Variable Data Printing

What is variable data printing? With our HP Indigo digital press, we are able to make each sheet unique! From one piece to the next - text, images and graphics may be changed without incurring additional setup costs or compromising speed. Variable data printing is mainly used in direct marketing and customer relationship management and is a great tool for personalizing your message to appeal to very focused segments within your target market.

Rather than producing hundreds or even thousands of a single marketing piece, with variable data, you could send a similar piece with a customized message to each customer. The return on investment has been shown to double basic rates achieved by traditional direct marketing and in some cases 10-15 times depending on the complexity of the variable components of the piece. In addition to increased response rates, studies have shown you will reduce response time, improve customer retention and ultimately increase revenues.

Creating Variable Data Projects

Variable data pieces are designed like any other print project in your favorite design application. Simply place an example of the proposed text or graphic in all areas that you would like to be variable. Print a hard copy of your file and circle all variable elements, marking each with a descriptive name.

Place all variable elements - text or links to a graphic file - in a database or spreadsheet. Each column will represent a different field in the document. The first row should be used to title the columns using the descriptive names indicated on the hard copy. Once we receive the source files along with the database and any linked graphic files, we will use FusionPro to prepare the document for printing.

If you have any questions or would like to speak with our Variable Data specialist, please contact our office.