Ed's Take: Here's to Better Times Ahead
We've reached the final issue of 2009 for All About ROI, certainly a year most of us are happy to see end. As we look forward to a better 2010, I'm pumped that there are some positive signs out there showing a recovery is on the way. It may take a little time, but it's coming.
In this issue, here's something to help jump-start your business: our new All About ROI resource guide, offering all the relevant information you need to reach every vendor in the integrated retail/online/catalog world. I encourage you to peruse it and find partners to help you navigate through 2010 and beyond.
I'd like to extend a special thanks to our editorial team — most notably Copy Editor Joe Boland, Production/Online Editor Thorin McGee, Senior Editor Joe Keenan and Group Art Director Al Feuerstein — for its pain-?staking and noble work processing the entries in our directory.
Also a special thanks to our Inside Sales Director Linda Silverstein. This is one of those rare projects in which editorial works closely with the sales team, and Linda's been a tremendous help in making sure we include all the relevant listings in our directory.
Onward & Upward
On a personal note, this will be my last Editor's Take column, as I'm stepping down as editor-in-chief to pursue other opportunities. Beginning with our January issue, you'll see Melissa Campanelli's picture on this page, and she'll be taking over the top spot here. Many of you know Melissa as editor-in-chief of our sister property, eM+C, a position she'll continue in as we make some internal adjustments with both properties going forward.
I'd also like to thank our editorial board and columnists for all their help during my nearly four-year tenure here. You've all been very helpful in sharing your ideas on the editorial direction of All About ROI, particularly when we sought your guidance in expanding our focus from the former Catalog Success. Our dialogue last spring when we sought a new direction toward retail integration was tremendous.
As for me, I'll continue to contribute articles to All About ROI on the present and future of the online/catalog/retail trade over the next few months. A quick preview: I remain bullish about this business despite its struggles over the past two years.
This holiday season may or may not turn out so great. But soon enough, those wallets are going to open up again. When they do, marketers will have to be ready to serve them in a very 2010s way.
After Dec. 1, I can be reached at (914) 277-7390 or p914m@aol.com. Best to all.
