Personalization inserts recipient-specific data from your list directly into your mailings — similar to Mail Merge in MS Word. It can be used in:
Use the Personalization drop-down in the subject line field or message editor to insert fields at your cursor position.
1. Match your test list to your sending list
Ensure your test list uses the same fields as your live list. Mismatched fields are a common source of personalization errors.
**Important Note – When sending a mailing using our test message feature you must use a test list with the correct fields. Using an entered in email will not result in personalization rendering.
2. Use fallback values
Add a fallback after the pipe ( | ) symbol to handle missing data. Example:
| Without fallback | With fallback |
| {{first_name}} | {{first_name|Friend}} |
If no first name exists for a recipient, the fallback (e.g., "Friend") is used instead.
3. First name, last name, and full name are separate fields
If you upload your list using the full name field, you cannot reference first or last name separately. Use the correct field tag:
| Field | Tag |
| First name | {{first_name}} |
| Last name | {{last_name}} |
| Full name | {{fullname}} |
Always test before sending to catch field mismatches.
You can embed personalization fields inside URLs to pass recipient data to your website. Example:
https://reachmail.com?discount={{discount_code}}
This appends each recipient's email address to the URL as a query string value — useful for sites that handle incoming data dynamically.
For a complete reference of all available personalization fields in your ReachMail account, visit: ReachMail List Field Information. If you need personalization outside of this list you can always create a custom List Field to use for personalization.