Finding Geographic Hot Spots for Deeper Prospecting

| Jim Coogan

Have you looked for geographic hot spots where you have pockets of buyers? If you can find geographic hot spots you can prospect deeper to these states, sectional center facilities (SCFs), or zip codes because they will respond profitably to marginal prospecting lists.

Abacus Indicator: Shift to Online Sales Increases

| MCM staff

According to the Abacus 2006 Multichannel Trend Report, the shift from call center sales to Website sales continues. In a benchmark group of multichannel merchants, 25% of direct sales were conducted via Websites in 2005, compared with 20% in 2004–a 25% increase year over year.

Breakfast With Bean

| Mark Del Franco

Though Leon Leonwood Bean barely had an eighth grade education, he mastered the golden rule of retailing: Sell good merchandise and treat the customers like human beings, and they will always come back for more.