Over five years ago, variable data print technology (VDP) was introduced to the world with great fanfare. Using the latest digital printing presses, marketers could use their customer information to create personalized and customized communications. It became possible to send a marketing message that is truly 1:1.

So where is all the personalized mail? Odds are, you are already getting it but have no idea that the mailer you received was one of over a dozen different versions. Your mailer had a photo on it that was selected because of your previous purchases or what is known to interest you. 

VDP is an incredibly important marketing tool that you should learn about. It can have a significant impact on your revenue and your customer�s perceptions of you as a marketer.

What is VDP

So what exactly is variable data printing? To answer that, you should first know the primary capabilities of a digital printing press.

1. There is no plate or film. The press transfers images on a special blanket that is rewritten each time it turns over a press sheet.
2. The press is capable of economical production of very small runs. This means your direct mail jobs can be smaller and more targeted.
3. The technology is five years old and produces very near offset quality.
4. Proprietary and custom software allows the press to merge images, text and photos to a document based on content in a database.
5. Set up and production time is 60% faster than traditional methods, making it possible to produce and mail within a couple of days and sometimes hours.

You may already be doing this in a different way. I�ve seen many sophisticated hospitality marketers create preprinted shells of varying images, store those shells and print the back side in black and white when a mailing is needed. While this is proven to be very effective, there is a much more efficient and economical method. 

Capability to change

If this technology has been around for five years, why haven�t you heard about it until now? When the technology was introduced, the only people with access to it were printers. They knew what the press was capable of, but lacked critical skills to successfully develop a VDP mailing. Traditional advertising agencies occasionally tried to produce sophisticated VDP mailings but were also missing critical skills. To be successful, a new type of company with a rare combination of skills had to emerge.

Variable data print production requires special skills to set up. A vast array of considerations that do not exist in traditional printing come into play. 

1. Getting the name on the card right.
2. Complex graphic design that considers an infinite variety of finished output.
3. Preparing data to support the press run.
4. Addressing and presorting mail on the press for optimal postage rates.
5. Proofing multiple variations.
6. Helping marketers create a strategy that will benefit from VDP. 

CRM Implications

What does this mean for hospitality companies that have invested in CRM solutions? Simply put, it changes everything. It will change your strategies and it will change your tactics. It�s no longer necessary to test offers to find the best overall offer. You can now vary your offers based on whatever factors you decide. You no longer have to lump together large segments of guests, you can now treat each person individually. 

Real Results

Does this have any real impact on bookings? We�ve proven time and time again that if you alter your strategy to benefit from VDP capabilities, the response to your direct mail will multiply. Simply changing the timing of your mail can have a huge impact. Before I go further, let me share with you the proven reasons why someone stops to read a direct mail offer, as described by the Direct Marketing Association:

• The offer came at a time I was considering a purchase.
• The mailer was recognized as coming from someone I have purchased from in the past.
• The offer had my name on it and something of interest to me.

About David Metze:

A former travel industry, marketing executive, David has spent the last 17 years in management and marketing luxury hotels and resorts in a diverse range of markets and segments. David is now the President of Incite Response, a direct marketing agency specializing in highly personalized marketing communications. David can be reached at [email protected].

About Incite Response:

Incite Response is the hospitality industry�s direct marketing department, supplying turn key direct mail and e-mail services for a wide range of hotel companies that include, Marcus Hotels, Pelican Bay at Our Lucaya, Preferred Hotels, and Sonesta Hotels among many others. 

With a sharp focus on developing and managing extremely targeted direct marketing programs, Incite Response is able to achieve higher than average returns on our client�s marketing dollars. Call us today to find out how we can generate the revenues you need to stay on top. 

David Metze
720-493-1020
[email protected]
www.inciteresponse.com