Bruce Jensen

We all know that e-books are on the rise. If you had any doubts, Amazon squelched them with its recent announcement that the company's e-books sales surpassed sales of hard copies for the first time. E-books are definitely experiencing impressive gains, but even with that revelation, e-books only make up a small portion of total book industry sales.

After some volatile years in the catalog industry, confidence is emerging for better times ahead. Recovery actually started in 2010, when catalogers began returning to higher page counts and circulations. There will likely be some caution in the first half of the year as direct marketers continue to monitor the economy for signs of sustained improvement, but the second half could be much more robust.

Whatever your personalization strategy, the key is to get started. Develop a personalization plan and keep working your way up the personalization ladder. Each step will bring new benefits and help generate the return on investment you need to justify further investments.

Retailers and direct marketers must do more for less while providing concrete proof that their programs deliver results. That brings personalization to the forefront. Done right, personalization consistently delivers higher return on investment. But “done right” is the operative phrase.

No one has enough time and resources to do everything. That means you have to make decisions about what will bring you the best return and then spend accordingly. Focusing on good database marketing practices in combination with strong creative, high-level customization and integrated campaigns will produce the superior returns your company seeks.

Recently there’s been a groundswell of consumer support for sustainable business practices among marketers. And no group has drawn more ire than catalogers, whose efforts are visible to the public every day in the mailbox. Fortunately, the printing and paper industries have a wide range of tools and processes available to reduce the carbon footprint of mailings. Here are 10 key practices you should implement to make your business more sustainable: 1. Think big picture. It’s the whole supply chain, not just paper. What happens down the line starts at the design stage. Form a team and think the catalog through from beginning to