Optimizing Cooperative Database Response

As I talk to industry colleagues, I frequently hear the lament that prospecting and the cooperative databases do not perform like they used to. The common response is to simply reduce prospecting until cost-of-customer-acquisition goals are realized. Unfortunately, this also results in fewer new customers being added to the buyer file and, eventually, significantly fewer Read More Optimizing Cooperative Database Response

Add a Million to Your Bottom Line

Most catalog companies today waste thousands of dollars, if not millions, in over mailing catalogs to their customers and prospects. Most industry pundits who make this observation simply recommend eliminating mailings to those buyers that they deem responsive to digital marketing or to less responsive segments. Such reductions often result in significant loss of sales, Read More Add a Million to Your Bottom Line

How to Kick Your Retail Store Sales into High Gear

Last week I was sad to read that one of the first “brick and mortar” clients I worked with 20 years ago had declared bankruptcy. I was reminded of the initial project that I did for them. They had hugely expanded their catalog program, mailing many millions of catalogs over the year, but with results Read More How to Kick Your Retail Store Sales into High Gear

Great Retailers Have Great Merchants

I recently read an article in the Wall Street Journal, titled: “Data Pushes Aside Chief Merchants”?  The article reported that “intuition is being displaced by algorithms,” and that a new breed of chief merchant is being hired by large companies such as Kohl’s, Target, and Walmart.  The new merchant is more likely to have come Read More Great Retailers Have Great Merchants

Million Dollar Multis

Want to make a quick million? Sure you do! I’ll tell you how. And no, I’m not a scammer. Over and over again, when CohereOne completes a best practice review of the marketing program of a mid-size catalog company, we find an easy fix that delivers $1,000,000+ dollars straight to the bottom line. In this case, Read More Million Dollar Multis

Thriving in the Jungle

On Sunday morning, I was relaxing with my cup of joe when the doorbell rang. I was surprised to see the USPS at my door delivering the three mixing bowls I had ordered from Amazon on Friday afternoon with “one click.” Wow! Unbelievable! While I was pleased that I could use new cookware for Sunday Read More Thriving in the Jungle

What it takes to REALLY move the needle

As direct marketers, we all spend much time “fine tuning”, working under the premise that success will come from the cumulative effect of applying “best practices” in everything we do. This is especially true for us “data geeks” who are continually tweaking this or that model or contact strategy. This search is even more intense Read More What it takes to REALLY move the needle

Do You Really Want to Go Younger?!

This week a client lamented that his customers are growing older, and he intends to target younger prospects with his future catalog mailings. This “Ponce de Leon syndrome” is frequently expressed to me, and in fact, has led many direct marketers to disastrous results  as they purposely pursue younger customers with their existing offers, or Read More Do You Really Want to Go Younger?!

Name Your Price, How to Set Correct Pricing Strategies

Again this year, as I reviewed the catalogs arriving in my mailbox and shopped on my favorite websites, I was completely baffled by product prices that seemed completely irrational. They reminded me of a client where I observed similarly abstract prices. When I asked about the prices, she informed me that she simply doubled whatever Read More Name Your Price, How to Set Correct Pricing Strategies

Be Careful with In Home Dates around World Events

Over 25 years ago, I was having dinner with a wise COO of The Sharper Image when he remarked that we were in for a bad year of sales. When I asked why, he responded, “it’s an election AND an Olympic year”? He had tracked the performance of all the various catalog companies he had Read More Be Careful with In Home Dates around World Events