7 Advantages Variable Data Printing Has on Marketing Strategy

Shoppers want brands to target them with personalized direct marketing. In fact, 86% of consumers like when retailers personalize their marketing pieces directly to them and believe this does significantly impact their buying decision. To actualize this, businesses need to incorporate personalized marketing messages into their strategies.

One of the best technologies that can allow you to do this is variable data printing.  

Want to know more about variable data printing?

Keep reading!

What Is Variable Data Printing?

This refers to a digital printing technique which replaces static elements with personalized ones. It enables your target audience on your marketing list to receive personalized messages specific to them.  The nice part is with Variable Date Printing, you don’t have to manually design each direct mail piece to the recipient.

Variable data printing was first introduced in the 1980s but perfected in the 1990s. Today, it’s one of the best ways to improve your marketing strategies with direct mail.

Advantages of Variable Data Printing

Do you want to capture the attention of your target audience? Want to connect with your target audience on a personal level? Try variable data printing services.

Read on and learn the 7 advantages of variable data printing has on your marketing strategy.

1. Personalize Your Direct Mail

Variable Data Printing (VDP) allows you to personalize every piece to the recipient, helping it stand out amongst all your mail. VDP allows your direct mail piece to speak specifically to your prospect and stand apart from the rest of the mail they receive.  It gives you the ability to have specific offers and coupons based off your prospects needs and wants, which will increase response rates.

2. Incorporate Eye-Catching Images and Colors

Secondly, variable print allows you to incorporate eye-catching fonts, images, and colors. This helps to transform your direct mail piece and allows it to stand out.  For example, if you were a lawn care company, you could spell your prospects name mowed in the grass, grabbing their attention while speaking to what you do and are offering.

3. Can be used on a variety of applications

VDP allows you to personalize any of your printed mail pieces for instance letters, postcards and brochures can now all be specific towards your recipient. Instead of saying, “Hey you,” you can now call them by name and personalize the message and offer towards the recipient.

4. Can Batch Different Artwork within an Order

VDP Printing can allow you to combine multiple artworks within one order by using what is called a Letter Code. This will help you measure what message or offer will provide a higher response rate. It also allows you to maximize your order. For example, 1 order of 500 pieces instead of 4 orders of 125 pieces, which allows you to mail at a cheaper postage rate and save money on printing.

5. Makes Data Analysis and Customer Tracking Easy

Want to track your customers and know the response rate of your direct mail marketing efforts? VDP allows you to include QR codes, call tracking numbers, and personalized URLs in your direct mail. Once you analyze the data, you can learn if your marketing efforts were successful or not.

6. Targeted Campaigns

Variable Data Printing allows you to do smaller, more targeted direct mail campaigns that will yield a higher return on your mailings. So, instead of printing large static direct mail campaigns that you can’t track or measure response rates on, you can now leverage digital printing with VDP to do not only personalize your direct mail piece but to also do test campaigns and measure a true return on your investment. Less can be better with the use for smaller targeted direct mail campaigns.

7. Higher Response Rates

Personalized direct mail has proven to generate a higher response rate compared to non-personalized pieces. In fact, direct mail returned an average response rate of 4.9% for prospect lists and 9% for house lists when using VDP on their marketing piece.

Why Variable Data Printing Is Perfect for Your Business

Variable data printing is perfect for all industries. Examples include: finance, telecommunications, retail, service industry, and pharmaceuticals. You can combine it with other marketing strategies such as social media and email.

Above all, this improves brand engagement, brand reputation, sales, and ROI!

For more information on variable data printing services, contact Modern Mail and Print Solutions today!

Offset Printing vs Digital: Who Comes Out on Top?

For the commercial printing industry, sales will grow by 1.5% to 2.5% in 2019. This translates to $87 billion in new business. This means the printing and direct mail industry is continuing to grow and is not going anywhere!  Tapping into direct mail marketing is a big opportunity for any businesses continued growth.  Knowing how to get the best “bang for your dollar” though will be key in keeping your costs down and ROI high.  This is where knowing the difference between digital and offset printing comes in and how to best leverage the two different types of printing.

Want to learn more about offset and digital printing?

Keep reading!

What Is Offset Printing?

This is a printing method of mass-production printing in which the image gets transferred from a plate to a rubber blanket and finally the printing surface. Offset printing is a planographic method of printing because the material is flush with the plate’s surface.

What Is Digital Printing?

As a method of printing, a digital based image gets transferred directly onto the printing surface. Unlike offset printing where the use of aluminum plates is common, digital printers rely on toners and liquid ink.

Offset vs Digital Printing

In commercial printing, both digital vs offset printing are useful. Problem is, they are very different in many aspects. In this post, we discuss the differences between offset vs digital printing.

1. Cost

Firstly, when it comes to cost, digital printing is cheaper for short-run printing. The reason for this is because digital printing requires less set up costs. Problem is, it costs higher per unit.

For offset printing, cost decreases as units increase. This is because the machine needs a wash between color changes. For longer runs, it’s cost effective.

2. Turnaround

Secondly, digital printing is suitable for short runs and the setup costs are cheaper. As such, it allows printers to provide a quick turnaround.

In offset printing, the setup and maintenance costs are higher. This makes offset printing to have a slower turnaround time.

3. Color Matching

In digital printing, printers use a toner (laser) and ink (inkjet). The system has a four-color matching process plus the CMYK mode. As such, digital printers can print grayscale and CMYK but not true colors like Pantone.

For offset printers, you have four ink rollers – Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black. Here is how it works. Ink gets applied on a printing plate which is then offset to a sheet of paper via a rubber blanket.

As such, offset printing is perfect for jobs that need a Pantone match.

4. Printing on Different Surfaces

Lastly, digital printers are able to print on paper only. The reason for this is due to the printer design which cannot accept other types of materials. When it comes to offset printing, it is easy to print on many surfaces.

For instance, you can print on round containers, sleeves, wrappers and plastic bottles.  Offset lithography is the best for printing on fabric, metal, and canvas. An offset printer is able to achieve this because of the flexible rubber blanket.

This offsets the image onto any material.

Offset Printing vs Digital Printing- Which Is the Right Choice?

There are a few factors to keep in mind when deciding between offset printing and digital printing. They include the type of work you are printing, proofs, the volume and ability to customize.  Remember, always make a smart decision as this will better serve your business and needs.

For more information on offset and digital printing and how you can save money, get in touch with us today!