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Direct Mail Printing and Services
News Release from: Pindar | Subject: Really Linda Barker catalogue
Edited by the Printingtalk Editorial
Team on 30 November 2005
Designing Designer's Catalogue And DM
Operation
Linda Barker famously met all kinds of decorating challenges on the popular UK TV series 'Changing Rooms', securing her place as one of the most recognised interior designers in the country.
Linda Barker famously met all kinds of decorating challenges on the popular UK TV series 'Changing Rooms', securing her place as one of the most recognised interior designers in the country She also won third place in TV's jungle reality show 'I'm a Celebrity Get me Out of Here'
This article was originally published on Printingtalk on 18 Jun 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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But when it came to starting a mail order business, Barker and her husband Chris Short, soon learned the only way to avoid pitfalls was to employ the experts.
The story behind Barker's 'Really Linda Barker' interior design catalogue was told to thousands of visitors to the European Catalogue and Mail Order Days (ECMOD) exhibition in London.
Pindar Graphics related the tale of its development during the show at Earls Court.
Pindar's group marketing director, David Jesson, said: "At first the couple thought they would make better cost savings by using different suppliers, but they soon found out this was just a recipe for blame.
Chris openly admits that the first attempt at extending the Linda Barker brand through mail order resulted in a perfect example of how not to do a catalogue.
"Fortunately they came to us for help and we were able to provide expert design, page layout, print and mailing - all under one roof.
As a result, the catalogue has gone from strength to strength.
In fact the second catalogue sold in one week what the previous one had sold in a month." Chris Short described the first catalogue experience: "It was an expensive way to learn a lot of lessons, the first of which being to surround yourself with people who know infinitely more about specific and relevant areas of the catalogue business.
There were no holds barred.
Pindar pulled the catalogue apart and we started afresh." And he added: "By involving Pindar's designer, Nicky Forsdyke, RLB is designed by a professional who actually understands the sales psychology.
We now understand how the products work on the page and can position them, knowing where they'll have maximum sales impact.
It's given us much greater control over stock.
We know what's going to sell and can plan accordingly." Short said that the Pindar team took full responsibility for producing the catalogue from start to finish.
"It's one customer and one relationship, independent of the different parts to the process - the end result is what counts and everyone works with that in mind," he commented.
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