Without barely noticing it or maybe we already get used to it, but we are surrounded by a lot of advertising materials from different companies. It is the need for every company to endorse its name and products and services to the right market in order to gain popularity, which would lead to increased branding leading to increased sales and being on top of the spotlight. So what would you use to advertise your products or services?
There might be a lot of marketing tools used by different entities, but among the most effective and widely used materials are the catalogs and they have been around for decades now. They are convenient, easy to create, and easy to print, making them the most ideal advertising material for a company. Read more to know how to start creating yours now.
Elements of a Catalog
You cannot simply put everything you want in your catalog for you might end up creating a messy and unorganized one. Although catalogs from different entities differ in their content and the category of product lines they are selling, they are comprised of the same important elements which are as follows:
1. Front Cover: Similar to a book cover, the front cover of a catalog creates reader’s expectation of the content of the catalog. It is the primary factor for an audience to be drawn into flipping its page and browsing the items. It features the company name, the industry that the company is into, and key information about its content. Hence, giving more focus on the design of the front cover is vital in the effectiveness of your catalog.
2. Back Cover: The back portion of a catalog is not something that you just ignore. A lot of marketers would utilize this space for additional information about the material or as an extended page for advertising their products and services. There are also some companies that uses the back cover to promote their brand by simply incorporating their logo or its color palette or any illustrations and graphics associated with the company.
3. Typefaces: While you are working to keep your design elegant and professional, you must also consider the typeface to be used in your catalog for it helps relay the important information to the readers. Note that people would lose their interest when they cannot easily read your text. Hence, choose the appropriate typeface, the one that is not just artsy but is also readable.
4. Branding: Developing a company brand image is important so people would remember you. Thus, in all your marketing materials, feature your branding in any ways you can do. For your catalog, you can add your company logo or a photo of your mascot. Make sure that you are consistent with you branding throughout all your advertising tools for the market to recognize and distinguish you from the competitors.
5. Products and service: Organize the list of your products or services by page or by grouping similar items. Commonly, marketers would showcase the products or services individually to help create a sense of individuality, hence giving enough space for each of the items. In presenting your items, it must contain a brief description, item number, price, variations, among others.
6. Order forms: Order forms, despite the increasing use of phones and computers in making an order online, come in handy when a walk-in customer would immediately want to purchase from your store. They are not just convenient for instant sale but for prompting the reader to make a purchase now. They serve to encourage an immediate response from the one reading the catalog. Moreover, they contain information such as the terms and condition of the sale, warranties, and policies.
10+ Catalog Templates
Multipurpose Portfolio Catalog
Editable Portfolio Catalog
Sales Catalog
Travel Catalog
Service Catalog
Company Catalog
Exhibition Catalog
Real Estate Catalog
Simple Advertising Catalog
Home Decor Catalog
10+ Popular Catalog Examples
Bebco Products Catalog
bebco.com
Harvey Tool Catalog
harveytool.com
Ram Mounts Catalog
rammount.com
Lionel Trains Catalog
lionel.com
LTD Commodities Catalog
ltdcommodities.com
Workman Calendar Catalog
workman.com
Missouri Southern State University Catalog
mssu.edu
Motorcycle Storehouse Catalog
motorcyclestorehouse.com
Walther Arms Annual Catalog
waltherarms.com
Haynes Interactive Catalog
haynes.com
How to Create a Catalog
Every company can easily create a product catalog, but not all can create an effective one. You know a catalog is effective when it successfully draws people’s attention and when it converts the reader to a sure buyer. How will you do it? Here are the primary things that you can do:
1. Know your market: Understanding your audience by knowing their interest is the first step in identifying the products or services that would cater their needs. Through this, you can tailor your catalog specifically to that group of people, your target market. Because you already had the idea regarding their needs and wants, you can now decide on what to feature in your catalog.
2. Specify your products and services to be sold: Now that you know and understood your target market, the next thing is to create a selling strategy, the one that would effectively work for your specified customers. You must also determine the products or services that have the best impact given your target market. In this regard, you can be specific with the items in your catalog by tailoring perfectly to your market’s interests.
3. Layout your pages: Being organized does not only mean placing your items with a specific measurement apart from each other and be consistent with the spaces between the items. It as well suggests to strategically arrange the items on a single page making sure that the most profitable ones are the first ones that would catch the reader’s attention.
4. Create a support strategy: We all know that each company has numerous marketing tools. If your catalog is one among the many, you may consider to create a connection among these marketing tools for a maximum advertising. For example, you can use the catalog to invite readers to visit your website or subscribe to your newsletters. In this way, your different methods of advertising will be interconnected and will support each other.
5. Assess your catalog: Catalog creation does not stop after printing your catalog; it goes beyond. You still need to monitor and assess the performance of your catalog, its effect on your sales, readers’ feedback, among others. You must identify which products sold well and which did not. Analyzing how your catalog have been doing is important so you can modify your catalog in the feature and turn it into something better that what you have previously created.
Simple Tips for Designing a Catalog
An attractive catalog captures the interest of the audience, but making it informative is also equally important. Now that you already know how to create a catalog, it is about time that we would delve into the specific when it comes to designing your catalog. Here are some simple tips that you must bear in mind while working on your catalog.
- Take high-quality photos: Commonly, the buying decision of the customer is influenced by the photos of your products or services. Ensure that it is taken in high quality so it won’t get distorted or blurred even when stretched. Additionally, in capturing the products, look for the best lighting and angle for this would increase the product’s presentation. Check out photography catalogs for inspiration.
- Emphasize profitable items: It is stated above that you must create a layout that features the profitable items. Take note bestselling items do not necessarily mean your most profitable items. Knowing and leveraging from your profitable items will surely result in an increased sales. In order to highlight your profitable items, you can present them in a different box, you can wrap around patterns or lines, among others, as long as it is presented separately or in a different presentation from the other typically sold items.
- Use striking headlines: Pop your headlines with interesting typography to catch the eye of the audience. The first thing that they would notice is your headline, so take time in thinking what might be the best and most attractive and striking that you can come up with. Squeeze your creative juices and surely, artsy ideas will flow.
- Keep it simple: Do not go overboard with your design, and as much as possible, do not try to fit all your items in a catalog. You have a lot of products and services, so typically, one catalog cannot contain them all. Readers may get bored scanning and reading those thick pages which might lead to losing of interest to your catalog. Moreover, avoid a cluttered layout in order to keep the elements in your catalog in harmony with each other.
- Stick to your purpose: It is understandable that you are thinking a lot of things by now regarding the company, but you have to ensure that you are sticking to your purpose, that is, to have an increased sales through your catalog. In order to do this, you must include your contact details, address, ordering, payment, and shipping methods, and other policies that is related to the selling of your products and services.
Types of Catalogs
Which might be the type of catalog that is appropriate and at the same time appealing to your target market? Here are some common types of catalogs that you can choose for your items:
1. Print Catalogs: Print catalogs have the exceptional capability to attract people while still being functional by allowing to showcase multiple product categories. It is very convenient for the readers because they can easily carry them anywhere and they can browse through the items anytime.You may also see business catalog examples.
2. Online Catalogs: To save printing and mailing costs, online catalogs are the answer. It can be an alternative to the traditional catalogs, allowing readers to easily browse and search for products and their corresponding prices. You can also easily update prices or add items quicker than the traditional one. Order and payment can also be less hassle since every process is done online so it is smooth and faster than the usual.
3. Single Company Catalogs: This type of catalog is suitable for companies whose product lines are often more than a dozen. Closely related products are grouped together for the customers to immediately find what they are searching for. However, strategically spreading the items throughout your catalog might also be a great way to prompt impulse buyers to purchase your products. You may also see travel catalog examples.
4. Multiple Company Catalogs: These are catalogs that presents products from different company, mostly from the same industry. The items from the competing brands are showcased in a single medium so it would be easier for the customers to compare the prices, sizes, and variations of a certain product from different companies.
Catalog Sizes
- 5.5 × 8.5 inches: This size is best for watch and jewelries because it is typically tall and slim, allowing the items to be featured appropriately with enough description in a space that the product images perfectly fit.
- 6 × 6 up to 6 × 9 inches: A square-shaped or rectangular-shaped catalog of this size is good for low-volume products or services with minimal features, such as IT service catalogs.
- 8.5 × 11 up to 9 × 12 inches: This size is perfect for clothing and apparel industries. Clothing catalogs and fashion catalogs are perfect examples.
- 12 × 12 inches: This catalog size is used to feature a large number of products or services at a time, like home interior catalogs.
