Don't Try This at the Office

A cruel reality of any b-to-b cataloger's marketing plan is the advertising expense-to-sales ratio. David Ogilvy, who is considered to be the father of modern advertising, once said, "50 percent of my advertising works. I just don't know which 50 percent."

The advantage of cataloging and direct mail compared to Ogilvy's general advertising is the ability to track response and build break-even analysis. With any promotion, solo mailing or catalog, developing the financial break-even is an important decision-making tool.