International Paper
International Paper has just launched the third installment of its popular Printer’s Playbook series. This episode targets success with Variable Data Printing (VDP) and can be found on PrintersPlaybook.com, as well as through various social media platforms.
Printer’s Playbook is a new educational and informational series that features videos and content geared towards educating commercial printers, designers and merchants on a wide array of printing topics.
The VDP Game Plan
There is a lot of pressure on marketers today to demonstrate the ROI of their marketing campaigns. To help them, a key component to the marketing mix must be to leverage direct response initiatives to enable marketers to personalize their communications, track effectiveness and optimize programs as needed.
You can use the tips in this episode of the Printer’s Playbook and your technology to track marketing Returns on Investment (ROI) while reaching customers and potential customers on a more personal level.
Why should a marketer use direct mail? Quite simply, direct mail is the preferred communication medium of consumers. It has been estimated by InfoTrends that 61 percent of respondents preferred to be solicited by direct mail, compared with 20 percent e-mail and five percent telemarketing.
Also, direct mail combined with Variable Data Printing (VDP) can significantly increase sales, increase order sizes, create repeat orders, and generate much higher ROI than static pieces.
Direct mail is not the only use of VDP. This technology is a form of on-demand printing in which elements such as text, graphics and images may be changed from one printed piece to the next using information from a database or an external file to drive the variable components of the printed piece. Learn about the four types of VDP printing, and see how it can be used in different applications to increase business.
As a designer or printer, the ability to offer VDP really increases the value of the printed piece to the marketer. However, as a creative or print provider, you may have to educate your customers on the value of VDP printing. Clients may not really be in-tune with how VDP can work for them.
The bottom line is that creative and print providers that offer VDP-enabled solutions can help their customers produce more effective and profitable communications campaigns. It can be through these value-added services, that long-term strategic partnerships are formed, as well as points of differentiation - especially in this economic period.
Please note, you don’t need extensive data to get real results. Creative use of variable text and images can produce scores of possibilities, even when all you have are names and addresses. It’s best to start with the data you have, gather more information through Personalized URLs and other campaigns, and then build richer messages for even greater ROI over time.
Other Episodes in the Series
Creative to PrePress – Process Efficiency from Designer to PrePress to Press
- Learn 10 short tips that will help you efficiently send your files to the printer and through their system with speed and success. These tips are compatible with both Macs and PCs.
Mixing Offset and Digital – Taking Advantage of each Printing Technology
- There has been a lot of confusion in the last few years regarding when to use digital and when to use traditional printing methods, such as offset lithography. To help answer that question, we will take a look at the advantages of each printing technology.
Opening Your Playbook
All videos and educational information will be easily accessible at PrintersPlaybook.com and on various social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and through a YouTube Channel.
The videos will feature tips and advice from industry expert and retired International Paper Graphic Arts & Printing Scientist, Jim Kohler. The topics for Printer’s Playbook were determined after extensive interviews with general commercial printers.
This series is part of International Paper’s initiative to be a valued business partner that provides tools for success to support the general commercial printing industry.
To be the first to know about this and all new episodes, be sure to ‘Subscribe,’ ‘Like’ or ‘Follow’ International Paper’s Printer’s Playbook.
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To download a PDF of “Targeting Success with VDP” tips by Jim Kohler, please click here.
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Printer’s Playbook is a trademark of International Paper Company.
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