When we first came kicking and screaming into this world, we were the center of attention. After all that time hanging out in the womb by ourselves, it makes perfect sense that we would believe everything revolved around us.
As we get older, some of us figure out that there are actually others out there, too. But one thing we never outgrow is the joy we get out of hearing our name. Successful retailers have learned that customers are much more likely to become loyal to their establishment if they get to know them well enough to greet them by name.
Studies have shown that when informational and advertising direct mailers are personalized with relevant information, including the recipient’s name, interaction and response rates rise dramatically. This form of personalization is also referred to as Variable Data Printing (VDP). VDP allows not only text to be personalized but also the graphics and the images to be changed for each individual printed piece.
VDP allows you to reach your customers and prospects in a much more personal way. It’s effective because it plays on our enjoyment and appreciation for seeing our name in print, as if we are hearing our name out loud. It evokes some of the deep-seated memories from our childhood that made us feel that we were the center of the world. Of course, this is only the first step to a hopefully long-term, mutually beneficial relationship, but it gives your company a much better chance to get past just hello.