SEATTLE, WA -- Kevin Hillstrom's Mine That Data weblog has some excellent posts on the catalog cancellation craze. Well, maybe it's not a craze just yet. But it's gonna be. Look at this video from Kevin's post ...
About the kids: Gimme a break. This is some adult's agenda, and they are using kids to promote their cause. Seriously. Non-profits are businesses, too.
When a little girl tells a cameraman that "You can save two trees and some 92 pounds of carbon dioxide being released in the air ..." I want to laugh. Not because she's wrong or because her cause isn't noble (it is) -- but because to quote Warren Buffett: "You can teach a duck that its mother is a battleship if you get to it early enough." I have five kids and you can trust me on this one: Little kids only know what they are told. We just had a visit from Santa, so let's not get carried away.
About catalogs: We all get too many catalogs, and my first take on Kevin's posts is that if my kids came home from school and willy-nilly unsubscribed me from all of my catalogs -- I'd be pissed. Not because I need 56 catalogs coming to me. But because I probably want five or six of the ones they canceled.
And maybe that's the point of Catalog Choice. The consumer chooses what they want and don't want. I understand the mathematics of catalog marketing. I know all about prospecting. But perhaps this flap/ trend/ shake-out/ whatever is a blessing in disguise.
All marketers need to take a page from Seth Godin and communicate with their customers in a way that's CRAP: Consistent, Relevant, Anticipated, and Personal. And when catalogers prospect, they should do it in a way that saves pages. It is possible -- but catalogers don't do it, I presume, because of the way their organizations are structured and incentivized. Bummer, because you can't talk your way out of problems you behave yourself into.
But hey. I'm just a marketing recruiter. Yet even I know about better targeting and niche marketing -- which means that far brighter minds than mine can avail themselves to the problem. The catalog industry has many great consultants. But sadly, just because catalogers know what to do in the face of this growing crisis doesn't mean that they'll do it.
Several years ago I bought ~$1000 worth of used Dan Kennedy, Joe Cossman, Gary Halbert, Melvin Powers and Jay Abraham tapes off of eBay. Roughly 150 in all. Best marketing education I ever got. Halbert, called the Prince of Print by his adoring fans, repeatedly said that if you have 3000 SKUs and you want to prospect -- narrow it down to one irresistibly offered item mailed with sniper-like precision to exactly the right prospect. Gerardo Joffe said the same thing.
Trouble is, catalogers mail an entire book to prospects. Statistically speaking, this is an inefficient approach -- for them and the prospect. And now it's a politically incorrect approach as well.
So now we have an election year witch hunt, where a "green cataloger" is an oxymoron -- like a jumbo shrimp. Too bad. Direct mail is a very effective marketing channel, when properly used.
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Comments
I get annoyed by catalogs, even from places I shop, because I figure if I want to see what they have I will go to their respective Web sites. To me, a catalog is just a minor nuisance.
I just adds to the pile of things on my desk, like paper bills, that I now deal with pretty much 100% online.
Excellent post. I'm fairly fanatical about canceling not only catalogs, but also removing my name from organizations that send me junk mail (greendimes.com, anyone?). Despite being on the DMA's do-not-mail list, it's surprising what still gets through to me. While this exercise might be an "adult's agenda," it teaches the kids far more useful information than winning a prize for the most wrapping paper sold would.
To me, I guess it's a question of relevance. If I opt in for something, then the fact that the opt in involves reams of paper is not a problem for me.
Take the newspaper: Every day I get the WSJ, and every day I read it cover to cover. And I paid for it, too. On the other hand, every week my community paper throws their FREE ad-packed rag into my bushes, and every week it goes straight to the trash. On top of that, I'm pissed that they spammed me -- even though they view this as a "service."
The difference? Relevance.
Which, again, is what CatalogChoice.com is all about. Making sure I keep the catalogers dialed into my preferences is an idea that could save catalogers big money over time.
By the way, the newspaper example says a lot about how catalogs might want to view their publications in the future.
Again and again and again: YOU ARE A MEDIA COMPANY.
Unlike Neil, I prefer them to websites because (a) I can read catalogs in places I can't read websites and (b) most catalog websites are so poorly designed, I wind up leaving in frustration.
Catalog purveyors who hit me up way too many times a year (yes you, Pottery Barn, with your "Pale Yellow Bathroom Rugs- Early Spring 2008 Edition catalogs and the like) make me not like them and not want to buy from them.
But I enjoy browsing through most of the ones I get. Mostly because it's amazing to see the crap people buy.
I agree with management recruiter, that when I opt in I love paper. I subscribe the Economist and love it.
I offered to buy my Dad a subscription and he told me that you have to be retired to subscribe to it. I had to laugh at that since my dear old dad has still not retired. Not sure why.
One of my clients has a huge catalog they distribute, brick & mortar stores, and on-line. A new print catalog always boosts sales in the other areas significantly in the stores and on-line.
I want to know the increased amount of paper and costs for lay-off notices and paperwork generated to conduct business in other methods. What is the net effect? If eliminating print catalogs increases costs and uses more natural resources in other areas than there could be a negative impact on the environment.
These do-gooders fail to take into account that eliminating catalogs could mean less jobs. It may feel good to get rid of catalogs. However, those kids could care less how it impacts the jobs and businesses. What needs to be done after the children do this project is take them down to the homeless shelter and introduce them to the people they put out of work.
What if creating an on-line only store with more offices & people required generating more coal power, paperwork, etc. that kills more trees and hurts the environment more? What if eliminating the catalog means building more brick and mortar stores which impact the environment?
Somebody needs to educate these kids about the real world, where taking an action like this is damaging to others. If I, as a business, encouraged other people in a systematic fashion, to throw away your catalog that could have legal implications. It is like setting my business on fire or putting a gag on my sales reps. - So, what we are teaching our children is that it is okay to hurt other people and destroy their livelihood regardless of the net impact, just so you can feel good.
Comments
I get annoyed by catalogs, even from places I shop, because I figure if I want to see what they have I will go to their respective Web sites. To me, a catalog is just a minor nuisance.
I just adds to the pile of things on my desk, like paper bills, that I now deal with pretty much 100% online.
Posted by: Neil Anuskiewicz | 01.07.08
I meant, "it just adds" not "I just adds." This is a mistake I must correct lest it appear I am doing a spoof Ali G comment on catalogs.
Posted by: Neil Anuskiewicz | 01.07.08
I dont mind catalogs so much, what I hate is when people try to sell them to you!
I guess the internet is making catalogs obsolete, but there's nothing quite like being able to flick through paper rather than having to search.
I don't publish a catalog, I use email adverts as suggested by James D. Brausch
Posted by: David Jones | 01.08.08
Excellent post. I'm fairly fanatical about canceling not only catalogs, but also removing my name from organizations that send me junk mail (greendimes.com, anyone?). Despite being on the DMA's do-not-mail list, it's surprising what still gets through to me. While this exercise might be an "adult's agenda," it teaches the kids far more useful information than winning a prize for the most wrapping paper sold would.
Posted by: rd moreno | 01.08.08
To me, I guess it's a question of relevance. If I opt in for something, then the fact that the opt in involves reams of paper is not a problem for me.
Take the newspaper: Every day I get the WSJ, and every day I read it cover to cover. And I paid for it, too. On the other hand, every week my community paper throws their FREE ad-packed rag into my bushes, and every week it goes straight to the trash. On top of that, I'm pissed that they spammed me -- even though they view this as a "service."
The difference? Relevance.
Which, again, is what CatalogChoice.com is all about. Making sure I keep the catalogers dialed into my preferences is an idea that could save catalogers big money over time.
By the way, the newspaper example says a lot about how catalogs might want to view their publications in the future.
Again and again and again: YOU ARE A MEDIA COMPANY.
-Harry Joiner
Posted by: management recruiter | 01.08.08
I actually like catalogs.
Unlike Neil, I prefer them to websites because (a) I can read catalogs in places I can't read websites and (b) most catalog websites are so poorly designed, I wind up leaving in frustration.
Catalog purveyors who hit me up way too many times a year (yes you, Pottery Barn, with your "Pale Yellow Bathroom Rugs- Early Spring 2008 Edition catalogs and the like) make me not like them and not want to buy from them.
But I enjoy browsing through most of the ones I get. Mostly because it's amazing to see the crap people buy.
Posted by: Tangerine Toad | 01.08.08
LOL, TToad. Great response as usual.
I agree with management recruiter, that when I opt in I love paper. I subscribe the Economist and love it.
I offered to buy my Dad a subscription and he told me that you have to be retired to subscribe to it. I had to laugh at that since my dear old dad has still not retired. Not sure why.
Posted by: Neil Anuskiewicz | 01.09.08
One of my clients has a huge catalog they distribute, brick & mortar stores, and on-line. A new print catalog always boosts sales in the other areas significantly in the stores and on-line.
I want to know the increased amount of paper and costs for lay-off notices and paperwork generated to conduct business in other methods. What is the net effect? If eliminating print catalogs increases costs and uses more natural resources in other areas than there could be a negative impact on the environment.
These do-gooders fail to take into account that eliminating catalogs could mean less jobs. It may feel good to get rid of catalogs. However, those kids could care less how it impacts the jobs and businesses. What needs to be done after the children do this project is take them down to the homeless shelter and introduce them to the people they put out of work.
What if creating an on-line only store with more offices & people required generating more coal power, paperwork, etc. that kills more trees and hurts the environment more? What if eliminating the catalog means building more brick and mortar stores which impact the environment?
Somebody needs to educate these kids about the real world, where taking an action like this is damaging to others. If I, as a business, encouraged other people in a systematic fashion, to throw away your catalog that could have legal implications. It is like setting my business on fire or putting a gag on my sales reps. - So, what we are teaching our children is that it is okay to hurt other people and destroy their livelihood regardless of the net impact, just so you can feel good.
Posted by: Carl Hartman | 01.11.08