John Peterman

When we launched Catalog Success in 1999, it was like stepping into the great unknown. I had never created something brand new ... from nothing. It was both frightening and exciting. There’s a great adrenaline rush in starting a new publication. It becomes an adventure for all involved—the editorial team, art director, publisher, salespeople, and production and circulation personnel. It was challenging, but in the end equally rewarding in seeing “we done good.” During the course of the past three years, Catalog Success grew from a quarterly test (just a dip of our toes in the water) to a full-fledged monthly magazine. It

By Denny Hatch Periodically I get phone calls from fledgling entrepreneurs who have great products and want to get into direct mail. "What else have you got?" is always my first question. "Wha ... what do you mean?" "What other products?" "This is my only product." I say, "In the words of consultant Susan McIntyre: 'The key to long-term profitability is to build a large house list of repeat buyers.' That's true for any direct marketing business—catalog or otherwise." "But don't you want to hear about my product?" "What does it sell for?" "Uh, $20, maybe." "Test it in space," I tell