There is growing pressure the past year on list performance. It’s more about contribution to profit & overhead as it should be. This has caused catalogers to reduce circulation and to prospect less. As a result, 12-month buyer counts are down and there are...
I want to discuss the basics of list segmentation and why it is an important part of maximizing profitability. Segmenting your customers, i.e., house file, will help you know who to mail and, just as important, who not to mail. The days of mailing your entire house...
The past year was extremely difficult for catalog companies. Many firms elected to mail deeper to their house files (instead of prospecting for new buyers). Prospecting is down -30% to -50% according to industry sources. New list testing is off -43%. This means...
It pains me to see catalog companies making bad decisions (with good intentions) that can be self-destructive to their business. I know these decisions are being made for all the right reasons; mainly to reduce expenses and to save money. The actions taken are most...
Most of you would say, “yes” to this question. But do you really know the level of customer service you are providing in the eyes of your customers? According to an article in a local newspaper by Gad Allen, Faculty Director of the Jerome Fisher Program of Management...
Free Shipping! $10 Off! Take 20%! Promotions such as these are very common today. Consumers have been conditioned to expect an offer and catalogers are afraid not to give them one. We do know that promotions increase the rate of response. We also know that gross...
If you are thinking about expanding your marketing program to include a print or direct mail strategy, this article is for you. A “print” strategy can help grow your business by driving new (and current) customers to your website. Direct mail will complement your...
The relationship you have with your printer is important. After all, your printer is probably your largest unsecured vendor. Today, the printer does more for the cataloger than put ink on paper. They ink-jet address and distribute catalogs to your many customers and...
Think you’ve tried every way to save on postage? Think again... Stephen R. Lett and Sandy Wolstencroft took it upon themselves to break down virtually all the ways you can implement change in your catalog mailing strategy to adapt to the new rates — but without having...
