Focus on: A Catalog Startup

By Reported Donna Loyle

Take-away Tips from Crossing Pointe

Lewis Shapiro, vice president and general manager of Crossing Pointe and a veteran merchant of women’s apparel, offers the following tips to start-up catalogers:

- “Focus, focus, focus ... then execute the plan. Believe in what you’re doing,” he says.
- Hire people who have a passion for direct marketing.
- To bring a broader perspective to the management table, hire a diverse group of professionals.
- Retain your reputation as a good company to work for and with, says Shapiro.
- Track your results. Numerous technology solutions can help. Use them to get a better idea of who your customers are and how they’re finding you, either in print or via the Web.