60 Ways to Increase Your Mail Order Catalog Sales

This article is meant to inform. Please don't
construe this as legal advice.				Once the prospects have selected the
				merchandise they wish to buy, make it as easy
Perfection in a mail order catalog is like infinity...you				as possible for them to order Procedures 27-31
can continually approach it but never quite reach it.
In the case of many catalogs it is not necessary				27. Be sure your ordering information is easy to
to achieve perfectionor even approach it very				understand.
closely in order to make the catalog vastly more
profitable than it is at present. Relatively small				28.. Make your order form easy to use, with
improvements can result in a				adequate space to write the necessary
more-than-proportionate enlargement of that				information.
all-important figure on the bottom line of the
financial statement.				29. Put in one or more extra order forms to
				make it easier for customers to order again..
Making as many improvements as possible as
quickly as possible isprobably the most profitable				30. Encourage prospects to order by phone on
procedure. But even making each new catalog a				credit, charge or c.o.d. sales and encourages them
little better than the one that preceded it can				to telephone for further information they may
produce substantial increases in sales per catalog				desire.
and in total sales over a period of time.
				31. Offer a 24-hour phone-in service through an
Following are 60 suggestions that should help your				arrangement with a local telephone answering
catalog do a better selling job for you if you are				service that can answer your phone during the
not already using these ideas. Whether you use all				hours that your business is not normally open..
of them in connection with your next catalog or				This is especially convenient for the customer
adopt a few at a time in the course of producing				who shops in your catalog during evening or
several future catalogs, the ultimate result should				weekend hours. Make it as easy as possible for
be very noticeable and very profitable.				customers to pay for their ordersProcedures 32
				and 33Offer credit card service on orders for a
BEFORE YOU CREATE YOUR CATALOG....				specified amount or more.. By putting a minimum
				on credit card orders you will often increase the
1. Look at your present catalog with extremely				original order to at least that minimum amount.
cold, critical andunsympathetic eye. Pick out all the				Credit card orders tend to be nearly double the
faults-large or small-that you could find if you				size of cash orders.
were no longer the owner of the catalog buta
nitpicking customer who has been disappointed in				33. Make it easy to determine shipping charges so
his or her last purchase from you and is still sore				they can be included in cash-with-order
about it. Such a review could be very				payments.Use order starters and sales stimulators
enlightening-even if it should prove slightly				such as 34 to 42
embarrassing-and could make your new catalog
much more profitable.				34. Use a wrap-around letter on the front of your
				catalog to stimulate ,ore orders and to do a selling
2. Put your "letterman" on your team. Review all				job on the merchandise in the catalog; also to
incoming correspondence from customers and				make special appeals to special groups orcall
prospects during the last two years for				attention to merchandise in the catalog of special
comments, suggestions or criticisms that may be				interest to special groups.
helpfulin preparing your new catalog. Screen all
future correspondence of this nature as it arrives				35. Use the wrap-around to offer order starters
and place copies of the useful letters in a special				(loss leaders or hot items to get prospects in to
file to be reviewed before starting your next				the catalog).
catalog.
				36. Offer specials at intervals throughout the
3. Think of your catalog as a means of helping				catalog to entice readers to start an order. Once
your prospects accomplish something they want				they buy even one lonely item they'll tend to
to accomplish or create an effect they want to				order other items to go with it.
create-and prepare your layouts, copy and
illustrations accordingly.				37. Offer logical assortments of mixed or
				matched seasonal items to provide extra variety
4. For each major type of product you sell,				and pleasure at any given period of time. Make
determine as many reasons as possible why				suggestions for these assortments and provide
different groups of prospects or customers do				inducements for prospects to order them.
buy or should buy this product. Arrange your
groups of prospects or customers in their orders				38. Offer assortments of mixed or matched
of importance. For eachgroup arrange the reasons				items designed for use during different seasons in
for buying in order of there importance. Then				order to provide variety and pleasurethroughout
arrange the reasons in their order of				the year (or most of it) instead of during just one
importanceto your total group of prospects or				season.
customers. Use the most important reason as the
basis for the copy and illustrations youuse in this				39. Offer a free guide or plan for using each
catalog.				assortment above correctly and offer information
				on how to make the most effectiveoverall use of
If there are significant differences in the primary				the assortments.
reasons for purchasing different types of
products, make the presentation foreach specific				40. Offer a gift or discount for orders of certain
type of product fit the product of using the same				sizes and use a stair step graduated approach to
type of presentation for different types of				increase the value of these discounts or gifts as
products...				the size of the order increases.

5. If the preceding reasons indicate that different				41. Offer a gift shipping with gift cards.
appeals are needed for different groups of
prospects or customers, change thewrap-around,				42. Provide extra services such as "Seeker
letter or introductory page of your catalog to				Service" for items notlisted in the catalog. Through
appeal to different groups, and separate your				extra service techniques you will make your
mailings accordingly.				customers more dependent on the information
				you provideand they will become more dedicated
6. Plan your catalog completely before you start				customers.
preparing layouts and copy.. Use all 60 suggestions
in this list as your guide for your planning..				Stimulate promptness in ordering Procedures 43
				and 44
7. Plan to ring your cash register more often by
using approachesin tune with the times.				43. Use action incentives to spark early orders,
				such as premiumsfor ordering by a specified date;
8. Plan to attract new customers-reactivate				special offers for a limited time only; etc. When a
dormant customers-andget bigger and better				time limit is involved, send a reminder (letter,
orders from present customers by adding				promotional mailing, second catalog, etc) timed to
newand excitement and extras pleasure to				arrive two weeks ahead of expiration date (as
owning or using the types of products offered in				nearly as you can time it with current third class
your catalog.. For example, feature dramatic new				mail service).
items, unusual items, items that are especially
timely, etc... Include unusual facts of interest about				44. Mention frequently and prominently in your
specific items.				catalog that anyone who orders merchandise
				from this catalog will automatically receive the
9. Plan to add interest to your catalog-and give it				next catalog free. If you wish, this offer can be
a much longerlife--by including helpful information				modified to require the purchase of a specified
on how to use, operate andmaintain your				amount during the life of the catalog or by a
products...unusual uses, etc.. This is information				specified date.
that customers can use to advantage and will
want to keep for future reference, such				Other suggestions Procedures 45 to 53
information also increases customer confidence in
your company which correspondingly increases				45. Use the back cover of your catalog for
the customer's inclination to buy from you.				special offers; also the inside front and back
				covers and the pages facing the inside covers.
10.. Determine whether items that were
unprofitable or barely profitable in the present				46. Use teaser copy and cross-references
catalog should be promoted more vigorously in				throughout the catalog to entice readers (into
the new catalog or should be dropped and				other sections. This can be especially effective
replaced by new products, Never keep an				when related accessory items are sold.
unprofitable product in your catalog just because
it is one of your favorites. If it doesn't sell, get rid				47. Concentrate service information on a Service
of it!				Page; locate it on a page conveniently adjacent to
				the order form; and use frequent
11. Give your company a distinctive personality.				cross-references to this page throughout the
Promote this personality in all future catalogs as a				catalog to stimulate extra page traffic.
means of making your company not "jut another
mail order marketer" but a very special marketer				48. Humanize yourself and your catalog by
in the minds of your prospects and customers.				making it seem like thecatalog came from helpful,
				friendly people. If your business is truly a "family
WHEN YOU CREATE YOUR NEW CATALOG...				business", don't hide that fact.

Use Procedure 12 to 19 to make your prospects				49. Watch your language! Avoid using technical
want your products:				"industry or business jargon" in your selling and
				service copy; keep legal phraseology to the
12. Write your copy to tie in with and stimulate				absolute minimum in your guarantee.
the specific reasons for buying discussed in the
preceding section.				50. Make your entire catalog harmonious in layout
				and copy style but not monotonous. Include
13. Wherever possible show your prospects how				enough variety to keep the reader interested
your merchandise can accomplish the results				instead of becoming bored.
desired by the prospects to a greater degrees
than competitive products-and prove it by citing				51. Give your catalog a longer life by emphasizing
results of lab tests, field tests, wards received,				the length of time that you will be able to ship
other special recognition- and especially				from it and suggesting that readers keep the
testimonials and case history stories, preferably				catalog for future reference.
with photographs. Give the prospect every
possible incentive to buy from you rather than				52. Ask for referrals from your satisfied
somebody else.				customers; also names of friends who might like
				to receive a copy of the catalog. Consider testing
14. Put special emphasis on your products and/or				the "cluster concept" that neighbors are very
services which are exclusive or markedly superior				similar and mail to your customer's next-door
to those of your competitors-and tell your				neighbors.
readers WHY your products and/or services are
superior!				53. Sell subscriptions to your catalog by providing
				a location on
15. Take the prospect "behind the scenes" if
practical and show what you do (especially				the catalog for readers to remit 50 cents for a
exclusive or improved procedures) to makeyour				"full years subscription to your catalog." You can
products better than competitive products.				also suggest that they give a "gift subscription" to
				a friend very inexpensively (and thus pay for the
16. Make the most of new items the first time				catalog you mail to the referral).
you offer them; they are only new once.. Give
them every opportunity to succeed sales wise by				AFTER YOU CREATE YOUR NEW CATALOG...
giving them preferred position and allowing
adequatespace for you to do a proper educational				54. Use the basic or major catalog to establish
and selling job on them at the time they are				the value and regular price of the merchandise.
introduced.				Use other, smaller catalogs or solo mailings to
				promote sales from the major catalog or to
17. Assure prospects that is easy to use these				provide special reasons for buying (reduced prices
products...that instructions are included with each				on individual items or special assortments,
order (if true) and/or are available in specific				closeout, etc).
books or magazines (preferably obtainable from
you)...and cite case histories to prove how				55. Ask the recipient to pass the catalog along to
successful othercustomers have been in using				an interested friend if the recipient already has a
them.				copy or is no longer interested in this type of
				merchandise.
18. Tell prospect how to start using your
merchandise properly and what other action				56. Re-mail the same catalog to your better
should be taken-and when-or state that				customers 3 to 5 weeks after you mail it the
thisinformation will be included with the shipment.				first time.

19. If your products are bought primarily for				57. Prepare an alternate cover for the catalog and
pleasure or are considered a luxury or				mail the same catalog to your entire list several
"non-necessity", help the prospect rationalize the				weeks later. You'll find it will do just about as well
value of the purchase.				as the first mailing did.

Use Procedures 20 to 26 to make it easy as				58. Mail to your BETTER CUSTOMERS monthly,
possible for the prospect to make an accurate				featuring items carried in the catalog- don't rely
selection of the types of merchandise and the				solely on the once-or-twice-a-year catalog.
specific items of each type best suited for his or
her purposes:				59. Use your catalog as a package stuffer-enclose
				one with every order you ship. Your best
20. Group all items of the same type in the same				prospect is the person who just placed an order
section of your catalog.				with you and received prompt and safe delivery
				of the items ordered.
21. Arrange the groups of items in their present
or potential order of importance to you profit				60. Be prompt in acknowledging orders (with
wise. Put the most important group at the front				thanks), answering inquiries, shipping merchandise
of your catalog and the least important near the				and making refunds or exchanges if necessary.
end of your catalog (but not on the last three				Remember the old adage of that great retailer
pages).				Marshall Field, "the customer is always right." Less
				than 2% of the population will intentionally try to
22. Within each group , arrange the individual items				take advantage of you and the other 98% are
indescending order of quality, price, popularity or				well worth cultivating.
promotionalpossibilities.
				...And just as every good mail order catalog has
Give the most important items the most valuable				something extra thrown in for good measure
positions and extra space for copy and				make the customer happier...here's anextra tip for
illustrations. Allocate positions and space to the				good measure!
other items in the order of their importance.
				61. If you receive a change-of-address notice
23. If practicable, use the Sears system of				from one of your customers, immediately mail a
offering the same type of item in three different				copy of your catalog addressed to "The New
qualities-- GOOD, BETTER and BEST- with				Residents at (the former address of the
different price ranges to match the differences in				customer)" because the new residents probably
quality. Usually it is more effective to talk about				has tastes and interests very similar to those of
the BEST quality first and the GOOD quality last.				your customer-after all, he bought the same
				house! To give this mailing added power, you
24. Use COMMON copy to present features or				might tip a note onto the front cover of the book
qualities that are thesame for all or most items of				stating that "the Smiths used our catalog regularly,
the same type.				maybe you'll find it equally useful."

25. Use INDIVIDUAL copy to talk about the				Copyright 2004 DeAnna SpencerThis article may
features or qualities that make each specific item				be distributed freely on the Internet as long as
different from all or most of the other specific				the resource box remains intact.DeAnna Spencer
items in the group.				is a virtual assistant that helps entrepreneurs run
				a successful business by providing affordable
26. In preparing the INDIVIDUAL copy above, use				administrative help. She also publishes a blog for
"parallel construction" to help the prospect make a				small business owners. Visit this small business
point-by-point comparison of the specific items as				resource today.
quickly, easily and accurately as possible.

Lj Realtor

60 Ways to Increase Your Mail Order Catalog Sales

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