Traditional email ‘from names’ aren’t enough (try these 6 tried-and-true strategies instead)

Let’s face it—we all receive a ton of emails daily. Promotions, notifications, news—you name it. For brands, standing out is a necessity. One incredibly effective yet often underrated tool is using friendly and creative from names in your email campaigns. Believe it or not, that tiny bit of text next to the email address can elevate your messages from mere inbox clutter to a meaningful connection with your customers.

Why traditional from names aren’t enough

Traditional from names often include just the brand name or a generic department like “Customer Service.” While this approach isn’t bad, it leaves room for improvement—it fails to give your email a personal touch. In an era where personalization is key to customer connection, a friendly from name can be a game-changer. Think about it: would you rather receive an email from “Marketing Team” or “Brittany from Cordial”? The latter feels warmer and more inviting, almost like receiving a note from a friend rather than a corporation.

Benefits of a friendly from name

Using a warm, human from name instead of your brand name:

• Increases open rates: Recipients will be more likely to open an email from a friend rather than a faceless corporation.
• Boosts click-through rates: Once opened, a friendly from name helps create a relationship that gets more clicks.
• Improves deliverability: Spam filters give more leeway to human names than unfamiliar brand names.
• Creates trust: A real name conveys transparency and credibility, building trust with subscribers.
• Enhances brand identity: A consistent human from name helps associate your brand with a personality.

Tried-and-true from name strategies

Before diving into testing, it’s helpful to consider various “from name” formats that have proven to be effective:

First name at/from company name: E.g., “Brittany from Cordial”. This format skillfully balances personalization with brand recognition. When customers see a first name, it humanizes your brand. It implies that there’s a real person behind the message, increasing the likelihood of engagement.

Company department: E.g.,”Cordial Sales Team”. This approach adds specificity and maintains brand identity. It tells the customer exactly which part of the company the message is coming from, aiding in immediate recognition and trust.

Company campaign name: E.g., “Summer Savings by Cordial”. If you’re running a specific campaign, this from name format is perfect. It tells recipients what to expect from the email and why it’s timely or important.

Title of a series or newsletter: E.g., “Cordial Newsletter”. This is particularly effective for recurring content. It sets the expectation for what’s inside the email, making it more likely that interested subscribers will engage.

Character or mascot names: E.g., “Tony the Tiger” for Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes. If your brand has a well-known character or mascot, this can make your emails instantly recognizable and exciting for customers who have a fondness for the character.

CEO or founder’s name: E.g., “A Message from Jeremy, Cordial CEO”. This adds a layer of prestige and exclusivity to your emails. It makes recipients feel like they’re getting an inside look from the top, fostering a sense of community and importance.

From name do’s and don’ts

Do’s

• Be clear and specific: Your from name should leave no doubt about who the email is from. Use recognizable brand names or identifiers.
• Keep it short: Long from names can get truncated in some email clients. Aim for fewer than 30 characters to ensure it’s fully visible.
• Personalize when possible: If you can include the recipient’s name or a personal touch like “Your Stylist at BrandName,” do it. Personalization boosts engagement.
• Consistency is key: Try to maintain a consistent from name across similar types of messages to build brand recognition.
• Test, test, test: Use A/B tests to find out what resonates best with your audience. What works for one brand may not work for another.
• Align with subject line: Make sure your from name complements your subject line and the content inside your email for cohesive messaging.
• Legal compliance: Make sure your from name isn’t misleading and adheres to the CAN-SPAM Act or other local email laws.

Don’ts

• Avoid generic terms: Using generic terms like “Admin” or “Customer Service” can make your email blend in, rather than stand out.
• Don’t mislead: Never use a deceptive from name that could trick recipients into opening an email. This will damage trust and could lead to legal consequences.
• Steer clear of ALL CAPS: Using all caps can be seen as shouting and is often flagged as spam by email providers.
• Avoid special characters: Stick to alphanumeric characters to ensure that your from name displays correctly across all email clients.
• Don’t overcomplicate: While it’s good to be descriptive, don’t add so many descriptors that your from Name becomes a sentence. Keep it simple and to the point.
• Don’t change too often: Consistency is key for brand recognition. Changing your from name too frequently can confuse your audience and lower engagement.
• Avoid internal jargon: The recipient won’t understand terms or abbreviations that are only used internally within your company.

How to make the switch

Convinced about the benefits of a friendly and creative from name? Testing and optimizing this tactic is key (here are 10 other testing ideas for email marketing optimization). Here’s how to get started:

• Start small: Test-friendly from names with a small segment of your email list. This reduces risk and allows for more controlled measurement.
• Measure impact: Use analytics to track open rates, click-through rates, and overall engagement. This will provide the quantitative data you need to gauge the success of your new strategy.
• Iterate: Based on the gathered data, make informed decisions about wider implementation. Perhaps consider seasonal or event-based variations in your from names to keep things fresh.

The small change with big impact

In the crowded world of email marketing, every detail counts. While a friendly from name might appear minor, its impact on engagement, trust, and customer relationship-building is monumental. If you consider that the average consumer receives hundreds of emails every week, standing out positively can be a significant advantage.

A friendly from name isn’t just a “nice-to-have”; it’s a “need-to-have” in today’s highly competitive email marketing landscape. Make the change today and watch your engagement rates soar.