2. A Personalized URL, or "PURL," is a unique
website personalized for each recipient of a
direct mail, or email marketing campaign.
3. The PURL literally contains the recipients
name in the website address itself.
4. When the recipient goes to the Internet and
types in the PURL, they will be greeted with a
website that is personalized to them.
5. Benefits of using PURLs
• Peak Curiosity
PURLs catch the attention of your prospects and opens the door to further communication.
• Increase Response Rates
PURLs typically increase response rates by 50-100%!
• Higher Engagement
Visitors who go to their PURLs tend to stay engaged longer and have higher conversion rates.
• Instant Follow-Up
Receive Real-Time email alerts for your sales team to follow up with interested prospects.
• Highly Trackable
Track who visited their PURL, when they visited, and how interested they are.
6. Ways to Use PURLs
• Lead Nurturing
Collect additional information about your visitors and push responses to sales team in real time.
• Enrollment
Encourage enrollment for trade shows, classes, or memberships. A pre-populated form makes
enrollment easy.
• Renewals
Easily renew a membership, contract or subscription by simply visiting the PURL.
• Direct Sales
Suggest products based on past purchase history.
• Questionnaires
Provide your customers with an quick and easy way to give feedback.
7. Who are PURLs for?
Any business looking to engage with their customers
uniquely, or those that have access to a database for a
marketing campaign.
8. Who uses PURLs?
Thousands of companies are using PURLS to manage
their cross-media marketing campaigns. Here are some
of the major US brands that are using PURLS.
• Kodak • Microsoft • BMW
• HP • Nike, Team Jordan • Nestle
• Motorola • The Houston Rockets • Kawasaki
• Harvard University • Ford • Frito Lay
• Comcast • Discovery Channel • House of Blues
• First American • Sony • Sage Software
Corporation
9. Quick Tips
• Cohesiveness is Key
The mail piece, email, and microsite should all look very similar. This way the recipient knows they are
part of the same campaign.
• Short Domain Name
A simple, short, and memorable domain name will strengthen the campaign.
• Be Crystal Clear
The visitor should know exactly what your offering within 5 seconds of looking at your message.
• Don’t be Creepy
Try not to use personal data in attempt to be more relevant. Just because you know that your visitor
has 2 little girls at home, doesn’t mean you need to say it.
• Test, Test, Test
You’ve heard it before, but PURLs allow you to test at a much deeper level than traditional marketing.
Take advantage of it.
10. PURL Statistics
• According to the DMA, 42% of direct mail respondents PREFER to respond
ONLINE.
Direct Marketing Association "2007 Statistical Fact Book"
• According to the 2004 report from PIA/GATF's Digital Printing Council, the
response rates for a customized color direct mail campaign [including
PURLs] average 21%! Compare that to traditional direct mail response rates
hovering around 1.3%.
Interquest, "Variable data imaging Opportunities with Digital Printing Presses"
• When a group of service providers were asked which tools or priorities
would grow in importance in 2009, 87% indicated Digital/Online Integration.
Winterberry Group, A Channel in Transformation:Vertical Market Trends in Direct Mail 2009
11. PURL Statistics (cont.)
• Only 3% of marketing executives had not produced a single personalized
campaign in the previous year.
Patricia Source "Data-Driven Print" 2006
• Well executed multi-channel marketing campaigns generate a sales lift of
7-34% versus traditional marketing approaches.
Internet Advertising Bureau
• 81% of marketing executives agree that target direct marketing campaigns
outperform mass-market campaigns.
Patricia Source "Data-Driven Print" 2006
