Move Beyond Sales Promotions with These Successful Marketing Strategies
[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hen marketers think about 1:1 print personalization, they think about increased response rates and higher per-order values. Certainly, these are neccessary benefits, but 1:1 print can have benefits far beyond direct sales. While many of these “non-sales” applications are powerful, they are often overlooked. By putting them into your toolbox, marketers might find that they now have a plethora of new bottom-line-boosting solutions.
In the next few issues, we’ll look at examples of 1:1 print applications used for non-direct sales in a variety of vertical markets. In this issue, we’ll start with government and education. Examples are drawn from the Print on Demand Initiative’s case study database.
Improving Readability
The California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) redesigned forms and added highlight color to many of its forms, including information requests and bills. By combining personalized messaging with highlight color, the forms became much easier for recipients to understand. Variables included amount owed, due date and personalized text explaining exactly what was expected. As a result, the Tax Board saw a tenfold increase in compliance, and its collections sped up by three days, on average.
Reducing Attrition
Slippery Rock University wanted to develop relationships with incoming students and minimize the chance that, once accepted, those students would choose to go to a different university so it created a personalized invitation to its freshman
orientation program. The cover contained the student’s name and a welcoming message. The student reservation form was pre-filled with name, address and other key information, including major. Eighty-four percent of students and 92% of parents said that the personalized invitation positively influenced the student’s desire to attend the school.
Reducing Costs
The Quincy, MA, public schools wanted to eliminate inventory of pre-printed forms, including quarterly grade reporting, interim grade reporting and high school scheduling so it transitioned to a print-on-demand environment—with a twist. Now its forms are created
on-demand, with the student information pre-filled. Variable information includes student name, subject, ID number, date, grade, teacher name and course information. Inventory and obsolescence are eliminated, and the personalization means less manual work.
Increasing Enrollment
Northern Arizona University wanted to increase its enrollment so it started with a survey to determine the demographics and interests of prospective but undecided students. The university created a personalized postcard, including personalized graphics and messaging, sent to target student groups. On the front, the headline text and image varied. On the back, the greeting and message changed as well. The university’s enrollment increased by 4%—or more than 500 students.
Small Investment, Big Impact
None of these applications involve direct sales, as marketers think of sales, but all can have a major impact on the bottom line. Imagine the financial impact of an increase in 500 tuition-paying students or a tenfold increase in compliance with requests for money owed. For this reason, all of these applications result in tangible — and often substantial — financial benefits. Do any represent opportunities for you?
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