Strategy: A Primer in the Basics of Catalog Circulation

Step 1. Take the basic mailing information at the segment level: quantity mailed, orders received and gross sales for the year prior to the one you’re planning. Calculate the performance measures — percent response, average order and dollars per book.

Step 2. Quantify any changes to your programs, such as page counts, density and promotional offers, in terms of a percent increase or percent decrease. Apply these changes to the percent response and average order, as each would affect that measure.