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Last month I wrote about the three methods of pricing strategies, and gave an overview of value-add pricing. One value-add item is the use of personalized URLs (PURLs), a trend seen in direct mail that has resulted in adding significant information to databases and increased revenue. They are also used to measure hit response rates. Most PURL campaigns are used in a business-to-consumer direct-mail campaign; but do not discount its viability in business-to-business direct-mail campaigns.
A Personal Touch
With a PURL, the name of the recipient is contained in the URL, along with a piece name or a campaign Web address—for example JohnSmith.directmail.com. When John Smith enters this URL, he will be taken directly to a Web page explaining this offer in more detail. In many cases this Web page will ask for more information from the recipient, or even a capability to request more information in print. Also, the Web page may take a reader to an online ordering page.
PURL direct-marketing campaigns have given digital printing more personalization, and the response rates seem to be soaring into the double digits. There are multiple software providers and Web-to-print solutions that can interact with PURLs to give your printed piece even more value.
Some Web-to-print solution providers that can interface with PURLs are Four51, XMPie, and Saepio Technologies Inc. Marketing firms such as Marketing Mentors Inc. in New York and Media Consultants in New Jersey, have recently incorporated PURL technologies into their own outbound marketing campaigns with successful results. MindFireInc is one organization located in California that produces software to utilize PURL technology, and can interface with most Web-to-print solutions.
The campaign components with PURLs, for example, are outbound media with a personalized URL, personalized relevant landing page, data collection, dynamic personalization, and automatic follow-up to respondents or lead generation distribution to sales. Rules based automation can also be used to determine what print piece will be sent out to the requester based on the data collection and the specific need. The relevant variable-data printed piece with the appropriate offer is then sent out to the requester.
Real Time Reporting
The software also has real time reporting where the print provider can gather information based on "hits" and responses to add even more value to their clients. This is how these campaigns can be tracked for response rates and effectiveness. The Print On Demand Initiative (PODi) states that PURL campaigns with digital print and the Web, that utilized relevant graphics and text, commonly see a three to five times lift in response rates. A recent Direct Marketing Association survey concluded that one in three direct-mail recipients prefer to respond online.
As a print provider, wouldn't you want to offer your clients top line revenue growth, ongoing campaign review, and business that sticks with high revenue results? This is value that any client would want to achieve.
Marketing firms, agencies, and print providers that specify PURL campaigns are armed with a solution to offer value to the client with proven results. Yes, this involves a re-design, but nothing too drastic. The IT infrastructure is key here.
The value of PURL campaigns takes on a whole new pricing methodology. This is not price per piece, but price per campaign.
As we dive deeper into 2008 and even into 2009, we will see a great spike in the usage of PURL campaigns in all sorts of print and electronic media. Advertising agencies have already begun specifying direct-mail campaigns with PURLs contained in the piece.
Many print providers think that knowledge and expertise is expected to be given away at no charge; that is a cost of doing business as a professional printer. The downfall of this idea is that the printer sells printing based on cost plus for the tangibles and does not build enough into the margin for expert consulting. The new print provider doing business in a digital environment needs to fully understand that he is not selling just printing, but valued communications and marketing.
There are marketing firms and advertising agencies that do just that—improving your communications. These firms charge for that service, why shouldn't you. It is time print providers stop itemizing their quotations and begin to provide proposals for full marketing campaigns. Show your value-add in writing, which results in bottom line project fees and the value of your service.
Ed Bokuniewicz has 28 years in the graphic arts industry. Currently, Ed is a Business Development Manager for Eastman Kodak Co. and an Adjunct Professor at the New York City College of Technology (CUNY), teaching a print on demand class.
author: By Ed Bokuniewicz