Three Lessons in Variable Data Printing Marketing
For customers getting involved in VDP marketing, the question that inevitably arises is, "How can I maximize my response rate?" This question often creates great angst about how much data they have and whether or not that data is sufficient to personalize the document for maximum return.
But how much data you have is not the most important factor. Seasoned marketers have learned that the following factors are far more important in getting the results you want.
1. Quality of the database.
Often, marketers get so caught up in volume that they overlook the importance of accuracy. If you have a choice between spending your budget on getting more data and spending it on getting good data, go for quality every time.
So don’t overlook the basics. Make sure you start with a good quality list from a proven source. Make sure that it’s clean, de-duped, and up-to-date. If you are not diligent with your list, up to 50% of your mailers could miss the target. The same applies to other variables, if you have them.
2. Forget cute. Go for relevant.
Forget branding. Think "customer motivation." Many marketers get caught up in creating ads that are cute and memorable, but this doesn’t work with VDP. You’ve got about three seconds to catch the recipient’s attention. If the customer has to think too hard or if there is not a clear call to action, your piece will get ditched more often than it will get read.
3. Include a call to action.
As part of "customer motivation," make sure the text clearly states what you want the recipient to do: visit the store, buy a product, attend a seminar.
One mortgage company learned this lesson the hard way. It created a witty direct mailer whose front cover showed a pizza slice stuffed with dollar bills. The headline read, "It’s Not Delivery. It’s [Name of Mortgage Company]." The response to the campaign was .5%. On the next go-round, the marketer added the wording, "We deliver the best mortgage in town." The response rates tripled.Remember, when crafting a VDP marketing message, it’s not about how good you are. It’s about how good the message is. This is a lesson that is often getting overlooked in the rush to VDP.
