Variable Data Printing: Where Targeting Meets Staying Power

Even at a time when everyone’s walking around with a supercomputer (and advertising conduit) in their pocket, direct mail continues to be effective. Studies find that audiences’ retention of direct mail is 70 percent better than their retention of digital ads, and direct mail stimulates 20 percent more activity in the part of the brain that correspond with motivation to act than its digital counterparts. Younger people are more likely to pay attention to a printed message, because it is literally more tangible and is associated with attention to presentation. Despite these impressive statistics, digital marketing does have one significant advantage over traditional print: digital’s ability to hyper-target audiences.

Variable data print (VDP) unites print’s uniqueness and staying power with the level of data-driven targeting often required to cut through the noise in today’s communication landscape. By allowing each individual piece in a mail campaign to be tailored to the recipient, VDP helps get your communication past audiences’ increasingly stringent mental filters against irrelevant mail. If your name’s Joe and you recently bought a nice pair of boots, you may be more inclined to open a mail piece addressed to Joe and highlighting a deal on boot polish, for instance.

Surely such a small change can’t make a big difference, right? Wrong. Research shows personalization increases response rates as much as 300%, and 59% of shoppers who have received personalized communications believe it has had a noticeable influence on their purchasing decisions. So it would seem, as is so often the case, some of the best sales advice is some of the oldest: the nice personal touches make all the difference.

Thinking VDP might be right for your next campaign? Our team at Kirkwood Direct can help! Contact us today at 978-642-0300 to learn more.