General Business and Finance Blog

Business Local Listings asked:

Direct mail advertising has been proven to be a very effective marketing tool for businesses in Miami FL. Catalog mailing is one very important aspect of direct mail advertising that you need to look into and maximize in order to grow your Miami FL business.

There are many proven advantages to catalog mailing. In fact, it is considered to be one of the best ways to sell products and services. Some 167 million consumers per year make purchases from mailed catalogs. Each buyer on the average places some 11 orders a year. That’s 1.8 billion sales transactions per year. The combined purchases of individual consumers and businesses from catalog mailings per year come to about $150 billion. Wouldn’t you want a slice of that huge pie?

According to statistics, roughly half of existing consumers shop online based on print catalogs they have received by mail. Once a consumer has received a mailed catalog, he or she is more than twice as likely to buy something online from it. Online sellers generate the most number of online sales through customers who order from print catalog mailing. These customers spend 16% more on the average as compared to customers who did not receive mailed catalogs. Catalog customers are also more likely to become frequent repeat buyers online, with repeat transactions adding an average of 15% more sales. Indeed, having a print catalog on hand is a very convenient reference material for consumers while deciding on purchases to be made online.

Having the print catalog in your target market’s homes or offices also serves as a constant reminder to them of your products and services even while they are offline. It has been observed that 59% of recipients of catalog mailings keep the catalogs for a minimum of three months or until a new catalog arrives in the mail. Imagine the exposure your business gets and the marketing potential in that period.

The distinct advantage of catalog mailings is that they allow your consumers to place their orders online or by phone or mail, if they please. If your brick and mortar store happens to be in the same locality, the catalog mailing will also send you walk in shoppers who would want to see your merchandise first hand.

Of course, you have to make sure that your catalog displays your products and services at their best. Choose a size and design that is most appropriate for your business and that will stand out in the midst of competition. Remember that your target market receives numerous catalogs by mail. Billions of catalogs are actually sent throughout the United States every year.

Avoid having a catalog that looks unprofessional or shoddy. That will reflect very badly on your business image. And will backfire on your goals. Do not cram too much information or images on each page. Make sure that your colors are attractively pleasing to the eye. Check your copy for errors, inaccuracies and vagueness. If possible, hire a professional catalog designer who will know how to lay out your pages for optimum effect, as well as a professional copy writer who can use words to your best advantage. Also ensure that your catalog is printed at the highest quality, looking crisp and inviting. It would be best if you could test a prototype before finally having your catalog printed out in bulk.

Find a reputable mail house that offers catalog mailing services along with business mailings and other fulfillment services, such as presort services, which you will need in your bulk mail advertising campaign. Postal services alone will not be enough for your needs unless you are willing to do much of the work yourself in-house.

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