Nothing draws attention like personalization, and today's advanced technology allows you to speak with buyers 1to1, beginning with the cover. While catalog marketers have long used selective binding and inkjet personalization to create personalized covers based on transactional data, there are limitations to inkjet imaging.

But technology now enables true mass customization. And with marketing geared toward individualized messaging and promotions, catalogers are utilizing these new and better ways to meet customer expectations. In fact, survey results reported in the January 2007 issue of the Industry Measure Special Report indicated that 42% of catalogers used customized/personalized catalog cover content.

Looking for ideas?

Ultimately personalizing your catalog covers allows marketers to engage with buyers personally and increase readership and sales.  Adapt special offers and promotions to each buyer such as:

• Using images of products most frequently purchased by the customer or promoting alternative products upgrade with higher price points.  
• Calling out your buyers name on the cover with an image of their last purchase and promote a complementary product such as promoting ink cartridges to a customer who just bought a new printer.

Alternatively, marketers could create prospect cover versions featuring a wider range of products—a technique proven to be more effective in attracting new customers. Or covers might address demographic differences such as small office/home office needs versus those of larger corporations. 

Reader's Digest Canada tests the power of catalog-cover personalization

Lots of anecdotal evidence demonstrates the power of personalized print. Recently Transcontinental Printing and the Xerox 1:1 Lab collaborated with Reader's Digest Canada.

Issue - Goal of Readers' Digest

1. Understand if using intelligent information would boost cross-sales of CDs, DVDs and books when compared to a strict product-line approach.
2. Evaluate the impact of using variable text and graphics and if it justified the simplification of a multi-component promotion package that typically included:
• 24-page catalog
• 8.5” x 11” self-adhesive label stamp sheet
• Contest device
• Sweepstakes certificate
• Personalized cover letter
• Second order upgrade

Solution

• Placed the customer's name on the cover of the catalog
• Used a cover image that represented the recipient's reading interests
• Calling out product categories on the cover that matched the customer's affinities
• Personalized the letter, promissory note, voucher and certificate
• Variable stamps that aligned with customer interests and the descriptions contained within the catalog

Outstanding Results

The test involved approximately 47,000 top-tier customers. The control group received the traditional package while two test groups received fully variable mailings.

• Response rates exceeded expectations with lifts averaging 67 percent above the control package and as much as 111 percent in certain sub-segments.
• The campaign received a Gold Award at the Canadian Marketing Awards for Resource Partners for Excellence and Innovation in Best Practices and/or Technological Advancements.

Learn more about MatchUp! technology and where to start.

Contact your Transcontinental representative to learn how personalization strategies can help your catalog success.