The Power of Variable Print in the Era of Social Distancing

Despite the many business casualties resulting from the pandemic, notably a reduction in printed output, print is still alive and well. That may sound like a contradiction but hear me out. The power of print is its ability to be personalized, which is beneficial for customer engagement in an era where in-person communication is a persistent challenge. Indeed, in a world where remote work rules, print remains a viable form of communication for capturing people's attention.

Because of social-distancing, organizations of all types are looking at different methods for engaging with existing customers and for attracting new ones. Let's examine a few ways in-plants and print shops can help customers leverage the power of print with variable data printing (VDP). Feel free to share these ideas with your customers and prospects!

You've Got Mail – Print industry observers report that letter/mailing jobs in in-plants are on the rise as some materials and information that might have been distributed internally are now being mailed to individuals in their organizations who are working remotely. A simple VDP tool such as RSA's ImpactVDP can assist with this process.

Let's Get Personal – A personal printed call to action could be a welcome sight and an attention grabber, particularly in a world where many people are experiencing digital fatigue. Personalized invitations can help increase attendance at online events, while personalized special offers can help boost sales (See below.).

Reeling Them in at Retail – No doubt retail establishments have suffered during the pandemic, including many that were hurting before the pandemic as customer buying habits shifted to online retailers. What better way for your retail clients to drive brand awareness than by mailing special offers and catalogs to increase sales and engage with customers? Studies show that catalogs with custom offers aligned with an individual's interest or purchase history lead to more sales than non-personalized mailings. And thanks to digital printing and the appropriate production print software, it is now more affordable for retailers to produce catalogs in a timely manner.

Short Runs are a Home Run – As print volumes have plummeted, short runs of targeted direct mail pieces can be highly effective. Printers need to efficiently and cost effectively handle these short runs. The best way to do that is with workflow software and automation. Automating the process by reducing manual touches allows the printer to turn a profit even on small jobs.

School's Not Out – Because school districts often don't often have the budget or staff to handle a lot of VDP work, templates in products such as RSA's Variable Data Print (VDP) module, ImpactVDP, included with WebCRD Web to Print software, allow school district in-plant print centers to quickly and easily create postcards and business cards. Watch the short video of how the Chino Valley school district is leveraging Web to print and VDP.

Start Me Up- If you are working with a print shop that wants to get started with VDP, there's good news for them in the latest release of QDirect, our output management solution. We're previewing its increased options to easily create and produce personalized mail and VDP pieces during PRINTING United. One of the new options is an integration to ImpactVDP. It is ideal for print shops looking for an entry level solution that allows them to create simple mailings, one-off or single campaigns, and create variable pieces without needing Web to print software. Schedule a preview of the release to learn more about the how combination of QDirect and ImpactVDP and other VDP enhancements and integrations can help increase shop revenue and efficiency.