Your event is in 3 weeks.  You have the design for your direct mail piece in the can and have selected your printing/mailing vendor.  And then it happens…”Wouldn’t it be cool if we could use this piece in a more personalized way for our VIP list?”  The question comes from a member of  the executive team who has been radio silent until this point.  What are your choices?  1) Pretend that you have gone “Executive Deaf”?  2) Politely explain that perhaps this is something that can be considered for  upcoming events? 3) Frantically restructure all that you have organized so far…the vendor, the creative, the timeline?

Perhaps the answer is ‘None of the Above’. There is a way for your design concept to stay with a larger run, on a conventional scale similar to the bindery/postal process as featured in this video from Printing Impressions:

As a second part of your project, you could take the same files and break out the 277 of your VIP list and include, with small tweaks, a personalized digital mailer.  The secret is to begin with a design that is not contingent  upon the larger sheet size.  Another important decision would be finding a vendor that can move easily/quickly with both sides of this project.  A vendor that has the ability to process your data while moving  quickly through a traditional print and digital project.  And as you sigh, you will need to only requisition one postage check for both projects.  But wait, there is more-one vendor invoice for printing/mailing for your dual project.  Superhero—maybe, maybe not.  But going home on time one night this week may be an okay moment.

Learn more about how you can be a direct mail superhero by downloading our free ebook, The NextPage Guide to Direct Mail Success, or by contacting us here.