What Is Mail Merge and how do I use it?

The mail merge function takes information you have in your demographic fields and inserts that information into your email message to help customize the email to each subscriber. Some examples of mail merge values are:

{{{email_address}}}{{{first_name}}}

{{{last_name}}}{{{address1}}}

Other Useful Mail Merge Values

{{{forward}}}
{{{browse}}}
{{{subscribe}}}
{{{unsubscribe}}}

Use the merge value {{{email_address}}} to insert your subscriber's email address. For first name, use {{{first_name}}} and so on. Note that a value you are using must exist within your list in order for it to work.

You can also use the 'add mail merge' drop down menu within the HTML Editor, and the 'mail merge' link within the Visual Editor to insert mail merge values. Just place your cursor in the editor where you want the value to be inserted. When you create custom fields, a merge value for the custom field will be created automatically and available to you in the drop down menu.

Email System will automatically replace the merge value with subscriber data when your blast goes out. 

It is also possible to add the mail merge value to a url placed in your email message.

Another option with mail merging is to link it to text or images.

Below is an example of how to merge foward to a friend to text and to an image. 

To link forward to a friend to text using visual editor: 
-First type in the text you want forward to a friend linked to, then highlight it. Click on the insert/edit link button in the visual editor tool bar (looks like a chain). Select forward to a friend in the link list.

-Then click on the insert button. That text is now a link. 
(an example of this might be "Click Here to forward this email to a friend." You would highlight the 'Click Here' text and that text will be the link).

To link to an image:

It is exact same thing just instead of highlighting the text, you need to make sure the image in your email is selected then click on the insert/edit link button and follow the instructions from above.