Personal salutation in campaigns and notifications

Salutation in the import process and campaigns

When importing contact data, you can capture the gender (M/F). If this information is available, the formula "Dear Ms" or "Dear Mr" is automatically generated in campaigns with the variable [Formal Salutation]. If the gender value is missing, for example, when there is no "F" or "M" entry in the import or the gender was not captured, "Hello" is used by default.

Important: If you import a field labelled Salutation or Title (e.g., "Ms", "Mr") and assign the identifier title, Oniva will only recognise the gender automatically if the exact values "Mr" and "Ms" are used. Since these fields can also contain other titles, such as academic distinctions, they are treated separately. For multilingual events, we strongly recommend importing both the salutation and the gender to prevent errors. The gender values "F" and "M" apply across all languages.

Since gender can currently only be captured during the contact data import, we recommend using the salutation in campaigns with the variable [Formal Salutation] [First Name] [Last Name]. This ensures the salutation is displayed correctly whether or not the gender information is available ("Dear Mr John Doe," "Hello John Doe").

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Recommended salutation forms

In general, we recommend using generic salutations such as "Hello John" or "Good day John Doe". These are less error-prone and allow for an inclusive address. Such formats do not assign a specific gender, making them suitable for a broader audience. A more formal salutation like  "Dear Mr John Doe" can sometimes seem inappropriate and is more prone to errors as it may not always align with the imported salutations.

In notifications, such as confirmation or cancellation emails, the phrase "Dear John Doe" is used by default.

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Importing a custom salutation

If you wish to use a salutation other than the default, you can import it as an additional field. The import process for custom salutations works as follows:

Step-by-step guide

1. Capture new field in the registration form
   Create a new field for the salutation in the registration form. Ensure that this field is not visible to contacts.
2. Prepare salutations in Excel
   Prepare the salutations in an Excel document. Ensure that the data is correctly and consistently formatted to avoid errors during later processing. Consider whether you want to include only the salutation (e.g., "Hello Mrs", "Dear") or the full line (e.g., "Hello Mrs Smith", "Dear Mrs Minister", "Dear interested parties").
3. Import the salutation
   Import the prepared salutations into the system. Ensure the new data is correctly linked to the existing contact information so it integrates smoothly into the campaigns.
4. Set salutation in campaigns as a variable
   Once the salutation has been imported, you must set it as a variable in the campaign texts. This will automatically adjust the individual salutation for each contact.

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Conclusion

Correct and respectful addressing in campaigns and notifications significantly contributes to the positive perception of your communication. By using personalised, yet inclusive salutation forms like "Hello John Doe" you ensure that your messages reach a broad audience and minimise errors. If necessary, you can easily import custom greetings and integrate them into your campaigns to make the address even more targeted.