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Catalog Trim Size and Paper Weight

Catalog Trim Size and Paper Weight

Varying catalog trim sizes or paper weights do make a difference to your bottom line. However, this difference may not be what you might expect. Always test before you take a leap of faith. A/B split testing various paper grades and weight is easy and inexpensive to...

Catalog Start-ups: What You Need to Know

Catalog Start-ups: What You Need to Know

What does it take today to start a catalog? Deep pockets, that’s what it takes. It is expensive to start a catalog and it takes time. Building wealth by starting a catalog is what you read about in the tabloids. The reality, however, is much different. Not having...

Catalog Costs – How Low Can You Go?

Catalog Costs – How Low Can You Go?

Direct mail is experiencing a long overdue resurgence for retailers, hastened by the pandemic. Increasingly crowded ads on social media and Google, full email boxes, SMS dings all day long…while the much-misaligned mailbox remained emptier as credit card offers...

Catalog Circulation – What to do About Declining Prospect Results

Catalog Circulation – What to do About Declining Prospect Results

Response rates to outside prospect lists have been declining for many catalog companies the past few years. Last year was no exception. In some cases, results to tried and true continuation lists are off by as much as 50%. This is not a trend that is likely to reverse...

Catalog Circulation Never The Same Again

Catalog Circulation Never The Same Again

Catalog circulation planning has changed forever. Significant changes have occurred making it more difficult to plan. Previous proven methods may no longer be effective. It is all about multichannel marketing today. The key to success is knowing how to use your...

Best Strategy for Hard Times And, What NOT to Do!

Best Strategy for Hard Times And, What NOT to Do!

My entire career since graduating from Indiana University in 1971 has been devoted to catalogs. There have been good and off years. However, I can honestly say that this is the most difficult and challenging year I have seen. Gas prices, consumer debt and the National...

Best Mailing Strategy to Web Only Buyers

Best Mailing Strategy to Web Only Buyers

There is a tendency to think web buyers don’t need to be mailed at all. Or, not as much as catalog buyers regardless of their R-F-M. It is easy to jump to the conclusion not to mail web buyers as a way to save money by circulating fewer catalogs. I feel there is a...

Best Catalog Circulation Strategy for 2009

Best Catalog Circulation Strategy for 2009

I am optimistic that 2009 will be a better year for catalogers and on-line merchants even thought the experts say the recovery will be gradual. There are bright spots within given merchandise categories. For example, the religious goods, pet and hobby markets are all...

The Google Shuffle and Keyword Vanity

The Google Shuffle and Keyword Vanity

It has been common knowledge for more than a decade that Google makes hundreds of changes to its algorithm every year. Some are large-scale changes that come with much fanfare, but most are very small day-to-day changes that are more about testing than imposing...