Key Performance Indicators: 10 to Track.

1. Gross demand. Dollars and orders obviously are an important KPI to measure daily. Measure this against your budget rather than your prior year due to changes you may have made in your plans (e.g., circulation, merchandising).

2. Twelve-month buyer file count. Typically a catalog business will grow by the same percentage as its 12-month housefile increases. For example, if your 12-month buyer file increases by 15 percent, your revenue should increase by about the same percentage. (The reverse of this also is true.) When you focus on growing your 12-month housefile, your business also should grow. The 12-month buyer counts must be tracked on a monthly and annual basis.