Leveraging the Internet’s Power with the Impact of Print. Some are convinced the Internet will one day rule the marketing world. Experienced marketers know that it is just a tool, albeit a powerful one, that works best when it is combined with other mediums, particularly print.
According to a recent InfoTrends study, companies that launch multi-media campaigns reported an average improvement of 35% (using print, web landing pages and email) over single channel print-only campaigns. Moreover, using personalization pushes that average closer to 50%.
Current marketing trends depict that no one vehicle will win out soon, as top response rates continue to be the result of a combination of media. The Internet has proven to be an extremely efficient way to gather information, while direct mail is best at driving traffic to storefronts and websites. By providing a variety of touch points, to maintain visibility, the consumer ultimately decides how to receive your message.
An easy way to integrate the Internet and print into a campaign launch is by utilizing both variable data printing (VDP) and online one-to-one messaging (such as personalized URLs and emails). Marketers are now enlisting both mediums to individualize each and every piece of a campaign; right down to the images shown, every word of pitch and even the specific product offerings.
Where to begin?
Chase Granberry, Founder of AuthorityLabs, suggests exploiting the strengths of both mediums. “When you are ready to expand your client base, purchase a prospect list that mirrors your best customers and send out a general direct mail that drives interest to an informational online landing page.” As we all know, consumers will provide contact information to receive something of value – special promotions, contests with great prizes, networking event notifications and even monthly newsletters.
Using this “opt-in” approach helps to qualify the leads, complies with recent legislation and provides all the contact info needed to dig a little deeper. “The more information you can gather, the more you can make your product or service relevant to the consumer,” explains Granberry. “And, the better you are in this process, the higher your response rates will be in return.”
In fact, some marketers have gotten extremely advanced at employing the one-to-one messaging technique. Granberry says, “A friend of mine recently received a windshield wiper offer on a day it happened to rain in Phoenix and from a national retailer he had patronized a few months prior. And to think, some might call that a coincidence.”
To learn more about the options that integrate your marketing efforts and help improve results, call your current Prisma Sales Representative, or Shelly Sheldahl at 800 377-5777 or email shellys@www.prismagraphic.com.
University of Phoenix
Integrated Marketing Case Study
Client Objective/Goal: To successfully integrate client-supplied initial contact information, gathered through mail-in, call-in and on-line sources, into follow-up direct mail pieces customized for each prospect; including name, gender, nearest campuses and programs of interest. The ultimate goal is to increase interest and enrollment opportunities by making each message more relevant to the individual.
Prisma Graphic Solution: Developed web-to-print products that incorporate the initial contact information into a variable data print (VDP) direct mail application, to individually address each prospect and provide multiple communication methods to further the relationship. This dynamic approach has not only provided the client with a substantial cost-savings through automation, it has allowed them to make their message relevant to each prospect. Moreover, it has expanded the client’s ability to provide and gather more information to help satisfy demand through traditional and/or online course offerings.
