September 7, 2010
VDP Defined: A Marketing Managers Quick Guide
Variable data printing (VDP) – also known as variable information printing or variable data personalization – is a form of on-demand printing in which elements such as text, graphics, and images are changed from one printed piece to the next without stopping or slowing down the printing press.
All variable data printing begins with a basic design that indicates which sections can be altered, along with a database of information that fills in the changeable fields. The information used to personalize each printed piece comes from a database or external file.
VDP enables the “mass customization” of documents via digital print technology. In other words, instead of producing 10,000 identical letters containing the same message to 10,000 customers, VDP can deliver 10,000 unique letters with customized messages for each customer. Such modern data management alchemy has the potential to generate better ROI than that of standard direct marketing campaigns.
At its most basic level, VDP involves changing the salutation or name on each printed piece. Each person’s name and address appears on each document to attract attention, but the marketing message is exactly the same for each customer, regardless of their relationship or value to your company or organization.
More complex VDP uses “versioning,” which allows for further customization designed for different market segments. Text and images are varied for groups of recipients based upon which market segment receives the piece. Segmented versions of a document are created to meet the needs of different groups. A list is segmented according to demographic attributes. Customized content is then delivered that best addresses the needs of each particular segment.
Finally, there is fully customized printing, which allows both text and images to be altered for each individual recipient. In this ultimate application of direct marketing, each document’s content is fully customized to be highly relevant and custom-tailored to specific individuals. A full-color document is dynamically composed, and everything in the document can be varied – the layout, text, and images – depending on the recipient.
