Personalising Images in Direct Mail: How Image Personalisation Boosts ROI
When discussing how to create successful direct mail, there is always a huge emphasis on personalisation – and personalising your images, not just your text, is one of the most effective ways to increase your return on investment with direct mail. People are far more likely to buy from a brand they feel familiar with and trust, and that relationship is built through how you communicate in your campaigns: addressing customers by name rather than ‘homeowner’, recommending products based on their purchase habits, and – the technique this article covers – matching the images they see to who they are.
| Personalisation Statistic | Figure |
|---|---|
| Customers who would stop buying from a brand that cannot personalise offers to their preferences and purchase history | Around 84% |
| Customers who believe personalisation is very important | 98% |
| Share of the population who are visual learners | 65% |
Why Combine Images With Personalisation?
Imagery and personalisation are two great tools in their own right. Around 84% of customers say that if a brand were unable to personalise offers based on their preferences and purchase history, they would no longer buy from it, and a massive 98% of customers believe personalisation is very important. But the power of imagery cannot be understated either: an image is a brilliant way to capture a recipient’s attention as quickly as possible, appealing to the 65% of the population who are visual learners. So why not combine these powerful techniques by using personalised images within your direct mail?
How Do You Personalise Images in Direct Mail?
Any images in your direct mail campaign can be personalised the same way you personalise the mail’s written content – by breaking your audience down using demographic factors:
- Previous purchasing habits
- Age
- Sex
- Feedback from previous campaigns you’ve run, or data you’ve gathered These factors decide which images will convert. The majority of the male population will have different preferences to the female population, and the younger generation may not relate to the same images as much older recipients. Relating images to someone’s interests makes them much more likely to convert – and if you’re aiming to convert lots of different people at once, variable data printing is what you’re looking for.
What Is Variable Data Printing?
Variable data printing (VDP) is one of the most successful ways to enhance the return on investment of a direct mail campaign. It allows multiple variations of a mailshot – different content, different colours, multiple images – to be printed within a single batch. That means you can appeal to many different customers while still only printing the same number of items as a batch of standard direct mail, costing you the same in both money and time.
Personalise Your Direct Mail With The Direct Mail Company
Not personalising your direct mail massively decreases its chances of success. A reputable mailing house can help you gather the correct data and apply it – from personalised text through to variable data printed images. For help with personalisation, or for information on our bulk postage services, contact us today at sales@thedirectmailcompany.co.uk or call 0333 038 3797.
Image Personalisation: Frequently Asked Questions
What is image personalisation in direct mail?
Image personalisation means selecting or varying the pictures in your mailing based on each recipient’s demographics, interests and purchase history, so the visuals resonate as personally as the text does.
Why do personalised images increase response rates?
Images capture attention faster than text and appeal to the 65% of people who are visual learners – and when the image matches the recipient’s interests, they are far more likely to convert.
What is variable data printing?
Variable data printing (VDP) prints multiple variations of a mailshot – different images, content and colours – within one print batch, at the same cost and time as printing a standard uniform run.
What data do I need to personalise images?
Previous purchasing habits, age, sex, and feedback or data gathered from past campaigns are the main factors used to decide which image variations each segment receives.
Who can print variable data direct mail for me?
The Direct Mail Company handles data, variable data printing, enclosing and postage as one service. Email sales@thedirectmailcompany.co.uk or call 0333 038 3797.
