We'd like to share a winter catalog success story, once again proving that independent booksellers are an indispensable force in the bookselling industry.
Last year, we offered booksellers a new form of direct mail called "saturation mailing." It allows booksellers to literally "saturate" entire zip codes with our holiday catalog chock full of gift-worthy books. Every catalog sent via saturation was customized with the bookstore's own logo and identity, bringing customers directly into those stores where displays of catalog titles were waiting.
On the back end, we helped booksellers select zip codes to saturate by targeting neighborhoods without bookstores or by reviewing the demographic information about those areas.
All told, in the first year alone, we had 25 bookstores saturate their areas with 90,000 catalogs!
Watermark Books targeted a neighborhoods that aren't represented well on their in-house list of customers and increased their sales by 386 percent, "definitely brining in new customers."
Alice Meyer, owner of Beaverdale Books in Des Moines, Iowa, saw a 217 percent sales increase. Here's what she says about the program.
"We had done a limited catalog mailing in the past, but saturation mailing was a very attractive and affordable option. We targeted our immediate neighborhood and a neighborhood with an upscale shopping district, but no bookstore. It was so satisfying to see customers coming into the store with their catalogs. They say our display upon entering the store and were more than happy to order a book if we didn't have it. As a result, our catalog sales were up 217 percent and we were thrilled! Many customers were new to the store and we've seen a lot of repeat business. We would definitely do this again, and I think it will only be more successful."
This year, we're promoting this method to our stores again, and last year's success stories will help us reach even more bookstores and customers. Happy book selling!
Last year, we offered booksellers a new form of direct mail called "saturation mailing." It allows booksellers to literally "saturate" entire zip codes with our holiday catalog chock full of gift-worthy books. Every catalog sent via saturation was customized with the bookstore's own logo and identity, bringing customers directly into those stores where displays of catalog titles were waiting.
On the back end, we helped booksellers select zip codes to saturate by targeting neighborhoods without bookstores or by reviewing the demographic information about those areas.
All told, in the first year alone, we had 25 bookstores saturate their areas with 90,000 catalogs!
Watermark Books targeted a neighborhoods that aren't represented well on their in-house list of customers and increased their sales by 386 percent, "definitely brining in new customers."
Alice Meyer, owner of Beaverdale Books in Des Moines, Iowa, saw a 217 percent sales increase. Here's what she says about the program.
"We had done a limited catalog mailing in the past, but saturation mailing was a very attractive and affordable option. We targeted our immediate neighborhood and a neighborhood with an upscale shopping district, but no bookstore. It was so satisfying to see customers coming into the store with their catalogs. They say our display upon entering the store and were more than happy to order a book if we didn't have it. As a result, our catalog sales were up 217 percent and we were thrilled! Many customers were new to the store and we've seen a lot of repeat business. We would definitely do this again, and I think it will only be more successful."
This year, we're promoting this method to our stores again, and last year's success stories will help us reach even more bookstores and customers. Happy book selling!
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