| Catalogs are great marketing tools, | | | | catalog. A small catalog that is attractive |
| especially for retail shops. If you run a | | | | and used effectively can be produced for |
| retail business of any kind you should | | | | about $2 per catalog. And you don't even have |
| consider marketing your products with a print | | | | to mail it. Give one to your best customers |
| and an online catalog.The U.S. Postal Service | | | | the next time they visit your store and tell |
| conducted a study and found that one of the | | | | them to visit your web site. You'll be |
| biggest factors to generating online customer | | | | surprised at how quickly they convert to |
| orders is a print catalog. According to the | | | | online shoppers, saving themselves time and, |
| study, consumers who receive a print catalog | | | | in many cases, spending more money.A magalog |
| in the mail enter into 15% more online | | | | is similar to a catalog and can be even more |
| transactions than consumers who don't and | | | | effective, even making you money on its |
| also spend 16% more money.The Direct | | | | production. Some retail businesses can |
| Marketing Association says the typical | | | | benefit tremendously from this high-powered |
| catalog shopper is a married woman in her | | | | and effective marketing tool.It is much like |
| early 50's living in the suburbs, employed | | | | a catalog except that it also includes some |
| earning about $53,000 and her husband is also | | | | editorial copy, like a magazine, and some |
| employed.Fifty-seven percent of catalog | | | | advertising from noncompeting companies.For |
| shoppers purchase apparel, 51% purchase | | | | instance, let's say you own a bookstore. Each |
| gifts, 48% purchase books, music and videos, | | | | month you could produce a magalog that you |
| 31% purchase home furnishings, and 27% | | | | send to your best customers. You could |
| purchase home electronics. Other high | | | | include book reviews, columns of prominent |
| percentage categories of catalog purchasers | | | | book publishers who discuss upcoming titles |
| include sporting goods, travel services, | | | | and a list of best sellers. You want to |
| sports and entertainment tickets, flowers, | | | | include copy that your customers will find |
| gardening supplies, pet supplies and food.A | | | | valuable. But you can also sell advertising |
| simple conclusion can be deducted from these | | | | to businesses that compliment yours. For |
| figures: If you own a retail store of any | | | | instance, you could partner with the video |
| kind, you could increase your sales by | | | | store down the street and sell them an ad to |
| targeting your customers with a print | | | | promote their business while helping defray |
| catalog. But not just any customer.The best | | | | some of the costs of publishing your magalog. |
| customer to target with a print catalog is | | | | If you sell enough advertising to |
| your existing customer - the customer who | | | | noncompeting, complimentary businesses then |
| shops at your store on a regular basis. If | | | | you could have your entire magalog paid for |
| you don't have a web site, you are behind in | | | | before you print it; then you only reap the |
| satisfying the needs of these customers | | | | results of your sales.If you own a retail |
| already. Add a web site and send a print | | | | store, you should seriously consider using a |
| catalog to drive your existing customers | | | | catalog or magalog to market your |
| online, making it more convenient for them to | | | | products.Allen Taylor is an award-winning |
| buy your products (which they are already | | | | journalist, freelance writer and copywriter. |
| spending money on), then you focus the rest | | | | He specializes in world-class marketing for |
| of your marketing efforts on gaining new | | | | small businesses. For more information about |
| customers. This strategy can increase your | | | | how to make your business shine visit Be |
| profits while cutting your costs so you win | | | | sure to check out Allen's ghostwriting |
| on both ends of the profit-cost equation.And | | | | services and sign up for the free e-mail |
| you don't have to spend a lot of money on a | | | | newsletter. |