Lenser

When it comes to integrating creative between the three primary marketing channels – catalog, Web and retail – much has been said about presenting a consistent image across all channels. But doing so isn’t always so easy. As Carol Worthington-Levy, partner and director at San Rafael, Calif.-based consultancy LENSER, pointed during a session at the recent New England Mail Order Association conference in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., multichannel marketers should enroll their creative people in “taking a role in the actual selling process.” She offered the following points and tips to marketers looking for ways to achieve multichannel consistency: Leverage your branding across all media that sells

1. Use your catalog hot spots to their full advantage. FIll those spaces with the best products. Don't waste it. 2. Create a promotional plan tailored to drive response, reactivation or conversion, depending on your specific goal. 3. Use customized inkjet messages on the back cover to increase response rate and AOV. People love to see their own names. —Michelle Farabaugh, partner, LENSER

Although it’s one of cataloging’s oldest circulation planning practices, recency/frequency/monetary value (RFM) segmentation is under-used by many smaller catalogers, pointed out John Lenser, president of circulation planning consulting firm Lenser during his session, “Circulation and Merge Strategies in a Multichannel World,” at last week’s ACCM. “RFM’s been the buzzword of direct marketing for as long as I can remember,” Lenser said. “The reality is, you want to segment by RFM even if you have two names in a cell.” He offered several RFM segmentation tips: *Create appropriate segments irrespective of segment size. *There’s no need for statistical significance in segment size. *Don’t be afraid to segment house files

Test the following to help gauge customer contact needs/wants. 1. Simplify everything. 2. Change [your catalog] cover and opening spread. 3. Decrease circulation by raising the standards of sales per book. 4. Allow "cost of customer acquisition" to determine prospecting strategy. 5. Consider creating a prospecting catalog. —Michelle Farabaugh, partner, LENSER

1. Insert bounceback catalogs into all outgoing packages. This is when customers are excited about your products. They're opening their packages, anxious for their order. Now's the time to hook them with another offer. 2. Use outgoing packages for other customer communication, including inducement on further purchases. 3. Use a discount mailer for catalog requests. 4. Consider magazine ride-alongs. If the audience has affinity, why not give readers a means to buy a product perhaps used in an article in the publication? 5. Test package insert programs. But instead of simply giving a card with your top item (which may not appeal to

By Carolyn Heinze How to maintain consistency in creative endeavors throughout your sales channels. As the number of channels through which catalogers promote their products increases, so, too, does the need for consistency among an organization's marketing materials. If you want both existing customers and prospects to recognize your brand, the elements that are used in your catalog must appear on your Web site, in your e-mail campaigns and, if applicable, at the retail level. It sounds like common sense, but if your creative processes aren't streamlined, consistency can be difficult to achieve. "Some companies, like Harry and David, are really good

By Carolyn Heinze How to maintain consistency in creative endeavors throughout your sales channels. As the number of channels through which catalogers promote their products increases, so, too, does the need for consistency among an organization's marketing materials. If you want both existing customers and prospects to recognize your brand, the elements that are used in your catalog must appear on your Web site, in your e-mail campaigns and, if applicable, at the retail level. It sounds like common sense, but if your creative processes aren't streamlined, consistency can be difficult to achieve. "Some companies, like Harry and David, are really good

"We've used clubs, discounts on next purchases, last chance catalogs, etc. One must be on guard that you do not degrade your margin to the point that the programs do not pay. You also risk in reactivation programs, reactivating customers who have been and will be marginal at best — unlikely to purchase in the future without a significant discount. All these programs must be carefully tested." —John Lenser, president, Lenser, www.lenser.com

Some suggestions from Michelle Farabaugh, partner, Lenser: 1. Co-mail with another, non-competitive catalog. If the audiences have affinity, the result could be heightened sales and lower postage costs. 2. Leverage the piece rate, 3.3 ounces. 3. Reduce your page count. 4. Reduce the trim size. 5. Reduce the paper weight. 6. Eliminate the separate order form.

The following are some tried and true ideas you may want to put to task in your own operations. 1. Push your paper/print supplier for ideas. With all the competition, suppliers generally are willing to work with you. 2. Use the most efficient print forms and signatures. Chances are good that if you have a large book, trimming four pages won't make a huge difference in response. 3. Buy paper direct. 4. Decrease paper grade/weight. 5. Change select signatures to lighter-weight paper. 6. Evaluate the need for a separate order form. 7. Cut pages from books mailed during