Welcome to 2022 – and what better way to start a new year than with a new catalogue or catalogue refresh! Whether you’d like to revamp your existing catalogue or create one from scratch, our top tips for creative design reveal just some of the ways we can make your catalogue sizzle – improving impact, orders and your ROI.
Tip 1: Harness your brand passion to sell
Create a unique brand proposition and sell with authority. Give your customers a distinct reason for buying from you.
Tip 2: Be sociable
Include your social media addresses, and then post product updates and special offers. Create a buzz with social media to send customers back to your catalogue or website.
Tip 3: Cover magic
Your cover is your shop window. Entice them in with a gorgeous image and a special offer, and ensure you tell them where to find it inside. Use smaller inset images to demonstrate your product range. Attract upmarket customers by considering paper type, weight and finish.
Tip 4: Cross & upsells
Get the best out of your customers. Cross sells show them similar and linked products. Upsells persuade them they can get even more pleasure and benefit from a more expensive product.
Tip 5: Personal introduction
The Tone of Voice of your brand should be unique, expressing its personality. A personal introductory letter connects your brand to your customer on a personable, friendly level.
Tip 6: Encourage exploration
An easy-to-read, succinct introduction and contents panel repays dividends. Catalogues are like shops – if you can’t find what you want, you leave (put it down).
Tip 7: Show them where to look
Images are never viewed individually in a spread. Show them where to look. Use the all-important model pose, eye direction and product angle to direct eye flow.
Tip 8: Whatever you’re selling, tell its story
It’s not only the features, it’s the benefits, it’s how it will make the buyer’s life better. Giving information also builds your brand’s authority.
Tip 9: Hero products
Ensure you give expensive, complex or high-margin items more space and detail. And position them where they will do the most good - both for the hero product and the spread.
Tip 10: Keep it together
Ensure your catalogue and digital marketing work together. Direct readers to your website with ‘more online’ messages, using QR codes, cross selling, video demos – this enhances the power of both your key channels.
Tip 11: Calls to action
Well-designed catalogues can also drive people to your website. Make sure that your contact details and web address are highly visible and written in the right way.
Tip 12: Give your catalogue a personality through memorable copy
Bring out your brand personality through the tone of voice in your copy. Intelligently-written copy makes your catalogue readily identifiable as coming from your brand.
Tip 13: Detail is king
The more content rich the design and copy of your catalogue, the more it brings out your brand’s points of difference and USPs. So it’s more involving, and more successful.
Tip 14: Graphic icon highlighting
Eye-catching graphic icons highlight hero products, draw attention to best sellers and bring out important information about a product. They can also add interest and help direct eyeflow.
Tip 15: Make ordering easy
Time spent making the ordering process clear and simple pays dividends in increased orders. Show them how to pay, reassure with guarantee, ask for the order. Be direct.
Tip 16: B2C or B2B, the difference
We’re all people, but we have different priorities at work and at leisure. B2B clients want a solution. B2C customers want happiness. Either way, ensure the product details reflect the reader’s needs.
Tip 17: Vary the pace
Page after samey page is a turn-off. Be sure to change gear regularly throughout your catalogue – with standout section header pages, stopper pages and brand panels.
Tip 18: Don’t forget footers
Remember to include a benefit line or brand positioning statement in some of the page footers, and don’t waste space by having them all carrying ordering details.
Tip 19: Testimonials
Reassurance from a third party can be the most compelling piece of copy you have. Especially if it spells out the benefits of having the product.
Tip 20: Brand presence
It may sound like a luxury, but a page about your brand and its ethos can help build your customer relationships. It’s also a good change of pace in your catalogue.
Making a good-looking and sales-grabbing catalogue is a complex creative process. Ensure you get the catalogue and results you deserve. Call Tony or James on 01273 72 40 40 now to discuss your project, book a free catalogue critique, or email us at [email protected]
Let’s start 2022 with a bang!