Make your client’s creative personal Create a highly personalized marketing campaign by: Producing and integrating rich, breathtaking, image personalization effects with variable data publishing. Producing powerful, visually lush, personalized images and graphics, and seamlessly merging them into variable publishing, in print and online. Very simply, here’s how it works: You and your client compile all the one-to-one elements you’ll need, including data, text, products, predetermined colors, photography and artwork. The data will drive variable text and images such as a company and product names, images and other pertinent information. We create a template and link the data with the template’s dynamic elements. We generate a proof for you to review with your client and get approval.

If search engine marketing is the only way you're driving consumers to your company Web site, you're missing an enormous opportunity. According to a new survey conducted by BIG research for the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association, consumers say they were most motivated to begin an online search after seeing marketing messages delivered through traditional media channels, such as magazines, newspapers, television or direct mail.

Search engine marketing is a valuable tool, but to maximize penetration in your target market and generate increased online traffic and sales on your Web site, it makes sense to integrate online and offline media channels in your marketing campaigns.

A special PURL is like no other
In nature, each pearl is unique. On the Web, PURLs are unique Web addresses personalized for each customer or prospect. Combined with direct mail, they can be a uniquely effective tactic for driving consumers to your Web site.

First, use segmentation analysis and your customer database to target customers with highly relevant messages or offers. Your first communication will be a direct mail piece that is customized for each recipient using variable data printing and personalization software. Research shows that personalized printing increases direct mail response by 47.6 percent, but personalized mailing is just the beginning.

Each direct mail piece includes a PURL, a personalized Web address chosen for the individual recipient, such as
www.first-marketing.com/janecustomer. The address takes the recipient to a custom Web page with information that is highly relevant to the individual, including a targeted sales message or offer. PURLs also provide a response mechanism that can be pre-populated with the individual's personal information to make responding faster and easier. You should consider including a postage-paid reply card in addition to the PURL for those who prefer to respond by mail.

According to Jay Berkowitz, President of Ten Golden Rules, Inc., a firm specializing in Internet marketing, PURLs can also offer sophisticated tracking mechanisms. They create a record of the consumer's activity online and responses. "PURLs offer direct marketing tracking on steroids! Since each PURL is unique to the user, not only can you track whether an individual responded, you can even track how each individual responded and which ones requested more information, signed up for a trial or made a purchase," says Berkowitz.

PURLs can also offer an opportunity to capture e-addresses and ask for additional information you can use to further personalize future communications, such as follow-up e-mail campaigns. In addition, the tracking capability of the software is useful for calculating your return on investment.

Need another reason to drive consumers online? Among the consumers surveyed, more than 92 percent said they regularly research products, services and companies online before they buy. A direct mail piece that includes a PURL can drive consumers to your Web site for their online research and provide purchase opportunities.

First Marketing offers the expertise to help you create a multichannel campaign that increases the impact of your traditional media communication by driving consumers to your Web site, such as using customized direct mail with PURLs. We offer true one-to-one communication capabilities for personalized Web sites, dynamic e-mails and variable data printing. For more information, call 800.736.0145 or e-mail marketing@first-marketing.com.