Twelve Tips For Making Your Catalogue Printing A Success
If you have more information to get to your customers than a brochure or flyer can hold, you need to think about catalogue printing. No matter what your company offers, you’ll find that a catalogue is an effective way to market your products and services. If your catalogue is carefully designed and professionally made, it will grab the customer’s attention and give your business an image of quality and value.
The good news is that catalogues can be used for a wide range of printing, including: sales and consumer catalogues, manuals, journals, event programs, exhibition guides, reports, or other multi-page booklets. The ‘even better’ news, is that your catalogue doesn’t have to be expensively made to look enticing and make sales.
These ten tips can help you create a catalogue that will create more sales without breaking your printing budget.
- The cover is worth a thousand words. Make sure there is a strong image on the cover -- just think about some of your favourite magazines. The cover needs to leave a lasting impression.
- Plan ahead and then work backwards. Your catalogue may be a simple brochure folded to make a four-page piece, or a full colour, saddle-stitched or perfect bound monster of 64 pages or more. Know in advance how much space you’ll be filling, how you’ll want your catalogue folded and bound, and other details -- before you start designing.
- Choose the right paper. If you want your catalogue to look professional, choose from 115gsm or 130gsm gloss stock or even 150gsm for inside pages and a heavier and high gloss stock for the cover.
- Save money with the right paper size. Using standard paper sizes like A5 or A4 will keep your catalogue printing budget well under the limit. On the other hand, paying extra for a custom size catalogue will ensure that yours stands out from the rest.
- Make the information rich, specific, and appropriate. Ideally, each item should have a clear and brief description -- between thirty and fifty words. Combine your selling message with vivid language and product tips to make your catalogue read like an informational book. Engage your customer’s imagination and watch your sales go up.
- Use headlines, subheads, and visuals. Your text and images can help guide the reader towards specific items.
- Supply the correct artwork. Make sure your illustrations (whether they are scanned drawings, photographs, or other graphics) don’t need alterations and, that they meet your printer’s specifications for size and resolution. Otherwise, you may be facing extra costs!
- Make your catalogue easy to read. The images and descriptions should be grouped so that your reader has an easy time using your catalogue. Stick with fonts that are readable, even at small sizes. If your catalogue is difficult to read, your customers won’t have the patience to look at it.
- Keep your design consistent. Stick to one image or illustration style throughout your catalogue. A consistent layout is the mark of a true professional. If you already have a style and design that your customers are familiar with and fond of, stick with it.
- Link to your website. Guide your readers to your website with a reminder on each page of your catalogue. These days, more and more people are choosing to shop online for browsing ease and quick ordering. Make sure your website offers the same or more current, more in-depth information than your catalogue does.
- Make the call to action loud and clear. Every page of your catalogue should tell customers how they can place an order: phone, fax, mail, or online. You can’t give too many contact options! Make it easy for your customers to make a purchase.
- Make order forms easy to use. A catalogue has to have an order form! A well-designed order form can be used as a worksheet to organize purchases before the customer calls or makes an order online. Keep your forms simple, intuitive, and orderly.
