Your goal is not to sell one product, but to make the entire catalog sell. Make the concept of the catalog more interesting and people will spend more time with it. As a result, more items in the catalog will sell. If people take your catalog to the bathroom with them, you’ve got a winner.
Guidelines for building an effective catalog
Think of the whole, not the pieces.
Know your customer
Understanding who you are selling to is essential for determining the image you present. This knowledge will determine the style of photography and "tone of voice" of the writing and product descriptions. Knowing who your customer is will determine the image you present.
Understanding who you are selling to is essential for determining the image you present. This knowledge will determine the style of photography and "tone of voice" of the writing and product descriptions. Knowing who your customer is will determine the image you present.
In a weird way, a catalog is like a symphony
Classical music and movie scores have changes in tone, key and volume. They have pacing and surprise. So should a catalog. It needs to keep the reader engaged, interested and turning the pages. Avoid tedious, look-alike spreads. In some places use simple silhouetted photos. Elsewhere use close-ups of details or lifestyle shots. Surprise the reader with a full-page, full-bleed beauty photo that is not expected. Shoot some of your photos from unusual angles and occasionally use wide angle or special effects lenses. Tell a simple story when possible. Ties between photos or between photos and text can help keep interest. Photos and text should constantly reinforce each other.
Photos do the heavy lifting, but pay attention to the copy
Text can invite customers to enjoy the catalog in a leisurely manner and make the product selection seem more meaningful and unique. Too often companies settle for dry descriptions of their products. J. Peterman’s wildly successful catalog has hysterical little product stories (remember Seinfeld?). There are dual trends currently going on in catalog design: One is towards minimalism and the other is towards “Magalogs”. Williams-Sonoma’s catalog features useful recipes. Neiman Marcus’ catalog has brief features on designers. Well-written copy can draw the reader in, so don’t look at feature copy as lost selling space.
Keep the pages simple
Catalogs are by nature busy, usually with several products per spread. When presenting complex photographs, limit the number used and make them large enough to be clear. Too much complexity will repel the eye and discourage the reader from continuing.
Include everything necessary to make a buying decision
Of course you have to create desire first, but the buyer still has to know if it will fit next to the couch. So be sure to include all the necessary specifications and technical information. This can be broken out in sidebar stories or separate charts, or in some cases even placed in the back of the book. Knowing available sizes, weights and colors is essential to clinch the sale. This information must be easy to understand and follow. Any information that doesn’t add to the desire-building aspects of the main pages should be arranged separately. And INCLUDE AN ORDER FORM. Buyers often make their decisions by browsing a print catalog, then filling out the order form to help them order on-line.
