The Personalization Revolution in Commercial Printing

Once there was a time when "one size fit all" when it came to commercial print marketing. Billboard, flyers and direct mail pieces were all created en masse for audience that would either connect with the message, or ignore it all together. But then a funny thing happened: digital technology came along to revolutionize the industry that seemed to be in decline thanks to advancements in the field of Internet marketing.

Commercial printing is now rife with personalization options that would have seemed impossible just a few short years ago. Take for example, direct mail. The direct mail business used to be a bit of a "crap shoot" as companies bought their lists, sent out their carefully thought-out pieces and hoped for the best as they cast a wide net across their audience.

Commercial digital printing changed the rules of the game by giving businesses the ability to personalize their message according to particular variables. So if a company was reaching out to customers in Indiana, they could suddenly include offers specific to their Terre Haute stores and even include a "Go Hoosiers" logo stamp on the piece in an effort to boost excitement within the state.

In addition, testing was given a chance to become more complex with digital printing. Once, creating an A/B test took time and money as different pieces were created and mailed out over a long period of time. But with digital commercial printing, variables could be altered with ease, allowing companies to performed detailed testing within a single mailing.

The result was a product that delivered higher ROI and more customers than once ever thought possible within the medium. It has now become a part of the industry, and customers who open their mailbox and receive direct marketing collateral now expect the materials to be customized for them in some way.

The cost of digital printing in the 21st century is another reason why the revolution marches on. Printing tasks that were once high in cost and labor can now be handled for pennies per unit - and instead of a large printing press staff, can be managed by a single person with the click of a mouse.

The Internet marketing universe has expanded fast over the past twenty years. Many so-called experts believed that it would swallow the traditional print marketing industry whole. However, due to a willingness to adapt with the times, and the dedication of it's business leaders to develop new technologies, the commercial print business looks stronger than ever.

What does the future hold? Look for more direct mail collateral that looks like it was crafted specifically for each individual recipient. You will see offers and promotional codes that can easily tracked for the highest levels of reporting. And most importantly, watch for a rising ROI from digital commercial printing - as marketing firms continue to push the envelope of technology and deliver unique messaging methods to their clients.


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Wilen Group is an industry leader in
commercial printing
. The experts at Wilen Group combine the latest technology with traditional direct marketing techniques to help your business maximize ROI with effort marketing effort. Visit
www.wilengroup.com
today to find out how you can create an effective print marketing campaign that gets results!