A well-executed, personalized cross media marketing campaign will include multiple individualized consumer touch points.  From personalized email to personalized URLs and QR codes, a relevant and targeted message can increase your message read, open and click through rates and assist you in collecting more consumer data and strengthening your customer relationships.

To achieve personalized communication, you must have a strong database and segment that database properly.   Using variable data printing and database management to create personalized direct mail pieces, your brand’s message will see an average of a 20 to 40 percent increase in your campaign’s response rates.

According to a DMA study, online purchases are heavily influenced by offline material.  In fact, 37 percent of online purchases are a direct result of a direct mail catalogue and over 60 percent on online brand searches are due to a printed piece.  This is why it is important your printed piece is personalized and utilizes the right call to action to influence your target audience to make a purchase.

Using the information you obtain from your database – quantity and frequency of purchases, a consumer’s purchasing habits and their general demographics – can help you predict what type of message is most likely going to persuade the recipient follow up with your call to action.

Understanding your audience is essential to data-driven marketing success.  It takes time to review and analyze the consumer data you have collected and even more time to generate a compelling message based on your collected information.  But, the results are well worth the time commitment.

By distributing individualized messages you are not only growing your database, you’re also maintaining customer relationships – showing them you understand what they are interested in and you’re not wasting their time with irrelevant information. Furthermore, meeting your target audience with personalized messages through multiple media platforms will only enhance your ability to create a relationship and ultimately generate a sale.

Your customers are changing – they no longer are satisfied with generic, mass produced messages that may or may not be relevant to them.  They are demanding personalized, targeted and relevant communication, are you meeting their demands?

Timothy Freeman

President

Print & Graphic Communications Association