If you’re tired of sending the same old “personalized” emails that sound like a robot wrote them, keep reading. You want your marketing to actually feel personal, but scaling that without losing your mind (or your time) is a challenge. This guide is for marketers, growth folks, and anyone sick of cookie-cutter outreach who wants to use templates that actually work—without drowning in complexity.
Let’s talk about how to use Scribeless templates to scale your personalized marketing without making it look (or feel) automated.
Why Bother With Scribeless Templates?
Scribeless is best known for its handwriting automation—think: letters that look hand-written, at scale. But what’s interesting isn’t the handwriting itself, it’s how damn easy it is to set up templates that stay personal, even when you’re sending thousands.
Templates save you time, but most tools just swap in a name and maybe a company logo. Scribeless lets you get a lot more creative (and personal) without adding hours to your workflow. But, let’s be clear: templates are only as good as the thought you put into them. Garbage in, garbage out.
Step 1: Figure Out What Actually Needs Personalizing
Not everything should be personalized. Overdoing it just makes things weird (nobody wants to get a letter that knows the name of their dog unless you’re running a dog food company).
Start here: - What matters to your audience? Personalize what they care about, not what your CRM spits out. - What’s generic fluff? Skip it. If you can’t explain why a detail matters, leave it out. - What’s creepy? There’s a line between “thoughtful” and “did you stalk me?” Stay on the right side.
Pro tip:
Don’t waste time personalizing the whole thing. Pick 1-2 high-impact areas (like a compliment about a recent project, or a nod to a shared connection).
Step 2: Plan Out Your Template (Before Touching Scribeless)
Jumping straight into a template builder is how you end up with something that looks like a Mad Libs gone wrong. First, sketch out what you want to say and where the personal touches go.
Template planning checklist: - Opening line: Can you reference something real (like a recent news mention, event, or mutual contact)? - Body: Where will you insert personalized snippets? (e.g. “I saw your company just launched…”) - Call to action: Keep it clear and simple. - Signature: Decide if you want to handwrite names, sign-offs, or both.
Watch out for:
- Overcomplicating things. The more variables you add, the harder it is to QC.
- Tone mismatches. Make sure your personalized fields don’t clash with the rest of the message.
Step 3: Build Your Scribeless Template
Now, open up Scribeless and start building your template. Here’s what to focus on:
3.1. Use Variables Thoughtfully
Scribeless lets you add variables like {{FirstName}}, {{Company}}, or custom fields (e.g. {{Project}}). Only add variables where personalization makes a real difference.
-
Good:
“Congrats on {{RecentAchievement}}—that’s no small feat.” -
Bad:
“I hope you’re enjoying your day in {{City}}.” (Nobody cares.)
3.2. Choose the Right Handwriting Style
Don’t obsess over the font, but pick one that matches your brand and doesn’t look too much like a kid’s birthday card. Scribeless has a bunch of options, but honestly, as long as it’s legible and doesn’t scream “fake,” you’re fine.
3.3. Test Your Template With Real Data
Before you hit “send” on a batch, plug in real contact data and see if anything looks off. Does the personalization flow? Any awkward phrasing? Now’s your chance to fix it.
Pro tip:
Read your template out loud with the variables filled in. If it sounds weird, it’ll read weird.
Step 4: Get Your Data Right
Templates are useless without decent data. You need a CSV or integration with fields that match your variables. Garbage data means embarrassing mistakes.
Checklist: - No empty fields. If you don’t have a value for {{Project}}, the sentence will read “Congrats on —that’s no small feat.” Not good. - Consistent formatting. If some entries have “Inc.” and some don’t, your message may look sloppy. - Spot-check a sample. Always preview a handful before you commit.
What to ignore:
Don’t try to personalize based on data you can’t reliably get or keep up to date. If your CRM is spotty, stick to basics you know are accurate.
Step 5: Automate (But Don’t Lose Control)
Scribeless integrates with various CRMs, Zapier, and other tools. Setting up automation is great—when it works. But don’t fully trust the robots.
Here’s what works: - Scheduling batches to go out after big events (like a webinar or product launch). - Triggering handwritten notes for high-value leads or loyal customers (not everyone).
Here’s what doesn’t: - Blindly sending to your entire list. Quality > quantity. - Fully “set and forget.” Always monitor the output.
Pro tip:
Set aside 15 minutes to review your outgoing batch every week. Automation is great, but a human eye catches problems before they go out.
Step 6: Measure, Learn, and Iterate
Don’t expect overnight miracles. Handwritten-style marketing can get higher open and response rates, but only if your message lands.
Track: - Response rates (actual replies or conversions, not just “opens”) - Positive feedback (“Wow, thanks for the note!” beats radio silence) - Negative signals (Did people ask to be removed or mention you got something wrong?)
What to ignore:
Don’t obsess over vanity metrics. Focus on real engagement.
Adjust: - Tweak your variables if people don’t seem to care. - Drop low-impact personalization—add new snippets that feel more genuine. - Update your template every few months to avoid “template fatigue.”
The Honest Truth: What Works, What Doesn’t
Works: - Personalizing one specific thing that shows you did your homework. - Keeping messages short, human, and easy to reply to. - Using Scribeless for outreach where handwritten stands out (not every campaign).
Doesn’t: - Overusing variables so the message reads like a ransom note. - Relying on “Dear {{FirstName}},” as your main personalization trick. - Trying to scale to everyone—save it for the leads and customers who matter.
Ignore: - Trends that promise “hyper-personalization” via AI scraping—most people see right through it. - Over-designing your letter. The magic is in the message, not the margins.
Keep It Simple, Keep Improving
You don’t need a fancy setup or an army of marketers. A good template, a few smart variables, and honest messaging go further than over-engineered automation ever will. Start small, measure what matters, and keep it personal. The rest is just noise.