Originally posted on http://www.modmail.com/blog/variable-data-printing-used

When it comes to reaching out to your customers, your primary objective is to engage them. Like many businesses, you have a number of people of different ages and backgrounds on your mailing list. This might be hard to personalize your mailed content. Variable data printing might be the solution to your problem.

In this digital age where we can optimize just about anything. Don’t forget that mail and printing services haven’t been left in the dust. In fact, thanks to variable data printing, modern printing services are more sophisticated and flexible than ever.

What is variable data printing?

VDP, also known as one-to-one marketing or personalized printing, is one of many digital printing services. However, this type of printing allows printed information to vary from one piece to the next, within the same order. VDP uses additional information from a database on file to customize the content of each piece based on customer information. Age, gender, and interests are just some things that may change the layout of the content. Altering content will make the marketing piece more relevant to the prospect.

Why is variable data printing useful?

This technique is primarily used in direct marketing, customer relationship management, advertising, invoicing, and applying addresses on self-mailers, brochures, and postcards. Some companies completely forego customization for the sake of convenience. For example, a letter that starts with “Dear Customer” isn’t likely to see much engagement. In the past, even changing something as simple as a name from letter-to-letter presented a huge challenge. But with variable data printing, your organization’s printed content can be custom for the recipient.

When your messaging requires that personal touch, digital printing services like VDP are your best bet.

How does VDP work?

VDP employs the use of software to customize portions of printable content. Some things that could vary depending on the customer include font size, color, and style, as well as the addition of photographs (color or black and white), or other graphics.

The VDP software registers the need for customized artwork on a particular page and pools information from the customer’s profile in a separate database in order to choose an image that is relevant to them specifically. Typically customers say that only 31% of direct mail contains useful, personalized information. Integrating custom information may help your customers in the long run.

For example, if a travel agency is offering a deal on trip consultations, they won’t want to send out the same offer to each customer. They should know what kind of places their customers like to travel to. One customer might be receive a custom brochure that offers trips to European countries. While others may be receive offers for the American southwest. The idea is to be relevant to what the customers wants and needs are, that is what will drive higher response rates.

Variable data printing may seem like a complicated undertaking for a direct mail communication, but it will increase response rates! It will allow you to narrow down your target market, personalize the communication to your target market and give personalized offers/promotions that are relevant to that marketing…which will in turn increase your response rates! Let Modern Mail and Print Solutions help you better your mail marketing strategy to increase consumer engagement and increase response rates.