Catalog Doctor: Intense, Competitor Analysis

Warning: Make them action-oriented. Avoid goals like, “Come up with five new ideas.” Ideas tend to get loved, filed and forgotten. (In No. 9, the Doctor looks at specific initiatives you might launch.)

TWO: Identify Your Competitors

Your competitors usually fall into three tiers:

Tier 1 — Direct competitors. If you sell fruitcake, your direct competitors are other catalogers that sell fruitcake. You’ll probably have three to six direct competitors. These are the key players to examine — the ones to study in-depth. Candy or gourmet meat catalogers aren’t your direct competitors. When you gather the quantitative data (see pg. SIX), put them on your spreadsheet.