What's Wrong? No name will show?

[potratz]

I did a search and was unable to find anything so this is the problem

I am trying to do an email campaign and when I create my email template I use the drop down field to add the leads first name. Then I pull the leads in to my target list and then send the email out...in either test mode or in the actual send it does not pull the leads first name it just shows $lead_first_name in the email. Screams form letter! What could be wrong? Did I miss something. I also have the same problem when I try to add the user first name and last name in the email signature. It only shows the code for the user first and last name.

Please help.

Paul