Health Spa in a Box released its newest and largest catalog in September. The eight-page, full-color effort was produced for $5,000 — a figure that would have been three times as much had the Monroe, NY firm not brought its production in house.

It's proved to be an investment well spent: Spurred by its success, the health and beauty products cataloger's promotional budget will double in 2004, according to president Deborah Warner. It also doesn't hurt that the company, which had been in product development mode during its first two years, has matured to a point where it can focus on marketing.

The new catalog reflects this. An earlier effort designed in June 2002 consisted of only four full-color pages.

The new book reflects the firm's ever-expanding product line. To broaden its appeal — both to male corporate gift buyers and male end-users — it designed a men's line called “Serious Relief,” a group of less-overtly feminine products packaged in brushed silver metallic boxes.

“People kept coming up and saying, ‘What about the guys?’” said Warner.

In fact, the cover of the new catalog prominently features the “Executive Male” collection, with smaller images designed to entice the catalog's female audience positioned just above it.

That isn't the only change in the catalog's design suggested by customer feedback. The new incarnation now features a greater selection of gifts under $25. And it also highlights customers' ability to mix and match products into highly personal assortments, in addition to its pre-designed packages.

Health Spa in a Box isn't going to move into mass prospecting in 2004. Most of the catalog's leads come from trade shows. These usually aren't considered hot unless the company has managed to get a telephone number, and perhaps an e-mail address as well.

People who have stepped up as prospects usually receive at least one telephone call, and are offered a chance to sign up for monthly e-mailed product updates.

So why not go for compiled lists of benefits directors? Largely because the additional interaction at a trade show has proven important to a lead's quality. “Our products are the kinds of things you need to see, touch, experience,” said Warner.

In fact, the company used three teaser postcards to draw corporate gift buyers to its booth at the most recent New York Incentive show. A mailing of the three efforts to 300 prospects yielded a 10% response rate — although many were doubtless lured by a promised sample package.

Between requesters, a mail-out effort in September and copies distributed at promotional events, Health Spa in a Box quickly exhausted its initial 1,000-copy print run. It printed another 2,000, and Warner plans to revise it either in February or June.