Strategy: A Primer in the Basics of Catalog Circulation

Consider the following key elements: housefile selections, prospecting and plan execution.

Housefile Selections

Balance mailings to your housefile with the desired level of prospecting. About half of your circulation should be going to your housefile. Most catalogers use some form of recency, frequency, monetary (RFM) value classification, which flags all customers with a three-place identifier based on the recency, frequency and total monetary value of their previous purchases. The data are based on customer information in your housefile.