In my last post, Six Tips When Evaluating B2B Offers, I mentioned that personalized media (email or direct mail) and landing pages with pre-populated forms can raise response rates by 100%-130% (Caslon & Co.). Dynamic imaging software, digital printing technology and PURLs (personalized URLs) enable marketers to tailor copy, offers and graphical images to each recipient—moving far beyond the personalized salutation “Dear <first_name>” that we are accustomed to using. See this example from a mailer I received from digital printer BrightDart in which my name appears in the headline:
Multiple platforms exist for generating PURLs and executing personalized lead generation or nurture programs. Most of the marketing automation solution providers such as Eloqua, Silverpop, LeadGenesys, and Market2Lead provide personalization capabilities as part of their offering. Hosted point solutions include:
Look for a vendor that offers A/B testing capabilities and dashboards to monitor open rates, click-throughs and form submitals (conversions). Many direct marketing agencies and digital print houses can manage the details of a personalized program for you, by leveraging one or more of these platforms on your behalf.
I’d love to hear your experiences with personalized marketing programs. What results have you obtained? What vendors do you recommend?