If you’ve ever opened up your mailbox and found a postcard addressed to you by your real name showing a picture of something you were just looking at on the web, you’ve already experienced variable data printing, even if you didn’t know the term for it. It’s the kind of technology that works quietly in the background but changes how a piece of printed marketing feels the moment you pick it up.
What Is Variable Data Printing?
Variable Data Printing, or VDP for short, is a digital printing process that allows you to change the text, images, and other design elements on each piece within a print run. This means instead of printing five thousand identical fliers that all say “Dear Valued Customer,” you can get five thousand fliers that each greet the recipient by their name and display details specific to their interests. Variable data printing services connect a customer database directly to the press and call up the pertinent information for each piece as it is being printed, rather than printing the entire run to appear the same, as with traditional offset printing.
The Power of Variable Data Printing for Better Engagement
Variable data printing provides a multitude of approaches that enable the best use of personalization in marketing communications, and these approaches have been proven time and time again to boost response rates and consumer engagement in real campaigns.
- Data-Driven Content: You can customize your communications to reflect your prospect’s past activities and triggers and surface information that is relevant to their stated interests or their past interactions with your brand, making the content feel much more relevant than a generic mailer ever could.
- Custom Visuals: Visual graphics that you can use that match your audience’s interests and really get their attention, including imagery related to their preferences or to specific products and services they’ve already shown an interest in.
- Targeted Messages: Rather than sending the same message to your entire list, you can send a message that applies directly to the needs and preferences of each recipient, including their name and wording that speaks to what they specifically care about.
- Lead Nurturing: You can keep in touch with prospects by sending them a series of well-thought-out messages that, over time, remind them of the benefits of your products or services. This kind of ongoing communication builds the relationship and incrementally improves the odds of a conversion happening.
How It Strengthens Personalized Campaigns
Personalized print is difficult or costly to do, and this is one of the most common myths about personalized print. In fact, variable printing services really do make the process easier in some concrete ways.
- One print run, many versions: No more multiple print jobs for each audience segment. You can produce dozens, even thousands, of unique variations from the same run without slowing down production.
- Direct connection to your existing data: You can pull names, purchase history, and preferences already stored in your CRM or customer database directly into the design template, so you don’t have to manually enter or guess.
- Faster turnaround for targeted campaigns: Since the customization is done automatically as part of the printing process, time-sensitive promotions, event invitations, or renewal reminders can be done quickly and still have a personalized feel.
- Cost per personalized piece has gone down: Digital printing has made it much more affordable to produce individualized materials, so you’re not paying a premium just because every piece looks a little different.
- Flexible content, consistent branding: The basic design, colors, and layout are locked in for the whole run, so your brand personality remains constant, and only the personal details change from piece to piece.
The Future of Print Personalization
As technology advances, the possibilities of variable data printing are growing, and some trends are already pointing the way.
- AI integration: AI can study customer behavior to deliver even more targeted print campaigns. It can also suggest the best deals or pictures to use, based on a customer’s past purchases or experience with a brand.
- Augmented Reality (AR): Some companies are integrating VDP with AR in print to create interactive experiences. For example, a personalized print piece could include a QR code that leads to a custom video or 3D product demo.
- Sustainability: To cut down on waste, VDP can help make sure that only relevant, useful materials are printed in the first place, reducing the environmental impact of mass marketing campaigns.
Get started with Stevens Printing.
If you feel your marketing is shouting to a crowd rather than talking to individual customers, variable data printing may be just the change you need. At Stevens Printing, we work with businesses of all sizes to design templates, add customer data, and create campaigns that feel personal at first look. Let’s discuss how variable data printing can help your next campaign be more effective.
