--- title: "How Can Smartlead Variables Boost Personalization in Your Cold Email Campaigns?" description: "Explore Smartlead’s custom variables to personalize cold emails, increase engagement, and create targeted campaigns with dynamic time and date personalization." url: https://helpcenter.smartlead.ai/en/articles/49-how-can-smartlead-variables-boost-personalization-in-your-cold-email-campaigns collection: "Email Copywriting" updated: 2026-11-03 language: en --- # How Can Smartlead Variables Boost Personalization in Your Cold Email Campaigns? Explore Smartlead’s custom variables to personalize cold emails, increase engagement, and create targeted campaigns with dynamic time and date personalization. Explore Smartlead’s **custom variables** to supercharge your email personalization and create **targeted campaigns** that stand out in crowded inboxes. Smartlead provides a range of **personalization variables** that make your emails feel more tailored, timely, and human. By utilizing these custom variables, you can increase engagement and response rates. Let’s break them down with examples and usage tips. ## **1\. Time-Based Personalization** Make your emails feel current and context-aware with **time-based** greetings. ### **a) Time of Day** **Use:** `Good {{sl_time_of_day}}` This variable adjusts based on the campaign timezone and the time of send. - Before 12 PM → “Good morning” - 12 PM – 3 PM → “Good afternoon” - After 3 PM → “Good evening” **Example:** `“Good {{sl_time_of_day}}, John” → “Good afternoon, John”` ✅ _Always review your email before sending to check if the variable is rendering correctly._ ![](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/helparticle/20250603105046_9212.png) **Result:**  ![](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/ghelparticle/3nwfx5qUB12uRlUiuFo50HMhgVPvEMrlJtFyh5sqUqRymGGDk6wPYfyp3QdNa4VLxMPLCuRIzkO.png) ### **b) Day of the Week** Use: `Happy {{sl_day_of_week}}` This converts to the **actual day name** when the email is sent. **Example:** `“Happy {{sl_day_of_week}}” → “Happy Friday”` ⚠ _Make sure there are no spaces inside the brackets._ ![](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/helparticle/20250603105112_4893.png) **Result:**  ![](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/ghelparticle/C8hvd8VjKKZJEPZ7idjHOaz3iBzDXJ1bgkIV9IvYjvCjMZFlqPFfJ6N62oGDEEBWW7GOx9nUaDC.png) ## **2\. Dynamic Date Personalization** You can also use Smartlead to insert dynamic dates into your copy for booking meetings, reminders, or follow-ups. ### **a) Relative Dates with Custom Format** Use format: `{{sl_date "timeframe" "format"}}` Examples: - `{{sl_date "10 minutes from now" "dddd, MMMM Do YYYY"}}` → _Thursday, January 19th 2023_ - `{{sl_date "2 days from now" "MMMM Do YYYY"}}` → _January 21st 2023_ ![](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/helparticle/20250603105132_7406.png) **Result:** ![](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/ghelparticle/9cqcRgJdVHbSvzMTy6G0kx5TuqNVKqQTW1DJNegbRJsHhZnNaX6zeae3OXDdwHT0LPPio50ZFjk.png) ### **b) Common Use Cases** 1. Add 2 days from now: `{{sl_date "2Days"}}` → _21 Jan 2023_ 2. Subtract 2 days: `{{sl_date "2Days ago"}}` → _17 Jan 2023_ 3. Add 2 days with custom format: `{{sl_date "2Days" "Do MMM"}}` → _21st Jan_ 4. Add 2 weeks from now: `{{sl_date "2week"}}` → _02 Feb 2023_ 5. Add 2 months from now: `{{sl_date "2month"}}` → _19 Mar 2023_ 6. Add 2 years from now: `{{sl_date "2year"}}` → _19 Jan 2025_ ### **c) Weekday-Only Dates** To avoid weekends, use: `{{sl_date "now_wd 2Days" "Do MMM"}}` Here, now\_wd skips weekends in the calculation. ## **3\. Sender & Signature Variables** Add dynamic sender and signature elements without manually typing them.

Variable

Purpose

%signature%

Inserts your email signature wherever placed in the copy

%sender-name%

Inserts the full name of the sender

%sender-firstname%

Inserts the first name of the sender

%sender-domain%

Inserts the domain of the sender’s mailbox

%sender-mailbox%

Inserts the full sender email address

%campaign-id%

Inserts the campaign ID

Use these variables when you want full control over the placement of sender information in your email. ## **Final Tips** - Always **preview your emails** before sending. - Ensure **no formatting errors** (like spaces inside variable tags). - Mix multiple variables for a **human touch**, but avoid overdoing it. By combining these variables, you can create **personal, timely** cold emails that **feel intentional** without manual effort.