How should you balance personalization vs automation?

The goal is emails that feel personal at automated scale. Pure automation feels robotic; pure personalization doesn't scale. The balance: automated triggers with personalized content, dynamic elements that adapt to individual data, and segmented messaging that speaks to group characteristics.

Effective personalization includes: Name usage (sparingly-once is enough). Behavioral references (\"Since you bought X...\"). Contextual timing (abandoned cart, browse behavior). Preference-based content (showing products they'd actually want). Milestone recognition (anniversaries, achievements).

Personalization without value is just surveillance. \"Hi Sarah, we noticed you looked at blue shoes\" can feel creepy rather than helpful. The best personalization serves recipients-relevant recommendations, timely reminders, genuinely useful information. If removing the personalization would make the email better, remove it. Personalization is a tool, not a goal.