A Chat with Eduard Bjorncrantz, Vice President, Direct Marketing at Day-Timers, Inc.

CS: What about the catalog business appeals to you?

EB: Catalogs need to be viewed in the context of multichannel marketing. I’ve liked the catalog for years, but when the Internet came along, it really made it more exciting. It’s a much more complicated and higher potential business now that there are more channels to integrate the catalog with. In and of itself, I like the catalog because you can sit down and plan, and measure and make your next plans. But it’s more than just liking the catalog business. I’ll refer back to what I really like about direct marketing; identifying growth opportunities, developing plans for growth and not just tweaking the dials. If I’ve been in positions that are more in a maintenance mode, I really don’t get the emotional charge that I get if I’m trying to rebuild or build a business. You’ve got to be emotionally involved if you’re in a leadership position.