| This article is meant to inform. Please | | | | |
| don't construe this as legal advice. | | | | 27. Be sure your ordering information is easy |
| | | | to understand. |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| Perfection in a mail order catalog is like | | | | |
| infinity...you can continually approach it | | | | 28.. Make your order form easy to use, with |
| but never quite reach it. In the case of many | | | | adequate space to write the necessary |
| catalogs it is not necessary to achieve | | | | information. |
| perfectionor even approach it very closely in | | | | |
| order to make the catalog vastly more | | | | |
| profitable than it is at present. Relatively | | | | |
| small improvements can result in a | | | | 29. Put in one or more extra order forms to |
| more-than-proportionate enlargement of that | | | | make it easier for customers to order again.. |
| all-important figure on the bottom line of | | | | |
| the financial statement. | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | 30. Encourage prospects to order by phone on |
| | | | credit, charge or c.o.d. sales and encourages |
| Making as many improvements as possible as | | | | them to telephone for further information |
| quickly as possible isprobably the most | | | | they may desire. |
| profitable procedure. But even making each | | | | |
| new catalog a little better than the one that | | | | |
| preceded it can produce substantial increases | | | | |
| in sales per catalog and in total sales over | | | | 31. Offer a 24-hour phone-in service through |
| a period of time. | | | | an arrangement with a local telephone |
| | | | answering service that can answer your phone |
| | | | during the hours that your business is not |
| | | | normally open.. This is especially convenient |
| Following are 60 suggestions that should help | | | | for the customer who shops in your catalog |
| your catalog do a better selling job for you | | | | during evening or weekend hours. Make |
| if you are not already using these ideas. | | | | it as easy as possible for customers to pay |
| Whether you use all of them in connection | | | | for their ordersProcedures 32 and 33Offer |
| with your next catalog or adopt a few at a | | | | credit card service on orders for a specified |
| time in the course of producing several | | | | amount or more.. By putting a minimum on |
| future catalogs, the ultimate result should | | | | credit card orders you will often increase |
| be very noticeable and very profitable. | | | | the original order to at least that minimum |
| | | | amount. Credit card orders tend to be nearly |
| | | | double the size of cash orders. |
| | | | |
| BEFORE YOU CREATE YOUR CATALOG.... | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | 33. Make it easy to determine shipping |
| | | | charges so they can be included in |
| 1. Look at your present catalog with | | | | cash-with-order payments.Use order starters |
| extremely cold, critical andunsympathetic | | | | and sales stimulators such as 34 to 42 |
| eye. Pick out all the faults-large or | | | | |
| small-that you could find if you were no | | | | |
| longer the owner of the catalog buta | | | | |
| nitpicking customer who has been disappointed | | | | 34. Use a wrap-around letter on the front of |
| in his or her last purchase from you and is | | | | your catalog to stimulate ,ore orders and to |
| still sore about it. Such a review could be | | | | do a selling job on the merchandise in the |
| very enlightening-even if it should prove | | | | catalog; also to make special appeals to |
| slightly embarrassing-and could make your new | | | | special groups orcall attention to |
| catalog much more profitable. | | | | merchandise in the catalog of special |
| | | | interest to special groups. |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| 2. Put your "letterman" on your team. Review | | | | |
| all incoming correspondence from customers | | | | 35. Use the wrap-around to offer order |
| and prospects during the last two years for | | | | starters (loss leaders or hot items to get |
| comments, suggestions or criticisms that may | | | | prospects in to the catalog). |
| be helpfulin preparing your new catalog. | | | | |
| Screen all future correspondence of this | | | | |
| nature as it arrives and place copies of the | | | | |
| useful letters in a special file to be | | | | 36. Offer specials at intervals throughout |
| reviewed before starting your next catalog. | | | | the catalog to entice readers to start an |
| | | | order. Once they buy even one lonely item |
| | | | they'll tend to order other items to go with |
| | | | it. |
| 3. Think of your catalog as a means of | | | | |
| helping your prospects accomplish something | | | | |
| they want to accomplish or create an effect | | | | |
| they want to create-and prepare your layouts, | | | | 37. Offer logical assortments of mixed or |
| copy and illustrations accordingly. | | | | matched seasonal items to provide extra |
| | | | variety and pleasure at any given period of |
| | | | time. Make suggestions for these assortments |
| | | | and provide inducements for prospects to |
| 4. For each major type of product you sell, | | | | order them. |
| determine as many reasons as possible why | | | | |
| different groups of prospects or customers do | | | | |
| buy or should buy this product. Arrange your | | | | |
| groups of prospects or customers in their | | | | 38. Offer assortments of mixed or matched |
| orders of importance. For eachgroup arrange | | | | items designed for use during different |
| the reasons for buying in order of there | | | | seasons in order to provide variety and |
| importance. Then arrange the reasons in their | | | | pleasurethroughout the year (or most of it) |
| order of importanceto your total group of | | | | instead of during just one season. |
| prospects or customers. Use the most | | | | |
| important reason as the basis for the copy | | | | |
| and illustrations youuse in this catalog. | | | | |
| | | | 39. Offer a free guide or plan for using each |
| | | | assortment above correctly and offer |
| | | | information on how to make the most |
| If there are significant differences in the | | | | effectiveoverall use of the assortments. |
| primary reasons for purchasing different | | | | |
| types of products, make the presentation | | | | |
| foreach specific type of product fit the | | | | |
| product of using the same type of | | | | 40. Offer a gift or discount for orders of |
| presentation for different types of | | | | certain sizes and use a stair step graduated |
| products... | | | | approach to increase the value of these |
| | | | discounts or gifts as the size of the order |
| | | | increases. |
| | | | |
| 5. If the preceding reasons indicate that | | | | |
| different appeals are needed for different | | | | |
| groups of prospects or customers, change | | | | 41. Offer a gift shipping with gift cards. |
| thewrap-around, letter or introductory page | | | | |
| of your catalog to appeal to different | | | | |
| groups, and separate your mailings | | | | |
| accordingly. | | | | 42. Provide extra services such as "Seeker |
| | | | Service" for items notlisted in the catalog. |
| | | | Through extra service techniques you will |
| | | | make your customers more dependent on the |
| 6. Plan your catalog completely before you | | | | information you provideand they will become |
| start preparing layouts and copy.. Use all 60 | | | | more dedicated customers. |
| 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 |
| 8. Plan to attract new customers-reactivate | | | | specified date; special offers for a limited |
| dormant customers-andget bigger and better | | | | time only; etc. When a time limit is |
| orders from present customers by adding | | | | involved, send a reminder (letter, |
| newand excitement and extras pleasure to | | | | promotional mailing, second catalog, etc) |
| owning or using the types of products offered | | | | timed to arrive two weeks ahead of expiration |
| in your catalog.. For example, feature | | | | date (as nearly as you can time it with |
| dramatic new items, unusual items, items that | | | | current third class mail service). |
| are especially timely, etc... Include unusual | | | | |
| facts of interest about specific items. | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | 44. Mention frequently and prominently in |
| | | | your catalog that anyone who orders |
| 9. Plan to add interest to your catalog-and | | | | merchandise from this catalog will |
| give it a much longerlife--by including | | | | automatically receive the next catalog free. |
| helpful information on how to use, operate | | | | If you wish, this offer can be modified to |
| andmaintain your products...unusual uses, | | | | require the purchase of a specified amount |
| etc.. This is information that customers can | | | | during the life of the catalog or by a |
| use to advantage and will want to keep for | | | | specified date. |
| future reference, such information also | | | | |
| increases customer confidence in your company | | | | |
| which correspondingly increases the | | | | |
| customer's inclination to buy from you. | | | | Other suggestions Procedures 45 to 53 |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| 10.. Determine whether items that were | | | | 45. Use the back cover of your catalog for |
| unprofitable or barely profitable in the | | | | special offers; also the inside front and |
| present catalog should be promoted more | | | | back covers and the pages facing the inside |
| vigorously in the new catalog or should be | | | | covers. |
| dropped and replaced by new products, Never | | | | |
| keep an unprofitable product in your catalog | | | | |
| just because it is one of your favorites. If | | | | |
| it doesn't sell, get rid of it! | | | | 46. Use teaser copy and cross-references |
| | | | throughout the catalog to entice readers |
| | | | (into other sections. This can be especially |
| | | | effective when related accessory items are |
| 11. Give your company a distinctive | | | | sold. |
| personality. Promote this personality in all | | | | |
| future catalogs as a means of making your | | | | |
| company not "jut another mail order marketer" | | | | |
| but a very special marketer in the minds of | | | | 47. Concentrate service information on a |
| your prospects and customers. | | | | Service Page; locate it on a page |
| | | | conveniently adjacent to the order form; and |
| | | | use frequent cross-references to this page |
| | | | throughout the catalog to stimulate extra |
| WHEN YOU CREATE YOUR NEW CATALOG... | | | | page traffic. |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| Use Procedure 12 to 19 to make your prospects | | | | 48. Humanize yourself and your catalog by |
| want your products: | | | | making it seem like thecatalog came from |
| | | | helpful, friendly people. If your business is |
| | | | truly a "family business", don't hide that |
| | | | fact. |
| 12. Write your copy to tie in with and | | | | |
| stimulate the specific reasons for buying | | | | |
| discussed in the preceding section. | | | | |
| | | | 49. Watch your language! Avoid using |
| | | | technical "industry or business jargon" in |
| | | | your selling and service copy; keep legal |
| 13. Wherever possible show your prospects how | | | | phraseology to the absolute minimum in your |
| your merchandise can accomplish the results | | | | guarantee. |
| desired by the prospects to a greater degrees | | | | |
| than competitive products-and prove it by | | | | |
| citing results of lab tests, field tests, | | | | |
| wards received, other special recognition- | | | | 50. Make your entire catalog harmonious in |
| and especially testimonials and case history | | | | layout and copy style but not monotonous. |
| stories, preferably with photographs. Give | | | | Include enough variety to keep the reader |
| the prospect every possible incentive to buy | | | | interested instead of becoming bored. |
| from you rather than somebody else. | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | 51. Give your catalog a longer life by |
| 14. Put special emphasis on your products and | | | | emphasizing the length of time that you will |
| or services which are exclusive or markedly | | | | be able to ship from it and suggesting that |
| superior to those of your competitors-and | | | | readers keep the catalog for future |
| tell your readers WHY your products and/or | | | | reference. |
| services are superior! | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | 52. Ask for referrals from your satisfied |
| 15. Take the prospect "behind the scenes" if | | | | customers; also names of friends who might |
| practical and show what you do (especially | | | | like to receive a copy of the catalog. |
| exclusive or improved procedures) to makeyour | | | | Consider testing the "cluster concept" that |
| products better than competitive products. | | | | neighbors are very similar and mail to your |
| | | | customer's next-door neighbors. |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| 16. Make the most of new items the first time | | | | |
| you offer them; they are only new once.. Give | | | | 53. Sell subscriptions to your catalog by |
| them every opportunity to succeed sales wise | | | | providing a location on |
| by giving them preferred position and | | | | |
| allowing adequatespace for you to do a proper | | | | |
| educational and selling job on them at the | | | | |
| time they are introduced. | | | | the catalog for readers to remit 50 cents for |
| | | | a "full years subscription to your catalog." |
| | | | You can also suggest that they give a "gift |
| | | | subscription" to a friend very inexpensively |
| 17. Assure prospects that is easy to use | | | | (and thus pay for the catalog you mail to the |
| these products...that instructions are | | | | referral). |
| included with each order (if true) and/or | | | | |
| are available in specific books or magazines | | | | |
| (preferably obtainable from you)...and cite | | | | |
| case histories to prove how successful | | | | AFTER YOU CREATE YOUR NEW CATALOG... |
| othercustomers have been in using them. | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | 54. Use the basic or major catalog to |
| 18. Tell prospect how to start using your | | | | establish the value and regular price of the |
| merchandise properly and what other action | | | | merchandise. Use other, smaller catalogs or |
| should be taken-and when-or state that | | | | solo mailings to promote sales from the major |
| thisinformation will be included with the | | | | catalog or to provide special reasons for |
| shipment. | | | | buying (reduced prices on individual items or |
| | | | special assortments, closeout, etc). |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| 19. If your products are bought primarily for | | | | |
| pleasure or are considered a luxury or | | | | 55. Ask the recipient to pass the catalog |
| "non-necessity", help the prospect | | | | along to an interested friend if the |
| rationalize the value of the purchase. | | | | recipient already has a copy or is no longer |
| | | | interested in this type of merchandise. |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| Use Procedures 20 to 26 to make it easy as | | | | |
| possible for the prospect to make an accurate | | | | 56. Re-mail the same catalog to your better |
| selection of the types of merchandise and the | | | | customers 3 to 5 weeks after you mail it the |
| specific items of each type best suited for | | | | first time. |
| his or her purposes: | | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | 57. Prepare an alternate cover for the |
| 20. Group all items of the same type in the | | | | catalog and mail the same catalog to your |
| same section of your catalog. | | | | entire list several weeks later. You'll find |
| | | | it will do just about as well as the first |
| | | | mailing did. |
| | | | |
| 21. Arrange the groups of items in their | | | | |
| present or potential order of importance to | | | | |
| you profit wise. Put the most important group | | | | 58. Mail to your BETTER CUSTOMERS monthly, |
| at the front of your catalog and the least | | | | featuring items carried in the catalog- don't |
| important near the end of your catalog (but | | | | rely solely on the once-or-twice-a-year |
| not on the last three pages). | | | | catalog. |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| 22. Within each group , arrange the | | | | 59. Use your catalog as a package |
| individual items indescending order of | | | | stuffer-enclose one with every order you |
| quality, price, popularity or | | | | ship. Your best prospect is the person who |
| promotionalpossibilities. | | | | just placed an order with you and received |
| | | | prompt and safe delivery of the items |
| | | | ordered. |
| | | | |
| Give the most important items the most | | | | |
| valuable positions and extra space for copy | | | | |
| and illustrations. Allocate positions and | | | | 60. Be prompt in acknowledging orders (with |
| space to the other items in the order of | | | | thanks), answering inquiries, shipping |
| their importance. | | | | merchandise and making refunds or exchanges |
| | | | if necessary. Remember the old adage of that |
| | | | great retailer Marshall Field, "the customer |
| | | | is always right." Less than 2% of the |
| 23. If practicable, use the Sears system of | | | | population will intentionally try to take |
| offering the same type of item in three | | | | advantage of you and the other 98% are well |
| different qualities-- GOOD, BETTER and BEST- | | | | worth cultivating. |
| with different price ranges to match the | | | | |
| differences in quality. Usually it is more | | | | |
| effective to talk about the BEST quality | | | | |
| first and the GOOD quality last. | | | | ...And just as every good mail order catalog |
| | | | has something extra thrown in for good |
| | | | measure make the customer happier...here's |
| | | | anextra tip for good measure! |
| 24. Use COMMON copy to present features or | | | | |
| qualities that are thesame for all or most | | | | |
| items of the same type. | | | | |
| | | | 61. If you receive a change-of-address notice |
| | | | from one of your customers, immediately mail |
| | | | a copy of your catalog addressed to "The New |
| 25. Use INDIVIDUAL copy to talk about the | | | | Residents at (the former address of the |
| features or qualities that make each specific | | | | customer)" because the new residents probably |
| item different from all or most of the other | | | | has tastes and interests very similar to |
| specific items in the group. | | | | those of your customer-after all, he bought |
| | | | the same house! To give this mailing added |
| | | | power, you might tip a note onto the front |
| | | | cover of the book stating that "the Smiths |
| 26. In preparing the INDIVIDUAL copy above, | | | | used our catalog regularly, maybe you'll find |
| use "parallel construction" to help the | | | | it equally useful." |
| prospect make a point-by-point comparison of | | | | |
| the specific items as quickly, easily and | | | | |
| accurately as possible. | | | | |
| | | | Copyright 2004 DeAnna SpencerThis article may |
| | | | be distributed freely on the Internet as long |
| | | | as the resource box remains intact.DeAnna |
| Once the prospects have selected the | | | | Spencer is a virtual assistant that helps |
| merchandise they wish to buy, make it as easy | | | | entrepreneurs run a successful business by |
| as possible for them to order Procedures | | | | providing affordable administrative help. |
| 27-31 | | | | She also publishes a blog for small business |
| | | | owners. Visit this small business resource |
| | | | today. |