Postcards Versus Catalogues
By Joy Gendusa

What do successful cataloguers do when they market?

There is a secret, or so it seems, in the catalogue industry that has not gotten out of the bag yet. Why is it a secret? It is probably not intended to be that way, but it just happens to remain a ‘not-known datum’. So, what’s the secret, you ask!?!?

That successful cataloguers use postcards to market!

Bah, hum bug, you say! Why would they do that? How can they sell their wares?

Simply and easily. Postcards work because they are inexpensive and they get the attention of the prospective buyer who would like to shop in their particular catalogue. Many big catalogue companies do it – JC Penny, Spiegel, Brighton – they all use postcards.

Now for your next objection: “People already know the products of JC Penny, Spiegel and Brighton so of course they will order the catalogue” (am I reading your mind, yet?) or how about your next consideration, “If the prospective clients do not see my merchandise than they won’t know if they want to order my catalogue or not, much less my merchandise.”

Those are definitely objections, but not necessarily sound ones. Let’s break them down. Just think about it. They get your catalogue (that you spend $4 per piece sending out) and then they throw it away immediately. They do the same with a postcard, but postcards are cheap - .35 cents (that includes postage, design, mailing list, etc.) compared to 4.00 – you could afford to continue to send those postcards out until they finally decide to order your catalogue. You can’t do that with catalogues, it’s too expensive!