Is The Catalog Dead?

Mailing catalogs seems to be a thing of the past. Between rising postage costs, rising paper costs and the do-not-mail list gaining in size, catalog printing seems to be fighting a losing battle. With all of these things against the catalog, is it still a worthy marketing technique? Are Victoria's Secret and L.L. Bean destined to the trash can before they even reach consumers' houses?

Not necessarily. Many companies still use catalogs as their main money-maker. Take a look:

Shiffler, a school and facility supplies company, recently launched a second catalog and more than 90% of its income is generated from catalog orders.

Mountain Gear, an outdoor gear provider, upped its catalog circulation over the last two years and more than 80% of its sales are generated by catalog orders.

Office Depot, an office product supplier, has been investing more money into its catalog campaign, according to Dean Jackson, director of catalog and offline marketing. He says customers that order through the catalog average a higher order value than online buyers.

How marketers have kept catalogs alive

Despite the nice examples stated above, catalogers are still working hard to make their catalogs successful and to get a positive ROI (return on investment). Here are some ways you can create successful catalogs.

1. Segment customers. You need to understand customer buying behavior and market to the people who are interested in what you are selling. Do some research and find out what people have bought from catalogs in the past. Channel your energy to those customers, not ones that have bought online or through your store.

2. Combine catalogs with email blasts. Many companies are sending out emails announcing that a catalog will be arriving at consumers' homes within a few days of the email announcement. The email often has some kind of preview of the newest thing in the catalog or previews a special deal in the catalog to pump up anticipation.

3. Mail more often with a lighter load. This might seem contrary with the rising postage issue, but increasing your mailings with smaller catalogs could work in your favor. With more frequent mailings, you can offer customers relevant goods and keep each catalog focused on that season's offerings. The lighter catalogs will cut down your postage costs, making up for the increase in mailings.

4. Include an offer with a catalog order that is not good in your store or online. If you want people to order from your catalog instead of going online, you need to give them a reason to do so. Ordering online seems much more efficient nowadays, so you need to sweeten the deal for ordering through your catalog. A 50% off sale through your catalog or something equally mind-blowing is what you'll need to draw people to your catalog. Just make sure your offer balances your ROI and that the discount will be worth it to your bottom line.


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