Merge fields allow you to personalize your emails with supporter information, creating more engaging communications that drive higher response rates.
Step 1: Understand available email merge fields
- Merge fields pull information from contact records to personalize emails
Common merge fields for emails include:
- {{FirstName}} - Supporter's first name
- {{LastName}} - Supporter's last name
- {{Email}} - Supporter's email address
- {{Address}} - Supporter's street address
- {{City}} - Supporter's city
- {{State}} - Supporter's state
Merge fields are surrounded by double curly braces
Step 2: Add merge fields to your email
- Create or edit a Targeted Email
- In the email editor, place your cursor where you want to add personalization
- Click the "Merge Fields" button in the editor toolbar
- Select the appropriate merge field from the dropdown
- The merge field will be inserted at your cursor position
Step 3: Use merge fields effectively in emails
- Create personalized greetings: "Dear {{FirstName}},"
- Customize content based on location: "As a resident of {{City}},"
- Reference past actions: "Thank you for your recent donation of {{LastContributionAmount}}."
- Include personalized links: "{{FirstName}}, click here to renew your membership."
Step 4: Set fallback values for emails
- Some supporters may not have all information in their records
Add fallback values using the pipe character:
Dear {{FirstName|Friend}},
In this example, if FirstName is available, it will be used; otherwise, "Friend" will appear
Always use fallbacks for critical merge fields to ensure your email makes sense for all recipients
Step 5: Test your personalized email
- Send a test email to yourself before sending to your list
- Check that merge fields are working correctly
- View the email on different devices and email clients
- Verify that fallback values display properly when information is missing
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