How to set up and use custom variables in Supersend for personalized messaging

If you're sending the same generic email to everyone, you're wasting your time—and probably annoying your recipients. Personalization makes a big difference, but nobody wants to copy-paste custom intros for hundreds of leads. That's where custom variables in Supersend come in. Whether you’re a founder doing cold outreach, a marketer running campaigns, or just someone who wants to not sound like a robot, this guide is for you.

Below, I’ll walk you through setting up and actually using custom variables in Supersend, sharing the stuff that works (and what’s just there for show). No fluff, just the real steps and honest advice.

What Are Custom Variables, Really?

Before you start, let’s make sure we’re talking about the same thing. Custom variables are basically placeholders you drop into your email templates—think {{first_name}} or {{company}}. When you send a message, Supersend swaps those placeholders for the real info from your contact list.

It’s not magic, and it’s not hard. But if you mess up your setup, you’ll end up with emails that say “Hi {{first_name}},”—which is just embarrassing.

Why bother?

  • Emails with real personalized info get more replies.
  • You can reuse templates instead of editing each message.
  • It cuts down on mistakes and saves a ton of time.

Let’s get you set up, step by step.

Step 1: Set Up Your Contact List with the Right Data

Supersend can’t personalize anything if you don’t give it the info to work with. Your contact list (CSV or spreadsheet) is where this all starts.

What to do

  1. Create a spreadsheet (Google Sheets, Excel, or just a CSV file) with your contacts.

  2. Add columns for each variable you want to use. At minimum: first_name, email. Often useful: company, job_title, custom_intro, etc.

    | first_name | email | company | custom_intro | |------------|----------------------|-----------|-----------------------| | Sarah | sarah@email.com | WidgetCo | Loved your TED talk! | | Mike | mike@email.com | DevInc | Impressed by your app.|

  3. Check for typos in your column headers. If you call it firstname in your spreadsheet but use {{first_name}} in Supersend, you’ll get blank fields.

  4. Fill in your data. No blank cells unless you’re OK with sending generic messages to some people.

Pro tip: If you want to get fancy, you can add columns for LinkedIn links, favorite sports teams—whatever info you can use to connect with someone.

What doesn’t matter

  • You don’t need to use every variable for every contact. Supersend will just leave it blank or you can set a fallback (more on that later).
  • The order of columns doesn’t matter. Supersend matches by header name, not position.

Step 2: Import Your Contacts into Supersend

You’ve got your spreadsheet—now get it into Supersend.

How to import

  1. Log in to your Supersend account.
  2. Go to the Contacts or Audience section (names change, but it’s where you upload people).
  3. Click Import or Upload, and choose your spreadsheet or CSV.
  4. Map your columns. Supersend will try to match your headers to its variable names. Double-check that first_name matches {{first_name}}, etc.
  5. Finish the import. Wait for it to process. If there’s an error, fix your spreadsheet and try again.

Honest take: The import process in Supersend is usually reliable, but if you have weird characters or inconsistent headers, it’ll choke. Always do a quick spot-check of your uploaded contacts before you start sending.

Step 3: Build Your Email Template Using Variables

Now comes the fun part—writing your message. This is where the variables actually show up.

How to add variables to a message

  1. Go to the Templates or Campaigns area in Supersend.

  2. Write your email as usual, but insert variables like this: {{first_name}}, {{company}}, etc.

    Subject: Quick question for {{first_name}}

    Hi {{first_name}},

    I came across {{company}} and thought {{custom_intro}}.

    Would love to connect!

  3. Save your template.

What works:

  • Use variables early in your message—people notice personalization in the greeting and first line.
  • If you have a custom intro or note, use it right after the greeting for maximum effect.

What to ignore:

  • Don’t try to personalize every sentence. One or two well-placed variables beat overkill.
  • Avoid complicated logic or nesting variables. Supersend isn’t a programming language.

Step 4: Use Fallbacks for Missing Data (Optional, but Smart)

What if you don’t have a first_name for everyone? That’s where fallbacks come in.

How to set a fallback

Supersend lets you specify a default value in case a variable is blank. The syntax is usually:

{{first_name | fallback:"there"}}

So, if first_name is missing, your email will start with “Hi there,” instead of “Hi ,”.

Why bother?

  • It keeps your emails from looking broken.
  • It avoids awkward blank spots.

Gotchas:

  • Don’t set cheesy fallbacks like “Dear valued customer,” unless you want to sound like spam.
  • Not every version of Supersend supports this the same way—test before you send a big campaign.

Step 5: Preview and Test Your Emails

Never trust that variables will “just work.” Supersend has a preview mode—use it.

How to test

  1. In your campaign or template editor, look for a Preview button.
  2. Click through a few contacts to see how the variables fill in.
  3. Send a test email to yourself (Supersend has this feature—use it every time).
  4. Check for missing data, weird formatting, or fallback values.

If you see something like “Hi {{first_name}},”—go back and fix your data or template.

Step 6: Launch Your Campaign and Monitor Results

Once you’re happy with the previews and test sends, you’re ready to go live.

What to do

  1. Double-check your sending settings (schedule, limits, etc.).
  2. Hit Send or launch your campaign.
  3. Watch the replies and metrics.

What to watch for:

  • If you get a bunch of emails with missing names or awkward intros, your data or variables are off.
  • If people reply with “Wow, loved the personal touch!”—that’s your custom variables doing their job.

Pro Tips and Honest Warnings

What works

  • Personalized intros: If you have the time, a custom_intro column (short, hand-written notes) boosts reply rates.
  • First name and company: These two variables cover 90% of personalization wins.
  • Keep it simple: Don’t try to automate empathy. A little real info goes a long way.

What doesn’t

  • Overusing variables: It gets awkward fast. “Hi {{first_name}}, I see you work at {{company}} in {{city}} as a {{job_title}}” screams “mail merge.”
  • Relying solely on automation: If your data is bad, no tool can save you.
  • Ignoring test sends: This is how embarrassing mistakes happen.

Ignore the hype

Supersend’s custom variables are useful, but they don’t make your outreach magical. They just help you avoid sounding like a robot. Good personalization still requires real research and thoughtful messaging.

Keep It Simple and Iterate

Custom variables in Supersend are easy to set up and can make your outreach way more effective—if you don’t overthink it. Start with the basics: first name and company. Add more if it really helps. Always test, always double-check your data, and don’t let the tool do all the talking for you.

Get your variables working, keep your messages human, and tweak as you go. That’s how you stand out—without making things harder than they need to be.