If you own a company that has used variable data printing for advertising before, you almost certainly know that this personalized advertising technique is effective in better customer engagement. All too often though, businesses only use variable data printing to replace some variation of their “valued customer” to a first and last name. While this small change is already a big help, it is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what you can do with variable data printing. Here are a few more ideas that really take advantage of the possibilities inherent in this technology when communicating with past and current customers.
Follow Up On Past Purchases
This is a particularly effective strategy that is well worth the investment on variable data printing. If a customer has purchased something in the past that either requires maintenance or has add-ons, a follow up personalized mail encourages repeat purchase or repeat withholding of services. When using this strategy, the main text of your batch flyers should reference that past purchase and identify a product or service that may enhance the past purchase. This shows you value the business they bring in, and that they are important to you. The thoughtful show of appreciation will definitely result in a better response rate and engagement.
One of the more common examples of this strategy is auto repair shops that send flyers with reminders about getting oil changes, inspections, or the need for other regularly scheduled maintenance. The auto repair shop industry is only one of many businesses that can take advantage of this approach. For example, a cleaning service shop may advertise new services or discounts; or, a phone carrier may advise customers of a new software. The possibilities are limited only by your creativity.
Customize Coupons
Variable data printing combined with a little bit of data analysis on purchase history can allow you to offer personalized coupons for products your customers want or need. For example, if you own a video game store, you are much more likely to entice a customer to repeat purchase by offering discounts for games that are specific to the console they are using.
This particular strategy works especially well when combined with the previous strategy. Returning to the repair shop example, a good ad from the letter they receive (which preferably notes both make and model of their automobile to personalize even more) might remind the recipient that they are due for an inspection of their car. Couple this thoughtful gesture with an irresistible offer like a 25% coupon for tire realignment and you’re sure to get a repeat customer.
Reward Loyalty
Variable data printing is also a great way to subtly reward customer loyalty and there are a number of ways to possibly do this. The simplest way is to send special coupons some time before occasions like company anniversaries or holidays to your customers to make them look forward to visiting your establishment again. A more advanced option is to create different tiers of reward cards and send better tiers to your customers over time as a reward for loyalty.
By rewarding loyalty in this way, your customers are likely to feel that you truly appreciate that they are making a conscious decision to use your services or frequent your establishment. In turn, when making a decision on what establishment to use in the future, they are more likely to return to yours, both for the monetary benefits and for the emotional connection.