Does Your Direct Mail Service Offer Variable Data Printing? It Should

A direct mail service allows companies to reach more customers and find the best customers to reach. Starting a mail campaign for your business is no small undertaking. Although the costs of sending out direct mail are attractive compared to radio or television advertising, there are many factors that come into play that determine the success of a mail campaign. From branding, to marketing collateral, to list management, a direct mail services company is your partner in creating effective campaigns. 

In this day and age, people are being hit with marketing messages from all different angles.  Whether it's from their mail box, their inbox, television or radio, the average consumer has a lot of options to choose from. Many business's challenge is to make their marketing messages more targeted and directed toward the needs and wants of their ideal consumer.

One of the tools that is most valuable to commercial printers in helping their customers achieve better results is personalization. Personalization is a large factor in whether or not a recipient will take action on a piece of direct mail. The more targeted a message is, the greater the chances that the marketing message will result in conversions.

Variable data printing can help create customized messages that speak to the recipient.  It allows your printer to adjust the messaging on your mail piece in several different areas. These changes can include:

  • Changing the salutation, name and address on each piece of mail. This is the most basic level of variable data printing.
  • Changing images on the marketing piece. For example, automotive companies may send a certain image of a car to buyers over 40 and a separate image to buyers under 40 to appeal to their different taste in cars.
  • Changing the text-based on a group of addresses. This feature is very effective to target marketing messages toward specific demographics. For example financial services companies may wish to send mail pieces about college savings to young parents and messages about retirement savings to older professionals.
  • Changing multiple variables on the same piece of marketing material to create a fully customized message. Layout, images and text can all be individualized with variable data printing to hit the right notes with that particular lead.

Based on your company's knowledge of the client specific preferences, you can feasibly create a unique marketing message with a direct mail service that can produce better results from your mailings. Variable data printing also helps eliminate costly set up fees and wasteful overruns.