If you have any reason to want to drive an individual to a webpage, consider using a PURL.  Click on the image to the right for an interesting example.

A PURL is a personalized URL – one that can be created to include an individual’s name.  It usually looks like this http://firstname.lastname.yourdomain.com or firstname.lastname.yourdomain.com.  Several companies can now use variable digital printing to automate the creation and management of PURLs for every direct mail or email recipient you may have, whether that list includes 1 or 1 million names.  The PURL takes the recipient to a page of content that may be the same as all the others or that may content custom content intended just for that individual.

One company estimates that PURLs can improve direct mail response rates by 34% and I believe it.  From a psychological standpoint, using a person’s own name next to your URL creates trust -and curiosity.  A company that goes to the effort of greeting you by name seems to be sending a signal that it appreciates your business:  and PURLs aren’t so overused yet that the effect has worn itself out.

PURLs are fun!  Sending a party, conference or wedding invitation online?  Anyone that has their own website can create multiple PURLs.  Try it out.