d e s i g n f o r va r i a b l e p r i n t i n g

be personal. be relevant. Be specific. - seth rodin

Why Variable Data?Marketing studies repeatedly show that personalizing communications can boost their effectiveness. Variable data printing (VDP) has made customized communications possible on a detailed level. It offers the opportunity to build a relationship with the customer that inspires greater loyalty.

TyPIcal resPonse raTes Fundraisingstatic: 4.46%Personalized: 7%

Direct to Consumerstatic: 1.75%Personalized: 3.3%

Lead Generationstatic: 3.2%Personalized: 5.7%

Lead Conversionstatic: 2%Personalized: 7.5% 2006 DMA Report

Print Works• US advertisers spend $167 per person in direct mail marketing to earn $2,095

worth of goods per person, scoring an ROI of 13 to 1.

• People gravitate toward print. 85% of mail is either read or visually scanned by recipients (US Postal Service survey from 2006).

• According to a 2004 report by Interquest the response rate for customized color direct mail campaigns ranged from 6% to 75%, with an average of 21%. The response rates on average were 5.6 times higher for customized color versions than simple mail merge applications. The more you individualize print, the more you are likely to evoke a response.

All of these stats support the fact that Print is still relevant.

Creating a Consistent Message Across a Campaign

• Work for relevancy in your marketing messages

• Personalize your marketing messages with relevant variable text and images

• Go for a lean, clean look in the design of all creative: print, email and web

• Find new ways to grab your prospect’s attention, change your design but keep familiar elements.

• Offer a free report or a simple premium

• Continue the theme across all pieces - Use a similar graphic look including graphics, fonts, colors

- continue the same message or “call to action”

c a m pa i g n e x a m p l e s

• McDaniel College

• JHU Alumni

• echo Calendar

McDaniel Collegeecho’s in-house creative team worked along with the Director of alumni Relations (DAR) and the Director of Annual Giving (DAG) at McDaniel to develop the campaign. The target was defined as alumni within a span of 5 decades (1950’s through the 1990’s) with 200-300 alum per decade.

echo’s creative team developed the “remember when...” theme and developed copy and graphic concepts for each decade. The data drove all of the text and graphic variables.

The decade triggered the headline copy “Remember When [decade appropriate phrase]”, the letter introduction “Life may be different than when [decade appropriate phrase]” and the graphics. The graphic variables were decade specific images of the campus and pop-culture trends.

The additional copy variables were: first name, class year, major, an ask amount based off the alum’s gift-giving history, and the signature of the letter which was from a fellow alum within the same decade.

The combination of a relevant personal message targeted to the decade along with an appeal to support the college’s mission provides a strong motivator for alumni to give.

all variable areas are circled showing the areas that copy and graphics were changed to personalize the message to the recipient.

Johns Hopkins AlumniJohns Hopkins annual alumni campaign is to encourage alumni to join the alumni organization for a year or lifetime and to contribute to the university.

echo’s in-house team worked along with the alumni office to develop the campaign.

For this years campaign the recipients were broken into 4 groups: - Recent Graduates- newer Member/not loyal- loyal Members- Donor not Member

A combination of variable text and graphics was used based on year of graduation, major, past giving history, etc.

each group received different printed pieces with a slightly varied message but they were all part of the same campaign with the same theme.

Group Campaign Elements

Recent Graduates

Newer Member/ Not Loyal

Loyal Members

Donor not Member

Graphical ask letter Diagram to Success(never tear stock)

Custom Magnet

9” x 12” Full WindowCourtesy Reply Envelope

Message

The Hopkins Alumni

Association is inseparable

from your future success!

Invitation theme – We

invite you to take a fresh

look at the Alumni

Association.

Invitation style ask letter Window pane flyer Courtesy Reply Envelope

6” x 9” Full Window

Thank you for your

continued membership.

Please consider lifetime

membership.

Graphical ask letter Window pane flyer CustomMagnet

Courtesy Reply Envelope

9” x 12” Window

Invitation for lifetime

membership.

Formal invitation style ask letter

Window pane tri-foldglossy brochure

Courtesy Reply Envelope

#10 Business Window Envelope

Each segment received different pieces through different delivery vehicles, with a slightly altered message around the same theme.

This allows you to spend more money on a certain segment such as higher donors.

Variable Graphicson the window flyer the graphics were customized based upon the school and major.

Group Campaign Elements

Recent Graduates

Newer Member/ Not Loyal

Loyal Members

Donor not Member

Graphical ask letter Diagram to Success(never tear stock)

Custom Magnet

9” x 12” Full WindowCourtesy Reply Envelope

Message

The Hopkins Alumni

Association is inseparable

from your future success!

Invitation theme – We

invite you to take a fresh

look at the Alumni

Association.

Invitation style ask letter Window pane flyer Courtesy Reply Envelope

6” x 9” Full Window

Thank you for your

continued membership.

Please consider lifetime

membership.

Graphical ask letter Window pane flyer CustomMagnet

Courtesy Reply Envelope

9” x 12” Window

Invitation for lifetime

membership.

Formal invitation style ask letter

Window pane tri-foldglossy brochure

Courtesy Reply Envelope

#10 Business Window Envelope

echo Calendarecho created a 2008 calendar for clients and prospects.

The variability was limited to name, company and salesperson.

Even though it was a limited amount of data, the impact was increased through customized graphics.

Customized GraphicsVariable graphics MUST be subtle and unexpected.

To create realistic images using Photoshop or Illustrator you must blend with the background image. The imagery must look natural and not forced.

some ways to do this are:

- hide text,

- wear & tear,

- match lighting and color, textures, perspective & reflections,

- choose fonts carefully.

www.echoeffect.com I 6100 Seaforth Street, Baltimore, MD 21224 I p 410.631.4010

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www.echoeffect.com I 6100 Seaforth Street, Baltimore, MD 21224 I p 410.631.4010

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Customize Your Design

• Speak to your data segments by customizing copy and images into endless combinations.

• Make your offer prominent.

• Change graphics & copy to create a truly personalized piece to each recipient.

• Variable data is especially effective when placed where the end-customer does not expect it. There is a great deal of room for creativity in this process, which encompasses both graphic design and database innovation.

• You have full creative flexibility to use all features of your design application. anything you can design on a traditional print piece you can do with VDP For example: Text on a Curve, Different Font size or type, Rotated text etc.

Color Can Be Variable

• Consumers are 55% more likely to pick up a piece of full color material.

• Color increases retention by 82%. Use Color to emphasize important points.

• Color helps messages be understood by 80%.

Tips• The impact of a campaign is higher when customers receive multiple pieces

(touches).

• Be creative, but be sure the tone of the message is appropriate to the audience.

• Don’t let limited data stop you. Be creative with the information you do have.

• Build a unified customer data store and maintain it well.

Technical Notes• Print document must be InDesign (Quark can be converted).

• Fonts must be OpenType for variable type or converted to outlines.

• Supporting files with transparency (ex. layers, drop shadows) must be .psd, .ai or .pdf files. They cannot be .tif or .eps files.

• Variable data can be placed anywhere within the copy or graphics.

• Variable Layers can be activated for different designs to be pulled for different groups within a mailing. Ex. Female, Male or Couple

• Variable text can be set up any way text can be set in InDesign, for example: on a curve, transparent, color, rotated, font, etc.

• Database can contain as little data as name and address or much more information such as age, gender, product preferences, etc.

Questions?

Lindsey Gentel Strategic Account Manager Education and Nonprofits lgentel@echoeffect.com 410.631.4010 x 120