As we head into 2017, it’s more apparent than ever that a paradigm shift is occurring. While catalog and direct mail continues to experience a resurgence, we are entering a new reality where many of the older, standard catalog and direct mail list and circulation practices are increasingly being overshadowed by Amazon and the Amazon Read More Age of Amazon: The New Reality of Marketing Strategy, Audience Development, and Merchandising
Category: General Discussion
Great Retailers Have Great Merchants
I recently read an article in the Wall Street Journal, titled: “Data Pushes Aside Chief Merchants”? The article reported that “intuition is being displaced by algorithms,” and that a new breed of chief merchant is being hired by large companies such as Kohl’s, Target, and Walmart. The new merchant is more likely to have come Read More Great Retailers Have Great Merchants
Thriving in the Jungle
On Sunday morning, I was relaxing with my cup of joe when the doorbell rang. I was surprised to see the USPS at my door delivering the three mixing bowls I had ordered from Amazon on Friday afternoon with “one click.” Wow! Unbelievable! While I was pleased that I could use new cookware for Sunday Read More Thriving in the Jungle
Drivers and Catchers; As different as Apples and Oranges!
Drivers (Catalog, Email, Search) and Catchers (Store, Web, Phone) – the distinction between drivers and catchers and why understanding the difference is important The key to running any marketing-driven endeavor is to deploy marketing dollars to the best advantage of the business. While this statement is simple, the task has become increasingly complex as more Read More Drivers and Catchers; As different as Apples and Oranges!
Pure Plays in the Postal World – What to Know
More and more, we at CohereOne are engaging with companies who are new to the postal world. Many are running successful direct businesses by employing first class digital marketing and have experienced tremendous growth over the years. Eventually that digital universe tends to hit a wall, and no matter how much more money they throw Read More Pure Plays in the Postal World – What to Know
A View from the Marketing Trenches – “C’mon Man!”
For those of you who follow NFL on ESPN, they started doing segments where the commentators show a clip from the past week where a player often is caught doing a really dumb thing, followed by the expression, “c’mon man!” In my thirty years of direct marketing, I have witnessed some legendary mistakes, goof ups, Read More A View from the Marketing Trenches – “C’mon Man!”
Do You Really Want to Go Younger?!
This week a client lamented that his customers are growing older, and he intends to target younger prospects with his future catalog mailings. This “Ponce de Leon syndrome” is frequently expressed to me, and in fact, has led many direct marketers to disastrous results as they purposely pursue younger customers with their existing offers, or Read More Do You Really Want to Go Younger?!
Name Your Price, How to Set Correct Pricing Strategies
Again this year, as I reviewed the catalogs arriving in my mailbox and shopped on my favorite websites, I was completely baffled by product prices that seemed completely irrational. They reminded me of a client where I observed similarly abstract prices. When I asked about the prices, she informed me that she simply doubled whatever Read More Name Your Price, How to Set Correct Pricing Strategies