How Subject Lines Personalization Influences Open Rates and Engagement

Before I was coaching coaches or decoding the psychology of open rates, I was on stage—belting show tunes, embodying characters, and telling stories that made people feel something. That’s the throughline, really. As a pro actor and lifelong storyteller, I’ve always been good at stepping into someone else’s shoes, tuning into their emotions, and delivering a message that lands.

Email marketing? It’s not all that different. You’re just stepping into the world of your reader—and crafting a message that feels like it was made just for them. That’s the heart of personalization.

Let’s get one thing clear: personalization in email marketing does not mean writing 1,000 individual emails by candlelight like some exhausted marketing monk.

Nope. In the land of ethical, human-first marketing (the land I live in, and hopefully you do too), personalization means using what you know about your people to actually speak to them—not at them.

And let me tell you, the brands that do this well? They don’t just make sales. They make relationships.

Take Amazon. Love them or side-eye them, their email game is incredibly effective. You don’t get a “Dear valued customer” email from Jeff’s empire. You get “Hey, Gregory” and “You might like this because you bought that David Bowie book last month.” Effective? Absolutely.

They understand what most coaches and creators forget: Email isn’t just a channel. It’s an experience. One that can lead to 35% of product sales. Yep—over a third of their revenue is tied to recommendations, a ton of which come from email.

And it’s not just Big Biz reaping the rewards. A study by Experian found that personalized emails deliver 6x higher transaction rates.

Let’s break it down in Rebel Math:

• 82% of people are more likely to open an email that feels tailored to them.

• Personalization can drive $20 in revenue for every $1 spent.

• Even using someone’s first name in a subject line can increase opens by 10–14%.

• Considering 47% of subscribers decide to open based solely on the subject line… that’s a game-changer.

And here’s the real kicker: 70% of brands still aren’t doing this. Which means you? You’ve got a gorgeous head start.

So how do you actually do personalization without turning into a robot with a merge tag addiction?

Here’s how we rebel a little smarter:

1. Ask for the right info up front.

Your sign-up form is where the magic begins. Don’t ask for their address or phone numebr, but do ask for first name, maybe what kind of support they’re looking for. The goal? Enough data to write with heart, not guesswork.

2. Use their name like you mean it.

Drop their first name into subject lines, intros, even body text—when it feels natural. It’s a simple touch that screams real person talking here.

3. Ditch the no-reply email address.

You want people to feel like they can actually talk back to you. “donotreply@robotland.com” kills that vibe instantly. Use your real reply-to, and watch engagement grow.

4. Sign it like a human.

Add a real email signature. Not just “Sincerely, The Team.” Who are you? Where can people find you online? Make it easy for them to connect, not just consume.

5. Lean into next-level tools (but stay human).

Yes, there are AI tools that can analyze someone’s socials and whip up a perfectly personalized email faster than you can say “Segmentation.” Just don’t let automation erase authenticity. Use tools to support your voice, not replace it.

Bottom line?
When people feel seen, they pay attention. And when they pay attention, they connect. And when they connect, they buy.

So no more “Dear subscriber.”

No more “Check out our latest offers.”
Let’s start sending emails that sound like you—and feel like they’re meant for them.

Because in the inbox, just like in life, people remember how you made them feel. Let’s make ‘em feel seen.