Cataloger Collections Etc. Selects Harte-Hanks to Optimize Customer Value

Cataloger Collections Etc. Selects Harte-Hanks to Optimize
Customer Value
- Harte-Hanks to build, implement and expand sophisticated customer database
using Allink(R) database marketing solution - 


ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 6  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Harte-Hanks, Inc. (NYSE: HHS),
a worldwide, direct marketing and targeted media company, today announced that
Collections Etc., a specialty catalog company, has engaged Harte-Hanks to
assist the company in taking a more predictive and effective approach to
marketing.  By building and implementing a customer-oriented database marketing
solution, Harte-Hanks seeks to help Collections Etc. grow its customer base
significantly and foster one-to-one dialogues with both customers and
prospects.

"Savvy consumers, with unprecedented access to information and choices from
other multichannel marketers, are demanding more from their relationships with
retailers and catalogers," said Kathy Calta, corporate officer and senior vice
president, Harte-Hanks.  "Collections Etc., like other catalogers today, is
faced with increased marketing costs, list performance pressures, challenging
response rates and an ever-increasing competitive landscape.  To respond to
these market pressures, catalog mailers are seeking products and services that
optimize customer value and return on investment (ROI) against their
multichannel marketing investment strategies."

"Collections Etc. is working to break out of 'business-as-usual' marketing
strategies, position the company for profitable growth, and reduce operating
costs by implementing a sophisticated customer database marketing solution,"
said Todd Lustbader, president, Collections Etc.  "We selected Harte-Hanks to
help us achieve these goals because the company has the ability to integrate
marketing strategy, analytics and the right technologies into a valuable
corporate asset that will help us grow our business.  With many years
experience applying best practices in database marketing, Harte-Hanks has a
proven track record of success and innovation."

"Harte-Hanks will meet Collections Etc.'s short- and long-term marketing needs
by combining the right mix of experienced people, proven process and leading
technology solution," Calta said.  "To ensure the speed and success of the
engagement, we will apply the best practices found in our Allink solution and
utilize the Allink Services Center, an interactive workroom that utilizes
cutting-edge Web portal technology to facilitate everything from planning to
implementation; and from application level support to on-demand marketing
assistance."

Harte-Hanks will support Collections Etc. in achieving its cross-sell and
retention goals by creating a complete "360-degree" view of customer
interactions.  Collections Etc. will look to maximize retention and up-sell
programs, better integrate customer and prospecting efforts, seamlessly support
complicated multi-tiered campaigns, help control mail costs, and communicate
more effectively with customers through the catalog and on the Web.  Working
together, Harte-Hanks will help Collections Etc. shift from mass marketing to
segmented targeting through different channels and develop sophisticated
segmentation beyond the RFM (recency, frequency and monetary) scores.  These
strategic initiatives will also improve the cataloger's knowledge of customers'
preferences and turn that insight into real customer intelligence, enabling
more informed decisions about merchandising and product bundling.

Harte-Hanks made the announcement at the National Center for Database Marketing
Winter 2004 Conference here today.  The company is exhibiting at the show and
can be found at booth #710.

About Collections Etc.

Collections Etc. is privately owned catalogue company located in Elk Grove
Village, Illinois.  The catalog operation was founded in 1997 and today offers
a collection of unique selection of gifts, home essentials and garden
accessories for $14.99 or less.  Sales and Special items are available to Web
site customers at $8.97.  The company, which offers more than 800 active SKUs,
backs each product with a 100% unconditional guarantee to ensure complete
customer satisfaction.  Collections Etc. is ranked number 85 in the "2004
Catalog Age 100" list published by Catalog Age magazine, beating other brand
names including Ross Simons, Lillian Vernon, and J Crew.  The list ranks the
top 100 U.S.-based catalogers based on catalog and Web sales in 2003.

About the Allink(R) Solution Suite and Harte-Hanks

The Allink(R) Solution Suite helps companies in diverse markets achieve
measurable ROI (return on investment) through the application of data-driven
marketing strategies for a more relevant and better-targeted approach to
marketing.  The Allink Solution Suite is a blend of Harte-Hanks 30 years'
experience in vertical marketing strategy, analytics, direct marketing best
practices, end-to-end marketing services and leading-edge technology.  Each
Allink solution is built to meet the unique requirements of marketers within
specific vertical markets who want to increase multichannel marketing know-how
and effectiveness, contain personnel resources and costs, act on customer
information in real-time, and develop tailored marketing programs that give
their companies a competitive advantage.  Harte-Hanks, Inc., San Antonio, TX,
is a worldwide, direct and targeted marketing company that provides direct
marketing services and shopper advertising opportunities to a wide range of
local, regional, national and international consumer and business-to-business
marketers.  Harte-Hanks Direct Marketing improves the return on its clients'
marketing investment with a range of services organized around five solution
points:  Construct and update the database - Access the data - Analyze the data
- Apply the knowledge - Execute the programs.  Visit the Harte-Hanks Web site
at http://www.harte-hanks.com/ or call [phone].

Harte-Hanks, the Harte-Hanks logo, and Allink are registered trademarks of
Harte-Hanks, Inc.

  Media Contacts:
   Chet Dalzell, Harte-Hanks
   [phone]
   

   Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek, Harte-Hanks
   [phone]
   

   Liza Colburn, Horn Group, Inc.
   [phone]
   

DATASOURCE: Harte-Hanks, Inc.



CONTACT:  Chet Dalzell, [phone], , or

Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek, [phone],  both of Harte-

Hanks; or Liza Colburn of Horn Group, Inc., [phone],





Web site:  http://www.harte-hanks.com/

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