Are SOHOs Bringing You Down?
Regardless of the factors you determine to be your predictors, you’ll want to test your conclusions before making a sweeping change to your mail plan.
4. Run a simple test. An easy test is to select the segment you believe doesn’t warrant a mailing and not mail a statistically significant random select from that group. By tracking the sales from the two groups — one mailed and the other not — you can begin determining whether to mail them less frequently or to pull them from your mailings altogether.
A columnist for Retail Online Integration, George founded HAGUEdirect, a marketing agency. Previously he was a member of the Shawnee Mission, Kan.-based consulting and creative agency J. Schmid & Assoc. He has more than 10 years of experience in circulation, advertising, consulting and financial strategy in the catalog/retail industry. George's expertise includes circulation strategy, mailing execution, response analysis and financial planning. Before joining J. Schmid, George worked as catalog marketing director at Dynamic Resource Group, where he was responsible for marketing and merchandising for the Annie's Attic Needlecraft catalog, the Clotilde Sewing Notions catalog, the House of White Birches Quilter's catalog and three book clubs. George also worked on corporate acquisitions.
