Back in the days of the Model T, Henry Ford could get away with offering customers any color they wanted—as long as it was black. Ridiculous as that mentality sounds to modern ears, you risk sending customers the same message if you don't tailor your email campaigns to their interests, their tastes, their preferences.

"You cannot sell the same product with the same messaging to everyone," says Neil Anuskiewickz in an article at MarketingProfs.com. "If you are an email marketer who is doing traditional 'batch and blast' email marketing, now's a good time to start segmenting and sending triggered emails." He suggests taking these steps:

Segment customers according to their preferences. If you're a wine merchant, for instance, you can target customers with focused lists for those who prefer dry reds, sweet whites or any other possible combination. This way, your message about a sale on Cabernet stays relevant to each recipient.

Use reports to refine your lists. "If you find that certain subscribers have clicked on a specific link in your email," notes Anuskiewickz, "you can be reasonably sure they have some interest in what you were offering at the other end of that link." For instance, you can fine-tune your list of Cabernet fans by highlighting those who clicked through on a specific vintage, winery, etc.

The Po!nt: Color your emails. Says Anuskiewickz, "[These] methods can help you ... improve response to your email ... campaigns and build stronger relationships by sending relevant, timely messages."

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