We’ve had quite a few people ask us about our variable data printing services, so we wanted to put together a resource to clear some confusion. Below you’ll find the most common questions about variable data printing.
What is Variable Data Printing?
Variable Data Printing or VDP is the process of utilizing a database or file to print specific fields from the database to make the communication more personal and relevant to that individual.
It’s a hyper-personalized way of strengthening the relationship between you and your potential customer.
We often see increased response rates because of the personalization this service offers.
How Does Variable Data Printing Work?
We use your data and merge the specific field information into the final printed document.
Some examples of this may be as simple as including the town in which the individual lives or referring to the person’s first name.
More complicated VDP would include specific fields in the database that are related to other tables or matrixes supplied.
An example would be if a person’s age was between 18 – 28 they would receive a specific offer or benefit. Each age group could be targeted with specific offers. Millennials would receive one offer and baby boomers would receive a different offer. Within this VDP document, you could have an unlimited amount of specific target offers.
What are the Benefits?
There are several benefits of variable data printing. Here are some of the top reasons why our customers love VDP.
1. Hyper-Personalization
The main reason why variable data printing is so effective is that it allows you to speak more personally to your target audience.
When your message is personalized and relevant to the individual, obviously your response rates increase. You’re creating a valuable relationship through timely and relevant information to each individual.
2. Test Multiple Offers
Another benefit of VDP is the ability to test multiple offers within one print run. Each offer can be tested and tracked against a control group. This allows you to constantly update and change your message as needed.
Testing is an ongoing process and should always be used in your marketing strategy.
3. Significant Postage Savings
As a result of testing unlimited offers, your postage savings increase because you’re able to merge all of your offers into one presorted mail stream.
As opposed to creating single static mailings, which would have to be individually presorted and would cost more money.
Who Uses Variable Data Printing?
If you want to improve your response rates to your target audience, variable data printing is a great solution.
We specialize in working with insurance, healthcare, and non-profits. Below you can find a brief example for each.
Insurance Company
A recent insurance company that we worked with needed an effective strategy to entice employees of their client companies to enroll in their group insurance plans or to purchase supplemental coverage for their spouse and/or children.
We suggested our variable data printing services to pull individual employee’s salary, age, and rate information, which drastically increased their conversion rates.
Healthcare Company
A major provider of healthcare benefits needed a personalized package sent to their members, which required the output of personalized information on 11 separate pages.
This project required us to pull all the necessary personal information to increase response rates.
Non-Profit
A non-profit organization needed a way to personalize their subscription event tickets.
We analyzed their data and created event tickets that were hyper-personalized, including name, venue, time, and seating location. The tickets also included unique scannable barcodes for an additional layer of security.
If you’re interested in learning more, check out our variable data service page.
How Much Does Variable Data Printing Cost?
Each project will vary on cost based on the paper selected and the quantity printed. We will recommend the most cost-effective option for you.
We utilize 3 types of variable printing options…
1. Roll Feed Web Printing
This is when continuous rolls of paper are used for larger variable data print projects. Most commonly used for high volume projects, for quicker turnaround times.
Cut Sheet Printing
Pre-cut sheets of paper are used to print letters, brochures, and postcards. This is best for low to medium volume projects.
Inkjet Addressing
This solution is used to personalize envelopes and pre-printed forms. We utilize both color and black/white printing technologies.