Singing a National Anthem
AFTER AN ENCOURAGING test launch in California and the Pacific Northwest, cataloger Moon Song went national last month with a 100,000-piece mailing.
Owner Judith Light says the catalog’s line of stress-reducing products was expanded 30% to 50% for the national introduction. Ten catalog buyer files were tested in the mailing, which also targeted the more than 500-name house file.
Building that file into a full-fledged database is a priority for the Martinez, CA-based catalog. Light says the file moved from “ground zero to 522 customers,” with the initial March drop to 26,000 prospects in Washington, Oregon and California capturing a 2.1% response.
“We’re pretty darned excited,” she says. “But we’ve got to take this one step at a time to be sure we do it right, because this is for the long haul.”
MCDirect, Poway, CA, was hired to compile the data and build the database, which she plans to mine when it hits 10,000 names. The data will be segmented by frequency of purchase, dollar amount and products purchased to develop specific offers targeting those segments.
The 24-page catalog features such items as body creams and oils, scented candles, yoga and tai chi videos and writer’s journals.
For the rollout, Light tested five rented files-two lists of catalog buyers, one compiled file of working women who made catalog purchases and two magazine subscriber lists. These lists-supplemented with selects for recency of purchase and women ages 25 to 55-performed “really well,” Light says.
As an incentive, customers and inquirers were automatically entered in a drawing to win a day for two at the Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa in California. The holiday issue will include a contest for an overnight stay at a spa.
In May, 9,000 postcards were sent out offering free shipping on orders placed till the end of June. In July, 600 catalogs were mailed to the house file promoting a 20% discount on merchandise purchased through August. Light included a personalized, hand-signed letter to her customers, thanking them for their business.
Long-term plans include sending out 500,000 catalogs during the 1999 holiday season.
According to Light, the company’s Web site (www.moonsong.com) “sat out there for a year” before seeing any serious activity. It was redesigned in March to reflect the catalog. The site presents some 30% of the product line and spa reviews.
