass emails or documents. While mail merge platforms offer powerful capabilities, they also come with the complexity of needing to manage and synchronize data between your CRM and the mail merge tool, which can be time-consuming and prone to errors if not handled properly.
Mail merge in a CRM
Using a CRM’s built-in mail merge feature offers a more integrated approach to personalized communication. After all, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems are designed to help businesses manage their interactions with current and potential customers. CRMs store a wealth of data on customer behavior, preferences, and communication history. Mail merge features should be able to integrate seamlessly with CRMs, enabling businesses to leverage this data to send personalized messages to large groups of people. This ensures that communications are not only relevant and targeted but also consistent with the brand’s voice and message.
A closer look at 3 benefits of the mail merge process in a CRM
The aail merge software in a CRM platform can help you boost engagement through mass communication, create consistency across your messaging and use your customer data effectively. Below we explore how in more detail.
1. Personalization at scale
Mail merge allows businesses to send personalized messages to a large audience without the need for manual entry. By pulling specific details from a CRM or database, each email or letter can be customized to include the recipient’s name, job title, company, or any other relevant information. This level of personalization significantly increases the likelihood of engagement, as recipients are more likely to respond to a message that feels directly addressed to them.
2. Consistency in communication
By using a standardized template across all communications, mail merge ensures that the messaging remains consistent. This consistency is key in maintaining a professional image and avoiding errors that could arise from manual entry. Whether you’re sending out newsletters, invoices, or promotional materials, mail merge helps maintain a uniform tone and style.
3. Enhanced data management
Mail merge, when integrated with a CRM, ensures that customer data is used effectively. It allows businesses to segment their audience and send targeted communications based on specific criteria, such as location, purchase history, or demographic information. This targeted approach not only improves communication but also helps in better data management and analysis.
What does mail merge look like in folk?
folk's CRM is designed with the modern marketers and sales professionals in mind, offering a comprehensive mail merge feature that integrates seamlessly with both Outlook and Gmail. This capability is a game-changer for businesses that rely on these popular email platforms for their marketing and communication campaigns.
1. Streamlined mail merge for Outlook and Gmail
One of the standout features of folk is its ability to integrate directly with Outlook and Gmail, two of the most widely used email clients. This integration simplifies the process of sending personalized, mass emails by allowing users to craft and distribute messages directly from their Folk CRM dashboard without needing to switch between platforms.
2. Enhanced campaign management
folk's mail merge feature also also enhances your overall campaign management experience by offering custom fields, sequences that automate repetitive follow-ups, tracking and analytics and template management. This means you can target your mail merge campaigns more effectively, ensuring that the right message reaches the right audience at the right time, save time by using pre-designed templates that can be quickly customized, and evaluate the effectiveness of your campaigns by making data-driven decisions to improve outreach.
3. Advanced tracking
Through folk's advanced tracking feature, you'll be able to monitor the performance of your email marketing campaigns and make informed decisions that will help boost the engagement of future ones. Without having to switch context.
Conclusion
Personalized emails are key to customer engagement and mail merge is an efficient way for busy teams looking to streamline their outreach efforts. By combining the efficiency of automation with the impact of personalization, a good mail merge feature enables businesses to connect with their audience in a meaningful way, with data readily available in their CRM saving time and reducing the headache of manually looking up information.
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