Effective Catalogues: Tips from the Pros at Pel Hughes
Catalogues have a historic place in the development of commerce in the United States. The first catalogue was printed in 1848 by Tiffany & Co. Shortly thereafter, catalogues like Sears & Roebuck could be found in American households from coast-to-coast. The rise of e-commerce and app-based shopping may contribute to the misconception that catalogues have little place in moving products in the 21st century. This notion couldn’t be further from the truth. Whether you engage in B2B commerce or sell products direct-to-consumer, catalogues could be quite advantageous to your brand and your bottom line. In fact, the Harvard Business Review reported in 2020 that catalogues have made a bona fide comeback and the USPS found that catalogues are well-loved by many consumers, including the Millennial generation.
If you’re new to the world of catalogues or want to revamp your current catalogue marketing efforts, there are tried-and-true methods to make your brand stand out in a crowd. Following are some helpful catalogue tips from the pros at Pel Hughes.
Make Contact Information Visible
Have you ever noticed that every page of popular catalogues features a phone number and website in the header or footer? This is because it is imperative that businesses make it easy for customers to take the next step. Featuring your contact information on every page of your catalogue helps spurn more sales. We recommend placing your phone number and website in the footer of every page.
Utilize Great Product Descriptions
A great product description should make your items enticing to your customer. Using concise but descriptive language is important for selling your products. It’s also very important to provide key information like the dimensions of your product and from which materials it is made. Space is limited with product descriptions so every word counts. It’s wise to consult with a seasoned copywriter to help ensure that your product descriptions shine.
Invest in Great Photography
In addition to having excellent product descriptions, the other key component to creating an effective catalogue is to invest in great photography. Working with a professional photographer can help you produce a cohesive brand image with proper lighting and eye-catching visuals. It’s important to maintain a consistent background in your photos to help ensure that your products are a powerful focal point.
Use Consistent Typefaces
Typeface selection is integral. Utilizing multiple typefaces can be distracting and difficult to read. Some people may think they need multiple styles to emphasize product names or descriptions but using an array of fonts can be dizzying. Instead, it’s best to stick to the same typeface family and implement bold or italic fonts when emphasis is needed. Soliciting the help of a graphic designer can help you select the best typeface for your needs.
Know that Whitespace Matters in Catalogues
White space will flank your photos and your description. Those new to catalogues may think that skimping on white space is advantageous for packing more photos and text on the their pages. This thinking, however, can make viewing your catalogue unpleasant and cumbersome. Whitespace breaks up photos and blocks of text to make perusing your catalogue much easier. In fact, whitespace actually draws attention to your offerings in a way that is pleasing to readers.
The experts at Pel Hughes have helped innumerable businesses throughout the United States develop compelling and effective catalogues. We offer in-house printing and fulfilment along with experienced graphic designers. If you’re interested in learning more about catalogues, give our team a call at (504) 486-8646.
