Published : 11 years ago, on 21/01/2014

To remain relevant in a competitive marketplace, your business needs to regularly adopt new marketing technologies. Updated marketing strategies attract more targeted customers to your business and can help improve your bottom line. Direct mail and digital marketing are key ways to boost your brand and expand your breadth. Consider these cutting edge ways to make the most of your marketing efforts.

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Basics about Variable Data Printing

Variable data printing has become a buzzword in the printing and direct mail industry. Also referred to as VDP, this form of digital printing is used for on-demand printing. Elements can be changed from one printed piece to the next including images, text and graphics. Variable data printing uses digital printers, computer databases and customized software to emulate the look of conventional offset printing. As a result, the term mass customization is now being used for mass mailings that are customized for each recipient.

There are several different types of variable data printing. One of the most basic uses is changing the name on each letter or copy being sent for your direct mail marketing campaign. A more complicated way to use variable data printing is customizing the text for various target markets. The graphics and images can also be changed to appeal to customers of a certain age or from a particular region. This is called “versioning.” Full variability printing is a third technique to use in direct mail marketing efforts. This type of printing makes it possible to change the images and text for each individual recipient. The options for personalization are limited only by your imagination.

Use Highly Personalized Direct Mail to Appeal to Your Customers

While there traditional direct mail will always play a major role in business marketing strategies, variable data printing has added another dimension to your marketing possibilities. Variable data printing can be used for customer relationship management marketing, direct marketing campaigns and on brochures and postcard campaigns. Consider the advantages of sending personalized direct mail for certain marketing campaigns.

• Businesses reaching out to customers in various regions or countries can customize the language, graphics and images to reach out to their target audience. This makes the correspondence easier for the recipient to understand and relate to without the cost and effort of establishing multiple campaigns.
• Personalized messages and offers can be included for valued customers. You can also add a special promotion to encourage new customers to choose your business. The savings and promotions you offer can be tailored to reward or attract certain recipients.
• A personal touch can be the perfect way to seal the deal with potential customers who have not responded to your past direct mail messages. Current customers appreciate a personalized approach that shows them you appreciate their patronage.
• Variable data printing makes it possible to optimize the relevancy of each direct mail message sent. This can be an effective tool to increase your ROI on certain types of marketing campaigns.

Direct mail is timeless way to expand your customer base and retain in touch with your current customers. Digital marketing is an essential component to include in your marketing efforts. Discover the new technologies that help make digital marketing even more effective.

Adopt a Content Based Inbound Marketing Strateg

An inbound marketing strategy involves creating and sharing content people want to read. Your content appeals to your target market to attract potential customers to your business. Quality content can also keep visitors coming back for more. Your content should answer a customer’s questions and needs. Content can also be adapted to reach out ongoing customers for a more personal touch. Content can be published in multiple channels to reach out to people wherever they are. Using the right analytics tools helps you publish content to the right place.

Effective online content includes a call to action to encourage people to contact your business for a definitive reason that benefits them. Most calls to action take visitors to a landing page where they can submit information to fulfill the request. This is also a way to create viable leads for your business. Email marketing is an excellent way to keep in touch with customers and provide special offers than encourage them to buy from your business. Blogging is an important way to continually update your website and offer updated content to your customers. Posting updated content on social media gives you an opportunity to reach out to customers in a personal way through surveys, interactions and real-time updates. Strong content can attract customers, give them what they want and make them want to share your offerings with others.

Use Re-Targeting with SEO and PPC to Bring People Back to Your Website

To bring people back to your website, use the winning combination of SEO (search engine optimization) and PPC (pay-per-click marketing). Both SEO and PPC drive ongoing traffic to your website and focus on certain keywords. However, they each serve different purposes. To bring fast traffic to your website use PPC. Paying for advertising is a way to get quick leads and target a certain limited-time campaign. PPC advertising can be targeted to reach an audience at a particular time or in a chosen location.

SEO is a long-term approach to attract search engines and traffic to your website. Your rankings improve over time, which increases your website’s visibility in search engine results. Ranking well on the search engines also helps to improve your company’s relevancy and credibility. A well-planned content marketing campaign can boost your SEO. Black hat technique of yesterday must be avoided or your website could be penalized. As Google continues to make changes to improve the overall search engine experiences, your marketing efforts need to re-evaluate.

New direct mail and digital marketing technologies can help to put your business ahead of the competition. Take advantage of the latest developments to keep your business on top of its game. Technology moves fast and your business has to keep up with the changes to stay relevant and meaningful to customers.