Testing Your Way to a Breakthrough

Before subtracting pages, be sure the cost savings are at least as much as the revenue you’ll lose from the dropped items. Also ensure that the number of remaining pages is sufficient to make the catalog look and feel substantial and not like a brochure. A good rule of thumb is that you’ll garner 50 percent of the increase or lose 50 percent of the decrease in dollars per catalog. In other words, if you add 10 percent more pages, you’ll get a 5-percent lift, if you cut 10 percent of your pages, you’ll see a 5-percent drop-off.