What is a PURL and what can it do for me?
A PURL is a personalized web page (or URL). PURLs are often used as the centerpiece of multichannel direct marketing campaigns because they help you track response rates, capture information about your customers, and can even allow you to tailor a web page to a specific customer’s preferences. An example of a PURL is: www.yourwebsite.com/JohnSmith.
How PURLs Work
In direct mail campaigns, each piece can carry a unique PURL. When recipients enter their individual PURLs into their web browsers, they are directed to special web pages designed just for them. PURLs can also be included in email newsletters or other electronic communications.
Since each recipient receives his or her own, unique PURL you know exactly who is viewing your website as a result of the campaign. Just think about how you can leverage this person-specific data! Here are some ideas:
- Entice the visitor with a coupon or giveaway, or some other incentive so you convert the response into a solid sales lead (or paying customer) on his or her first visit.
- Solicit a response to an event invitation or function and then follow up as the event draws near.
- Ask them to fill out a short web survey regarding your products or services, or to sign up for your newsletters. Collect their email addresses as part of the process and remember to ask them to “opt in” to receiving messages from you so have permission to reach out to them through email in the future.
- Respond in real time! That’s right, a recipient’s response can trigger any number of immediate actions, from a follow up email to a phone call or other form of personalized response.
QR Codes and PURLs are Perfect Together
A quick response (QR) code is simply a graphic representation of a PURL (or any website address) that can be scanned with a smartphone or other device. When a recipient scans the code, he or she is directed to the embedded PURL. The main benefit of a QR code is that the recipient does not need to manually type the URL into a web browser.
Digital Dog Direct can generate and print unique QR codes tailored to each recipient using the latest variable printing technology. QR codes are just one more clever way to generate interest and engage your customers!
Next month we’ll look at PURLs and QR codes as part of a complete multichannel marketing campaign.
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