Sales Topper or Door Stopper?

The following 10 steps can help.

1. Understand the order-response curve. This is defined as the lifespan of the catalog — from the time the book drops in the mail until the last order is taken. This metric typically is influenced by page count, merchandise assortment, customer segments mailed, promotional offers or a seasonal ending date, such as a holiday or a sale expiration date. For example, a sale catalog mailed to your best customers will have a quick order-response curve — perhaps less than four weeks. Most orders will come in the first two weeks, and by week three, nearly 85 percent of all orders for the life of that catalog are tallied.