Variable Data Printing (VDP)

Variable data printing (VDP) has just become smarter! You can now personalise your printed direct marketing material not only with text, but also with eye-catching images and other graphics – all within the same print run! Variable data printing is an innovative form of on-demand printing.

By using information from your customer database or external file VDP allows you to:

  • address your customers by name
  • use photos, text and graphics that appeal directly to each customer’s need, preference or choice
  • direct your customers to contact your sales representatives, or to access their own unique website (pURL) as part of a cross-media campaign.

For example, if a company is looking to reach 5,000 unique individuals in one marketing campaign, 5,000 unique documents can be printed for each individual’s tastes. All with the same speed, accuracy and resolution of printing one document 5,000 times. It gets better. These documents including the changes from one document to the next can all be printed in four-colour process and colours can easily be matched to Pantone® standards.

VDP 1

Levels of personalisation possible with VDP:

Static – this is a ‘one size fits all’ message with each printed communication piece having the same message.

Personalised – each recipient’s name and address appear on the piece, but the message remains the same.

Versioned – different versions of the same message are created to appeal to different groups based on their characteristics.

Fully customised – this is one-to-one marketing where each document’s message is tailored for each individual recipient. The layout, text and images can all be altered according to a customer’s previous buying behaviour, product or service preferences, or demographical data such as age, gender and place of residence.

VDP can be a valuable tool for communicating with your customers. Whether it is used to communicate with prospective sales clients, increase sales or strengthen customer loyalty, an increasing number of communications professionals are realising the ability of VDP to accomplish dramatic results.

VDP 2

Benefits of customised communication through VDP one-to-one DM:

  • reduces print runs through targeted communications
  • reduces page count with customisation
  • reduces need for further communications due to increased relevance
  • increases response rates of direct marketing campaigns
  • builds brand awareness
  • captures current sales opportunities
  • increases return on investment.

Industry studies have proven that VDP has the ability to produce:

  • higher response rates ranging from 20 – 40%
  • 47% increase in repeat orders
  • 25% increase in average order values.