How Variable Data Printing Can Help Your Next Direct Mail Marketing Campaign

Direct mail marketing is still an extremely viable way to target consumers and businesses. The reason for an unsuccessful campaign involving direct mail usually has to do with the inability or unwillingness to personalize. With advancements in the printing process, being able to personalize any and all direct mail is easier than ever. Most printing professionals are able to personalize your direct mail for you with a process known as Variable Data Printing.

What Is Variable Data Printing?

Variable Data Printing, or VDP for short, is the process in which a printing company can change printed elements from one piece to the next. VDP doesn’t slow down the printing process and therefore each article of mail can be quickly altered according to specific data. The data used to print the personalizations are from a database, or in some instances, an external file. There are three levels of VDP: simple text conversions such as the name on a letter, more complex alterations that can change things like graphics to target the different demographic groups (all the people who live here get this one, and the people who live there get that one, etc.), and full modifications for individual pieces. Depending on the need, there are different operational approaches to VDP involving file merging or data conversions.

What VDP Means For Your Business

Firstly, using Variable Data Printing means that you can tailor each piece of direct mail you send. This can include names, birthdays, coupons and discount codes, promo offers, location sales, and more. With that said, you will need to keep a continuously updated customer information file. For example, this includes things like history purchases, average amount spent, addresses, birthdays, etc. That way the data can be directly processed using VDP. Plus, you can offer things like promotions if a customer has been inactive for a certain period of time.

Variable Data Printing can be just the thing your next direct mail campaign needs to be successful. Of the direct mail that they receive, customers only find that 31% of it is personalized content that they believe to be beneficial. So change that by finding printing professionals who can accommodate all of your printing needs and help you successfully reach your customers.