Surprise, surprise! In my mailbox, was an advertisement with my name scrawled across the top. It asked if I had forgotten to purchase receipt forms, and gave simple directions to get them overnight!

It was like a message from heaven! How did they know my name, and the fact that I was out of receipts? Of course they have computers that keep track of regular orders... they know approximately how long it is between your orders, and take advantage of the knowledge, but the impact of a personal message at just the right time astounded me.

What's in a name?
Power, for starters. When someone says your name you stop what you're doing and respond. When you see your name in print, you perk up and pay attention. Yeah, a name is a powerful and magnetic tool that gets the attention of your customers.

Don't be afraid to use your customer's name. Address any mail to them personally. Put it on their emails. Your correspondence is much more likely to get read when it has their name scrawled across the top.

Real name vs. screen name.
Sometimes it's hard to get the real names of potential customer who come to you on the Web. With a little research, you can usually find their name somewhere in the email address or on the header of their emails. Can't find it? A screen name will work, but won't have the power their real name would have.

Set the example. Sign all of your emails with your real name, and see how many customers respond with their real names. It's almost automatic. Once you've captured a name, store it with the email address so that it's ready to be used in future mailings.

Be careful not to OVERDO it!
The key here is to be natural... you wouldn't say my name 6 times in a conversation that consisted of about 3 paragraphs. Don't annoy the heck out of your customer by doing it in print. A good rule of thumb is to use the first name 2 - 3 times per email.

Personalize your way to greater success, by using customer names.