Catalog Marketing

We all complain about too much mail in our box; it seems to be a social imperative. But admit it: who doesn’t love a glossy new catalog chock full of the latest styles in clothes, gear for your favorite hobby or cool gadgets that you don’t need but would love to own.

Despite the shift to online purchasing, printed catalogs are alive and well. According to Business Week ( read article ), mail-order catalogs are a $100 billion-a-year industry. In fact, many retailers are increasing their marketing budget for catalogs.

Simply put, catalogs work. They drive sales and profits and reduce the cost of acquiring new customers.

Consider these compelling statistics from the United States Postal Service’s 2007 white paper on catalog direct marketing  (read white paper) .

1. Catalog recipients purchased 28 percent more items and spent 28 percent more money than non-catalog purchasers.
2. Companies that use catalogs reported a 63 percent revenue lift for websites supported by catalogs.
3. Catalogs more than doubled online sales.

Why catalogs?

Catalogs create an emotional connection with readers through the combination of images and compelling content. It’s easier and more satisfying to thumb through a catalog over a cup of java than it is to look at the same products online. Catalogs also have a long shelf life. You’ve probably kept certain catalogs around so you could refer back to them for ideas or information.

Before the Internet, catalogs were primarily a one-dimensional sales tool. Customers called you to place an order, or perhaps visited your retail store. Now, catalogs also generate sales by driving traffic to your website. Once they are there, you then have the opportunity to sell customers additional products or to further develop a relationship with them. Encourage customers to sign up for your newsletter so you can continue to market to them, or talk with them in real time through live chat.

Instead of one-size-fits all catalogs (think Sears or JC Penney’s), businesses are creating more targeted catalogs that appeal to narrower audiences.

Return on investment

If you’re considering adding catalogs to your marketing toolbox, here are some tips to help you get the best return on your investment.

1. Start with a plan. Draft an outline of your catalog and make deliberate decisions about what to include and how you will organize your content. Decide up front if you’ll need to include a table of contents or an index.
2. Use professionals. Unless you are a crackerjack photographer, graphic designer or copywriter, turn to the professionals. The money you save doing it right from the start will pay off in spades over the long term.
3. Keep copy to a minimum and use it judiciously. Use headlines, subheadings, bullets, captions and call outs to highlight your most important points. Make it quick and easy for a busy person to get the gist of what you are promoting. They can read the details when they find a product of interest.
4. Think emotions. Draw your customers in by appealing to their emotions. The Territory Ahead catalog, for example, uses photos of unique travel destinations to set off it’s clothing, which is photographed on hangers with no models to intimidate. It’s easy to picture yourself on that remote island paradise strolling under the palm trees in your new Territory Ahead outfit.
5. Be true to your brand. Don’t forget that your catalog is an important part of your overall marketing communications. Be consistent with colors, styles, font and messaging. The catalog should look and feel like your website and other marketing pieces.
6. Invest in color. Unless you are selling an industrial product with little emotional appeal, this is not the time to use black and white or a monochromatic design. Color photos and color in the design will bring your catalog to life.
7. Think about how you will bind your catalog before you begin designing it. Binding will affect page layout and printing. For example, if your catalog is saddle stitched, you must produce pages in increments of four.
8. Make a strong first impression. The old saying “you can’t judge a book by its cover” may be true, but if the reader isn’t enticed to open your catalog, it won’t generate sales. 
9. Don’t forget contact information. Include your website or phone number on every page so it’s immediately available if a customer wants to place an order or go to your website.

A catalog is just one form of a booklet that shows products and prices. A booklet can be any multi-paged selling document and can be used in myriad ways. See our article on booklets for other marketing ideas.

Do you need to print four color catalogs? For competitive prices, outstanding quality, four-color printing and fast turn around on your catalog or booklet printing, turn to 4over4.com. From minimums as low as 250 to quantities up to 100,000, 4over4.com gets the job done right and on time–every time!

Don’t take our word for it. Read what other customers are saying about 4over4.com.

For more information, e-mail us at support@4over4.com.