What It Takes To Do Effective Catalog Marketing

What does it take to create a successful catalog marketing campaign? It takes time and effort, as well as strategic planning to make your custom catalogs work the way they’re supposed to.

Catalog printing design takes more than avant-garde pattern to make them stand out. As much as innovative ideas are welcome, much of the success of your custom catalogs is based on catalog design principles that have been in use and generally accepted by many designers and professionals.

These design principles have been established for a purpose – to sell your products. If not for these rules, there won’t be any foundation for other design principles to follow.

So here again are the rules of catalog design that will provide you with effective catalog marketing for your business.

Rule #1: Bestsellers are always at the upper right corner of your page/spread.

The eyes generally fall first at the upper right corner of a page. As it is, designer rule justifies that you should put your strongest products on that corner.

How To Enhance: Instead, place your most visually compelling product at the upper right side.

It is a fact that not all bestselling products are also attention-grabbers. Rather than spoil your success on a blah-looking bestseller, optimize that portion of your catalog with an unusual and distinct product that impels your target readers to stop and consider the rest of your custom catalog.

Rule #2: Apply simple typography and few typefaces.

Your catalog copy needs to be legible and readable. That’s the most important rule in catalog writing. Suffice it to say that fancy typography only distracts your readers from your message.

And you don’t have to reduce your fonts to a mere 6 points just to shove everything in. You don’t need too many words to say what needs to be said about your products.

How To Enhance: Defy the rule by providing a headline that clearly outlines your product’s benefits. Use a distinct typeface to make it conspicuous. If you want, you can also make your text bolder and bigger to emphasize your point.

Rule #3: Consistency is the key to an effective catalog design.

In creating a brand image, you need to develop recognizable pages, logos and elements in your catalog design. However, consistency sometimes results to boring and unattractive catalog layout.

How To Enhance: Mix and match grids and amazing layouts to break up the general look of your print catalog. Apply different colors, backgrounds or layouts just to shake things up. Encourage your readers to spend more time on your catalog by making every page irresistible.

Rule #4: Standard formats are usually more profitable.

Budget-wise, catalog printing is generally more economical when you work according to your printer, as well as the Postage Service for your mailing.

However, whatever you save you also lose from the lack of attention you probably would get with less than unique catalog design.

How To Enhance: A unique format will more than likely get the attention of your target readers than the standard full sized catalog that you just produced.

Profits may not be outstanding if you apply established and well-known rules for your custom catalogs. But before you begin to break all of them to stand out, make sure that you understand them first and try to enhance them to increase your effectiveness, and ultimately your sales.

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