Beyond a USP: The Secrets to Competitive Advantage
The smaller your niche, the better your fit needs to be and the more all of your activities need to mutually reinforce each other. You develop and source product, and position that product through pricing and benefit statements. You promote it through photography, copy and marketing. You answer questions about your product and close sales for it through phone calls, Web sites, faxes and outside sales. You ship your product to your customers, accept returns and reship orders.
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.
