In-Plant Printers Learn about Connecting Customers with Print

Innovative in-plant managers are discovering new avenues to connect with customers and build their businesses. During Monday’s luncheon presentation “Connecting Customers with Print”, attendees heard from top suppliers and in-plant managers. The free session was sponsored by IPMA and In-Plant Graphics.

Moderator Barb Pellow, Group Director of InfoTrends (above), launched the session with a nuts and bolts explanation of new tools available to help print managers forge a stronger bond with their customers by delivering better response to marketing and outreach campaigns.

Building your business

The first segment was hosted by Gene McKenzie, Director of Business Development, Rochester Software Associates (Booth 237), and his customer Andrea Eshoo, Assistant Director at Diversified. Eshoo outlined how RSA’s WebCRD Web-to-print solution, featuring Dynamics VDP, helped Diversified create a catalog of customizable marketing campaigns and educational materials on its self-serve platform.

Connecting with QR codes

The second segment was comprised of a panel that included Jason Simmons, Vice President of Sales, Midwest Operations, for Xerox (Booth 1200); Howie Fenton, NAPL Senior Consultant (Booth 4023), and John Meyer, Manager of the in-plant print and mail center at Rochester Institute of Technology (Booth 4331).

Reaching your customers through the printed piece

Deborah Vinson, Strategic Account Manager, Kodak (Booth 1221), introduced Shana Farrell of Fox Valley Technical College. Farrell related the college in-plant’s experience with creating the college president’s annual holiday card using Dimensional Print on its Kodak NEXPRESS. Using variable data and working with the president’s mailing list, the card went out to 325 people. Responses to the card improved significantly.

Personalized mail

Clint Marquet of MacroPRO DM (in Pitney Bowes Booth 1238) closed out the session with statistics. For example, direct mail garners a 3.4% response rate, compared to 0.12% for email. According to InfoTrends, 98% of people still receive direct mail and open it. Perhaps surprisingly, young people respond well to printed communication because it is unique to them. Direct mail, when combined with other media, increases response dramatically. To increase response to print, use variable text and images, PURLs, and QR codes. The combination produces winning results.