You collect it. It is cumbersome, painful and time consuming, but it will not get done any other way. How do you know what your model client "is" if you do not collect information on all of your buyers? How are you going to target and attract others with similar demographics? Business owners like to guess and they really think they know what their target audience "is" without collecting data. But, you don't know what you don't know. Devise a systematic method of collecting information on your clients: what items they like to purchase, favorite colors, fabrics, how often you see them, their birthday, what is their price point, how they like to pay, favorite brands or exclusive lines, etc...

A study performed by CAP Ventures shows that response rates using variable date improve 38%, response time improves by 40%, and retention improves by 48%. Variable data printing creates marketing materials that have value to the consumer. Even transactional materials such as financial statements are kept and read because they speak directly to their audience. Pay attention to the mail you receive; did they use your name, did they utilize your buying habits and patterns? 

Variable data printing is a method of reaching a specific audience and speaking their specific language. Case studies show that variable data printing has proven that readers respond better to targeted messages. Variable data printing can range from the very basic, to complex. A letter with a personal salutation and/or personal address is an example of basic variable data printing. A  brochure you receive in the mail from a car manufacturer that has directions and maps to the nearest dealership, financing options aligned with your financial needs and  full color photos of your dream car, is a complex example. The more complex the marketing piece is, the more value it has to the reader and your response rate should increase.