Your catalog is designed with one purpose – to make people aware of the products you offer, and convince them to buy those products from your company. Your printed catalog is your Advertising vehicle, a good one will drive your sales right to the bank. An online version of your print catalog is highly recommended – the USPS reports that 55% of online shoppers shop with a printed catalog in hand. It goes to prove that if your catalog is online only, you might be missing out on sales.

Cover these five areas of good catalog design with the help of advertising professionals.

1. Catalog Product Photography

Quality — poor quality photos diminish your credibility

Focus — whether sharp or selective, be consistent with your brand

Color — accuracy is a must and depends on paper, prepress, and printing

Consistency — of style regardless of type (silo, background, location)

Visual interest — all your photos should be interesting to look at

Space allotment — bigger is better, use as much space as you can

2. Catalog Product Copy

Balancing act — romance with personality plus descriptive information of product

Always benefit driven — customers want to know “What’s in it for me?”

Always credible — accurate, authoritative, helpful and informative

Targeted to the audience — know who you’re speaking to and use appropriate language

Easy to read and understand — readers don’t want to have to figure it out for themselves

Space allotment & size — consider brand, product being sold, and target audience

3. Catalog Page Layout

Product is focus — quick identification of what’s being sold

Price point visibly noticeable — especially if price is your niche

Clean and simple and easy to shop — readers usually don’t spend a lot of time

Consistent in format and purpose — all pages should look like they’re from the same brand

Space allotment — good design sense is key here

White space — rest for the eye is critical

Location of information/order form — make it easy for the customer to purchase

Overall print quality — must be consistent with your brand

4. Catalog Front Cover

An invitation — inviting the reader to open the catalog

Provide a taste of what’s inside — use top sellers

Point to purpose of catalog — is there a season or other reason

Focus on merchandise — you are what you sell

Convey company image — ALWAYS be consistent with your brand

Provide stopping power and reason to go inside — there is a lot of competition out there

Highlight new products — especially if you carry the same items each month

Sell company services/policies/extras — sell your customer service right up front

5. Company Policies and Services

Guarantee — strong return policy visually evident

Make shopping simple — customers will go elsewhere if not

Ordering info — placed where easy to find

Website address — placed where it’s easy to find, and specify online services

Personalize and caring feeling — utilizing demographic information and purchasing history

Going beyond basic services — poor or non-existent customer service is not an option

Honesty and Sincerity — be your image. Don’t ever promise what you cannot deliver