A typical direct mail piece sends the same message, in the same format, to everyone on a mailing list. That's part of the reason why the response rate for direct mail averages under 3 percent.

This one-size-fits-all approach isn't the only way. Thanks to advances in digital printing, you can customize what you're sending out to ensure you're providing the information people really want.

We're talking about more than a mail merge that inserts the customer's name into the salutation line. True variable data printing - also called on-demand printing - can change the content and even the imagery in a piece, based on information from a customer database. Since it doesn't require large print runs, it's also a great way to test different messages or offers to see which gets the best response.

And it's not just for solicitation. You can use variable data printing to target all of your communications to the needs and interests of your individual customers, clients or members. You can start with a template, then fill it with specific content based on the recipient's location, the services they use, the name and photo of their contact person at your organization, and so on.

But this customization doesn't come cheap, and it doesn't work for everybody. So how do you know if it's worth the money for you? And how can you get the most from your investment?

You can start by reading this article from CMO Magazine - a roundup of variable data printing projects that worked, and a few that didn't. (It turns out, for example, that customizing mailings didn't do much for a pizza chain's sales. "Pretty much everybody feels the same way about pizza," said a marketing pro quoted in the story.) A related article offers tips for success if you decide to give variable data printing a go.

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