Version Printing vs. Variable Printing: Which is Right for Your Direct Mail Campaign?

By Dana Catanese | Blog, Direct Mail

Choosing between version printing and variable printing can greatly influence the effectiveness and cost of your direct mail campaigns. While both methods have their strengths, understanding the difference can help you optimize for quick turnaround times, lower postage costs, and better results.

What is Offset Printing with Different Creative Versions?

Offset printing with different creative versions involves producing multiple variations of a printed piece on the same print run. This approach is useful for campaigns that need different messages or imagery targeted at various regions or demographic groups. To achieve this, different versions are arranged on the same sheet during the printing process, which is called “ganging.” By strategically planning the layout, multiple creative versions can be printed simultaneously, making production more efficient and reducing costs. This process allows for customization without the need for completely separate print runs, keeping production streamlined and cost-effective.

Why Choose Version Printing?

Version printing is best for campaigns where you need slight variations in content, such as different offers or imagery for various regions or demographics. Most of the mailer remains the same, but these targeted changes help make the message more relevant to specific groups.

Version Printing- Segment by Region or Demographics Example:

version_printing_image_anro_blog

Direct mail achieves an 80-90% open rate, far surpassing email’s 20-30% performance, making it a powerful channel to get your message seen.1

What is Variable Printing?

Variable printing takes customization to the next level by allowing every single mail piece to be unique. This is ideal for highly personalized campaigns where you want to include individual names, images, offers, or even barcodes for each recipient. Variable printing is proven to increase engagement and response rates because each piece speaks directly to the recipient.

Variable Printing- Personalized, One-to-One Marketing example:

variable_printing_image_anro_blog

88% of marketers believe personalization delivers a superior customer experience, and direct mail achieves a 40% conversion rate when integrated with digital strategies​.2

Postage Considerations: Version vs. Variable Printing

Impact on Postal Optimization

When using offset printing with different creative versions, each version typically requires its own mail list for NCOA (National Change of Address) and CASS (Coding Accuracy Support System) processing. This separation of lists can potentially reduce your overall mail saturation, as each list is processed independently. However, this saturation impact becomes negligible when your creative versions are targeted locally, since local mailings naturally maintain high density within their designated areas.

For instance:

  • A national campaign split into regional versions might see reduced saturation
  • But a campaign with versions for different neighborhoods within the same ZIP code maintains high local density

In contrast, fully variable printing allows for a single, unified mail list to be processed and addressed inline during production. This consolidated approach typically results in higher overall saturation rates, as the entire mailing is treated as one cohesive group for postal optimization.

Postal Implications and Cost Factors:

  1. Version Printing Considerations
    • Multiple lists may impact carrier route sorting
    • Can affect qualification for lowest postage rates
    • May require separate postal paperwork for each version
  2. Variable Printing Advantages
    • Single list streamlines postal processing
    • Easier to achieve maximum postal discounts
    • Simplified postal documentation

Co-Mingling Equalizer:

It’s important to note that if you’re using co-mingling services, the saturation differences between versioned and variable printing become largely irrelevant. Co-mingling combines your mail with other customers’ mailings, achieving optimal postal rates regardless of your internal list structure. This means:

  • Both versioned and variable campaigns can achieve similar postage rates
  • The decision between versions and variable can be based on other factors
  • Co-mingling may offset any saturation disadvantages of multiple lists

Direct mail has a cost per acquisition (CPA) of $19, which is highly competitive compared to other marketing channels like paid search ($21-$30) and internet display ($41-$50).3

Which Method is Right for You?

  • Version Printing is the best option for campaigns where you don’t need deep personalization but want to segment by regions or demographics. It’s cost-effective and provides great savings when printing in bulk.
  • Variable Printing is ideal for personalized, one-to-one marketing where you want to drive engagement through customized offers, imagery, and messaging.

By choosing Anro, you not only benefit from our cutting-edge printing technology but also from our deep expertise in optimizing both printing and mailing processes. Whether it’s version or variable printing, we ensure fast turnarounds, top-quality results, and significant postage savings.

Contact ANRO for a Printing or Direct Mail Quote or call us at 800.355.2676

Source 1: PostGrid Direct Mail Statistics That Will Convince You To Invest In It, 2024

Source 2: Zipdo, Essential Digital Marketing Vs Traditional Marketing Statistics In 2024

Source 3: Modern Postcard, Direct Mail Statistics 2023