Just out of curiosity, do you have any friends, relatives, or acquaintances who refer to you as “Resident”?

We didn’t think so.

Use of “Resident” is even more impersonal than “Hey, you!”, but we see it all the time on direct mail address labels. When a company addresses a mail recipient as “Resident,” the implied message is, “Listen, we’re sending out this information, but we don’t give a rat’s booty about who reads it. It could be read by the owner of the property, the family dog, or a termite who resides under the front porch, for all we care. Any resident will do.”

And we’re pretty sure that’s not the idea you are hoping to get across with your advertising campaign.

VDP to the Rescue

Avoid the ridiculously impersonal “Resident” by using variable data printing (VDP) to customize the address label on each piece of direct mail you send. People’s names are very important to them, so you’ve got a better shot at getting off on the right foot if your postcards include the recipients’ names.

And While You’re At It…

Variable data printing can do much more than just get your direct mail off to a rocking start with personalized address labels. You can also use VDP to customize other parts of your direct mail pieces and make your message stand out.

If you run a car repair shop, for instance, you could send out one postcard telling a customer that it’s time for his Dodge Stratus to get an oil change and another postcard telling a different customer that he should consider bringing his Honda Civic in for a tune-up. You’ll find that your customers are more inclined to respond to relevant, personally specific reminders like that than they would be to a “one-size fits all” advertisement.

So, give it a go. Let variable data printing humanize your address list and revitalize your direct mail pieces.  Former “Residents” will thank you.