TL;DR
Variables use double curly braces with lowercase words and underscores, for example {{first_name}} and {{company_name}}.
ListKit fills each variable with that lead's data when the email is sent.
Columns in a CSV you upload to a campaign can be used as custom variables, for example your own personalized first line.
Make sure every lead has a value for each variable you use, and check your emails with Preview Email.
There's no variable for your signature or sender name. Signatures are added automatically.
When you'd use this
Use variables when you want each lead to see their own details, like their first name or company, or a line you wrote just for them. One sequence then reads like a personal email to every lead.
Step-by-step
Open the Campaign page (next.listkit.io/campaign), open your campaign and go to step 2, Create Sequence. If the campaign is live, the sequence is locked: click Pause campaign first.
Click where you want the detail to appear in the subject or body.
Insert the variable from the editor's variable list, or type it yourself, for example {{first_name}}. Use two curly braces on each side, lowercase letters and underscores, with no spaces and no # in front.
For your own fields, add a column to your CSV (for example a personalized first line or an industry), upload that CSV as the lead source in step 1, then insert that column as a variable. Check the variable list for the exact name to use.
Click Preview Email and check a few variants to make sure every variable shows real data.
Publish the campaign. If a variable is written incorrectly, the campaign can't be published until you fix it.
How it works
Variable | What it shows | Example |
{{first_name}} | The lead's first name | Hi {{first_name}}, |
{{company_name}} | The lead's company name | I saw {{company_name}} is hiring. |
A column from your CSV | Whatever you put in that column for each lead | Your own first line or a detail about their business |
Company names come from your lead data. Now and then a company name includes extra text, like a legal suffix. If that matters for your copy, clean those names in your CSV before you upload it.
Expected outcome
Every email shows the right details for the lead who receives it, and you never send a raw {{variable}} to a prospect.
FAQ
Is it {{first_name}} or {{firstName}}?
Use {{first_name}}: two curly braces, lowercase, with an underscore between words. The same pattern applies to {{company_name}}.
Can I use a field from my enriched CSV, like industry?
Yes. Keep it as a column in the CSV you upload to the campaign, then insert that column as a variable. If a field isn't in the variable list, add it to your CSV and upload that file as the lead source.
Is there a variable for my name or signature?
No. Your sender name comes from the inbox that sends the email, and each inbox's signature is added automatically when the email is sent. Don't add %signature% to your sequence. If an older sequence has it, remove it so the signature isn't added twice. See How do I update my email signature?.
What happens if a lead doesn't have a value for a variable?
Avoid it. Make sure every lead has a value for each variable you use before you upload your list, especially for custom columns.
Can I combine spintax and variables?
Yes. For example, {Hey|Hi} {{first_name}}, picks a greeting at random and adds the first name. See How do I use spintax, including AI spintax?.