The Retailer's Guide to Cross-Channel Success
Search results for Direct Marketing Association
Found 100 item(s)
Found 100 item(s). Displaying 31-45
Double Jeopardy Over State Do-Not-Mail Bills
May 2009 From Retail Online Integration
Last year, 12 states had do-not-mail legislation under consideration. But none of the bills were enacted. This year, however, bills already have been refiled in some states, and new bills have been introduced in Connecticut, Florida and New Jersey. With varying enforcement mechanisms, the laws would prohibit mailing unsolicited direct marketing materials to persons who enter their names and addresses to state-maintained registries.
May 2009 From Retail Online Integration
Last year, 12 states had do-not-mail legislation under consideration. But none of the bills were enacted. This year, however, bills already have been refiled in some states, and new bills have been introduced in Connecticut, Florida and New Jersey. With varying enforcement mechanisms, the laws would prohibit mailing unsolicited direct marketing materials to persons who enter their names and addresses to state-maintained registries.
5 Tips to Minimize the Impact of USPS Rate Increases
March 24, 2009 From Tactics & Tips
Catalogers can’t afford a postal rate increase of any size in 2009, yet come May the USPS is raising rates at an average of 3.8 percent. This news comes on the heels of Postmaster General Jack Potter's warning that the USPS is staring at a possible $6 billion loss in fiscal year 2009. The USPS’ costs are unmanageable, and it simply doesn’t have enough Flats Sequencing Systems (FSS) equipment available today to generate savings based on automation. Catalogers don't have the luxury to wait for the USPS to pass along the savings generated from the FSS automation.
March 24, 2009 From Tactics & Tips
Catalogers can’t afford a postal rate increase of any size in 2009, yet come May the USPS is raising rates at an average of 3.8 percent. This news comes on the heels of Postmaster General Jack Potter's warning that the USPS is staring at a possible $6 billion loss in fiscal year 2009. The USPS’ costs are unmanageable, and it simply doesn’t have enough Flats Sequencing Systems (FSS) equipment available today to generate savings based on automation. Catalogers don't have the luxury to wait for the USPS to pass along the savings generated from the FSS automation.
Florida Dodges the Do-Not-Mail Bullet
March 17, 2009 From Jim Gilbert
Earlier today the Florida House of Representatives was supposed to vote on its version of a do-not-mail bill (HB 781). Luckily for Florida and the rest of the country, and our economy, the vote never happened.
March 17, 2009 From Jim Gilbert
Earlier today the Florida House of Representatives was supposed to vote on its version of a do-not-mail bill (HB 781). Luckily for Florida and the rest of the country, and our economy, the vote never happened.
8 Design Tips to Spur Catalog Sales
February 24, 2009 From Tactics & Tips
As a presenter at the Direct Marketing Association's Catalog on the Road Conference held in Cambridge, Mass., earlier this month, I provided the audience with eight creative tips to help grow sales during this most difficult selling environment. Here's a look at my “eight quick fixes”:
February 24, 2009 From Tactics & Tips
As a presenter at the Direct Marketing Association's Catalog on the Road Conference held in Cambridge, Mass., earlier this month, I provided the audience with eight creative tips to help grow sales during this most difficult selling environment. Here's a look at my “eight quick fixes”:
USPS Column Hits a Naive Nerve
February 9, 2009 From Jim Gilbert
I got lots of feedback to my column last week on the USPS and its brainstorm about going to a five-day workweek. Most of the comments showed up in my inbox or on my blog (which gets heavily promoted throughout the blogosphere). And most of them were pro-mailer, agreeing that the USPS needs to wake up.
February 9, 2009 From Jim Gilbert
I got lots of feedback to my column last week on the USPS and its brainstorm about going to a five-day workweek. Most of the comments showed up in my inbox or on my blog (which gets heavily promoted throughout the blogosphere). And most of them were pro-mailer, agreeing that the USPS needs to wake up.
A Chat With January's Profile, Brendan Edgerton, vice president of direct marketing, Crutchfield Co. (Text & Audio)
January 2009 From Retail Online Integration
Our entire interview with industry veteran Brendan Edgerton, including what he believes the catalog industry must do to remain relevant in these uncertain times
January 2009 From Retail Online Integration
Our entire interview with industry veteran Brendan Edgerton, including what he believes the catalog industry must do to remain relevant in these uncertain times
B-to-B Catalog Vet Don Buck Dies Suddenly
December 16, 2008 From Tactics & Tips
Don Buck, a B-to-B catalog executive at C&H Distributors, died on Dec. 12 from an apparent heart attack after finishing a game of racquetball. He was 56.
December 16, 2008 From Tactics & Tips
Don Buck, a B-to-B catalog executive at C&H Distributors, died on Dec. 12 from an apparent heart attack after finishing a game of racquetball. He was 56.
Customer-Centric Approach Focuses on the Data
November 2008 From Tactics & Tips
With the holiday shopping season upon us, many multichannel retailers are scrambling to find a new marketing approach to salvage something positive out of this troublesome year. Enter customer-centric retailing, the enterprise-wide use of customer data to establish a comprehensive understanding of customer behavior as a foundation for maximizing the relevance of cross-functional retail strategies. In a webinar from the Direct Marketing Association last week, Customer Centric Retailing — Making the Shift to a New Paradigm, presenters Miguel Pereira, director of consulting and analytical services at the customer retail strategies firm Precima, and Nicolle Scavuzzo, director of client services at Precima, outlined how customer-centric
November 2008 From Tactics & Tips
With the holiday shopping season upon us, many multichannel retailers are scrambling to find a new marketing approach to salvage something positive out of this troublesome year. Enter customer-centric retailing, the enterprise-wide use of customer data to establish a comprehensive understanding of customer behavior as a foundation for maximizing the relevance of cross-functional retail strategies. In a webinar from the Direct Marketing Association last week, Customer Centric Retailing — Making the Shift to a New Paradigm, presenters Miguel Pereira, director of consulting and analytical services at the customer retail strategies firm Precima, and Nicolle Scavuzzo, director of client services at Precima, outlined how customer-centric
Industry Eye
November 2008 From Retail Online Integration
GOLD INK AWARDS The 21st annual Gold Ink Awards continued to call attention to the print industry’s finest projects. This year, North American Publishing Co. (parent company of the Gold Ink Awards and Catalog Success and Book Business magazines, the latter of which presented the awards) received nearly 1,500 entries. A team of judges with backgrounds from across the print industry pored over the submissions, awarding Gold, Silver, Bronze and Pewter honors in a total of 46 different categories. In all, 488 entries were selected for awards. Here’s a look at the gold and silver winners in the business and consumer catalog divisions.
November 2008 From Retail Online Integration
GOLD INK AWARDS The 21st annual Gold Ink Awards continued to call attention to the print industry’s finest projects. This year, North American Publishing Co. (parent company of the Gold Ink Awards and Catalog Success and Book Business magazines, the latter of which presented the awards) received nearly 1,500 entries. A team of judges with backgrounds from across the print industry pored over the submissions, awarding Gold, Silver, Bronze and Pewter honors in a total of 46 different categories. In all, 488 entries were selected for awards. Here’s a look at the gold and silver winners in the business and consumer catalog divisions.
Reflections on DMA08: Two Viewpoints
October 2008 From Tactics & Tips
Major industry events, such as last week’s DMA08 Annual Conference in Las Vegas, can’t help but give you a feel for the climate and direction this business is headed, particularly when you get the view from all around. So Catalog Success: Tactics & Tips columnist and catalog consultant Jim Coogan and Catalog Success Editor-in-Chief Paul Miller did just that, taking the temperature from every quarter during various stages of its five-day run. Here’s what they heard and how they saw it relating to you, the catalog/multichannel merchant. Coogan’s Take There were some bearish assessments voiced regarding the direction of the catalog industry at the
October 2008 From Tactics & Tips
Major industry events, such as last week’s DMA08 Annual Conference in Las Vegas, can’t help but give you a feel for the climate and direction this business is headed, particularly when you get the view from all around. So Catalog Success: Tactics & Tips columnist and catalog consultant Jim Coogan and Catalog Success Editor-in-Chief Paul Miller did just that, taking the temperature from every quarter during various stages of its five-day run. Here’s what they heard and how they saw it relating to you, the catalog/multichannel merchant. Coogan’s Take There were some bearish assessments voiced regarding the direction of the catalog industry at the
4 Ways to Build a Successful E-Mail Marketing Strategy
October 2008 From Tactics & Tips
In a session I presented at the DMA08 annual conference and exhibition last week in Las Vegas, I provided several tips to help marketers better prepare their e-mail communication strategies. In particular, I focused on a couple of areas: the building blocks needed to get an e-mail campaign up and running, and how to make your e-mails more relevant to your customers. Here’s a rundown of what I went over. 1. Learn from tests conducted by major marketers. If you include an offer in your e-mail, for example, is it more powerful to present that offer as dollars off or a percentage discount? Changing
October 2008 From Tactics & Tips
In a session I presented at the DMA08 annual conference and exhibition last week in Las Vegas, I provided several tips to help marketers better prepare their e-mail communication strategies. In particular, I focused on a couple of areas: the building blocks needed to get an e-mail campaign up and running, and how to make your e-mails more relevant to your customers. Here’s a rundown of what I went over. 1. Learn from tests conducted by major marketers. If you include an offer in your e-mail, for example, is it more powerful to present that offer as dollars off or a percentage discount? Changing
Legal Matters: Beneath Those Refund and Return Policies
October 2008 From Retail Online Integration
Catalogs and Web sites provide customers with more than just product displays, merchandise descriptions and purchase information. They generally include a number of legal disclosures as well. Frequently overlooked, however, is an explanation of the retailer’s refund and return policy. Such a disclosure should be included, both as a matter of legal compliance and industry best practice. State Disclosure Laws Approximately one-third of states have enacted legislation related to retail sales return policies. A few states have disclosure laws specifically targeted toward certain types of direct marketers. • In California, a vendor conducting business through the Internet or other electronic means must
October 2008 From Retail Online Integration
Catalogs and Web sites provide customers with more than just product displays, merchandise descriptions and purchase information. They generally include a number of legal disclosures as well. Frequently overlooked, however, is an explanation of the retailer’s refund and return policy. Such a disclosure should be included, both as a matter of legal compliance and industry best practice. State Disclosure Laws Approximately one-third of states have enacted legislation related to retail sales return policies. A few states have disclosure laws specifically targeted toward certain types of direct marketers. • In California, a vendor conducting business through the Internet or other electronic means must
Catalogers Drawn to Alternative Opt-Out Service
September 2008 From Tactics & Tips
During the NEMOA Conference in Burlington, Vt., on Sept. 18, representatives from two key member catalogers — Jim Feinson of Gardeners Supply and Steve Voigt of King Arthur Flour — reported strong results using the independent opt-out service Catalog Choice. Although both use the Direct Marketing Association’s Mail Preference Service (MPS) as well (rebranded DMAChoice earlier this year), both said they feel Catalog Choice is the more consumer-friendly and better promoted of the two. “Also, we’ve learned that customers don’t trust the DMA,” Feinson said. “Its service isn’t as refined and user-friendly as Catalog Choice.” Apples to apples, Catalog Choice isn’t drastically different than
September 2008 From Tactics & Tips
During the NEMOA Conference in Burlington, Vt., on Sept. 18, representatives from two key member catalogers — Jim Feinson of Gardeners Supply and Steve Voigt of King Arthur Flour — reported strong results using the independent opt-out service Catalog Choice. Although both use the Direct Marketing Association’s Mail Preference Service (MPS) as well (rebranded DMAChoice earlier this year), both said they feel Catalog Choice is the more consumer-friendly and better promoted of the two. “Also, we’ve learned that customers don’t trust the DMA,” Feinson said. “Its service isn’t as refined and user-friendly as Catalog Choice.” Apples to apples, Catalog Choice isn’t drastically different than
Majority of Catalogers Offer Loyalty Programs for Free
September 2008 From Tactics & Tips
According to a recent loyalty marketing survey from the Direct Marketing Association in partnership with the loyalty marketing publisher COLLOQUY, 66.7 percent of catalogers offer their loyalty programs to customers for free. The survey polled 250 respondents from the catalog; supermarket and grocery store; hotel and restaurant; retail and department store; and bank and credit card industries. Here are some more findings of the survey. * 25 percent of catalogers said they charge different membership fees depending on the level of the loyalty program, and less than 10 percent charge one nominal fee to customers who join; * overall, more than 70 percent of
September 2008 From Tactics & Tips
According to a recent loyalty marketing survey from the Direct Marketing Association in partnership with the loyalty marketing publisher COLLOQUY, 66.7 percent of catalogers offer their loyalty programs to customers for free. The survey polled 250 respondents from the catalog; supermarket and grocery store; hotel and restaurant; retail and department store; and bank and credit card industries. Here are some more findings of the survey. * 25 percent of catalogers said they charge different membership fees depending on the level of the loyalty program, and less than 10 percent charge one nominal fee to customers who join; * overall, more than 70 percent of
Catalog is Top Sales Driver for Multichannel Merchants
September 2008 From Tactics & Tips
In its annual State of the Catalog Industry report, the Direct Marketing Association revealed that 62 percent of multichannel companies, including catalog, retail and Internet merchants, use catalogs as their primary sales channel. The recent online survey includes responses from 106 multichannel merchants. Here are some highlights from the report. * The print catalog is the largest revenue generator among all channels, with an average of nearly 50 percent of sales in 2007 and 2008; * 32 percent of respondents use search marketing as a tool to cross-sell offline buyers online; * circulation has surged in the past five years as more companies use
September 2008 From Tactics & Tips
In its annual State of the Catalog Industry report, the Direct Marketing Association revealed that 62 percent of multichannel companies, including catalog, retail and Internet merchants, use catalogs as their primary sales channel. The recent online survey includes responses from 106 multichannel merchants. Here are some highlights from the report. * The print catalog is the largest revenue generator among all channels, with an average of nearly 50 percent of sales in 2007 and 2008; * 32 percent of respondents use search marketing as a tool to cross-sell offline buyers online; * circulation has surged in the past five years as more companies use
