Chapter 7: CATALOGS

Slide 1: 

7 CATALOGS 1

Catalog : 

12-2 Catalog A recent study by the Direct Marketing Association reveals that 49 percent of consumers buy from catalogs Sales from paper catalogs and sales from webtalogs are projected to become roughly equal by year 2012

Creating Messages for Specific Media : 

Creating Messages for Specific Media Catalogs A multipage direct mail format or booklet that displays photographs and/or descriptive details of variety of merchandise (products/services) along with prices and order details

Creating Messages for Specific Media : 

Creating Messages for Specific Media Catalogs A catalog can have just a few pages or hundreds of pages The real growth in this field is in the area of specialty catalogs Please google the word to see.

Creating Messages for Specific Media : 

Creating Messages for Specific Media Catalogs Catalog copy goes hand in hand with design, illustration, and graphics Pictures show it, words describe it Words are arranged to spell out benefits

Creating Messages for Specific Media : 

Creating Messages for Specific Media Catalogs Today’s catalogs rely on databases to target specialized product lines to most-likely-interested market segments Catalogs are not confined to consumer products, are used in business-to-business distribution

Advantages of Catalogs : 

Advantages of Catalogs

DISAdvantages of Catalogs : 

DISAdvantages of Catalogs

Creating and Managing Catalog : 

12-9 Creating and Managing Catalog Catalogs play an important role in the lives of consumers and business buyers They are part of multichannel marketing strategies This includes webtalog, e-commerce

Creating and Managing Catalog : 

12-10 Creating and Managing Catalog The catalog process identifies the eight core competencies of a winning catalog: We list the most important for our creative project. A catalog can differentiate itself from competition by merchandising selection, creative style, offers and customer service (p: 456) Merchandising Niche/positioning/branding Offer position Creative executive

Core Competency#1: : 

12-11 Core Competency#1: 1. Merchandising Catalogs are a blend of merchandise and audience Most catalogs are merchandise-driven, that is they start from a merchandise point of view and address the purchaser of the product Nothing comes before the product Understanding the psychology of the catalog buyer is essential to catalog merchandising

Core Competency#1: : 

12-12 Core Competency#1: 1.1 Know Thy Customer How do you get to know your customers? Here are some tactics: 1.1.1 A customer survey that rides along in the box shipment to first-time customers 1.1.2 Annual surveys to repeat buyers (mails, phone, internet) 1.1.3 Customer focus groups The key is to listen to what customers are saying in research surveys and conversations

Core Competency#2: : 

12-13 Core Competency#2: Positioning the Catalog To set themselves apart from the competitions, most catalogs seek to define a niche or a unique position and develop a brand for their catalog A niche is both a unique identity and a special place in the market where there is a void that is not being met by competition Branding is having “TOMA, top of Mind”

Core Competency#3 and #4: : 

12-14 Core Competency#3 and #4: New Customer Acquisition and Customer List Communication Front-end marketing refers to prospecting or new customer acquisition It is a cost-related activity The objectives of frontend marketing are to acquire new first-time customers or to acquire leads and inquires that can be converted into first-time buyers

Core Competency#3 and #4: : 

12-15 Core Competency#3 and #4: New Customer Acquisition and Customer List Communication Back-end marketing refers to working the customer list This is where the profitability of the catalog comes from The objectives of back-end marketing are to convert first-time buyers into second-time buyers, to maximize the number of profitable mailings to this list each year and to determine where the best long-term customers come from so that the catalog can change or modify its front-end media

Core Competency#5: : 

12-16 Core Competency#5: Creative Execution Pagination: Many catalog experts think pagination, or planning the overall scheme of the catalog, is the most important aspect of the creative process Pagination determines the catalog’s organization by product, mixing product, product function, theme, color, or price Know how the customers use the catalog

Core Competency#5: : 

12-17 Core Competency#5: Creative Execution Pagination: Sound Pagination puts the best selling products in he “hot spots” of the catalog, and thereby maximizes sales A catalog must provide the ambience that its audience that its audience expects Pagination ensures that there is “FLOW” from page to page, and from product category to product category

Core Competency#5: : 

12-18 Core Competency#5: Creative Execution 2. Design and Layout If the pagination is the master plan, then design and layout form the blueprint that will guide the creative construction process The catalog is design-driven Two critical areas of design are covers and page or spread layouts

Core Competency#5: : 

12-19 Core Competency#5: Creative Execution 2. Design and Layout CATALOG COVER The front and back covers have the following roles Attractive customers’ attention Telling what the catalog is selling Reinforce the catalog’s niche Offering a benefit Selling product

Core Competency#5: : 

12-20 Core Competency#5: Creative Execution 2. Design and Layout PAGE or SPREAD LAYOUTS Grid Layout Free form (asymmetrical) Single item per page Art and copy separation Product grouping The blueprint for copy and photography

Core Competency#5: : 

12-21 Core Competency#5: Creative Execution 2. Design and Layout PAGE or SPREAD LAYOUTS Make the product the hero Use logical eye flow Spread from the right-hand page to the left-hand page Strive consistency in layout from catalog to catalog

Core Competency#5: : 

12-22 Core Competency#5: Creative Execution 3. Color as a Design Element People react differently to the use of color in catalog Catalog readers like contrast between product and the background White space is clearly a design element

Core Competency#5: : 

12-23 Core Competency#5: Creative Execution 4. Typography Everyone learns to read black on white, left to right, left-justified columns, top to bottom, with short column length, reasonably sized type, and a serif typeface Varying from these patterns affects readability and customer response

Slide 24: 

24 <Using Design and Graphics>

Using Design and Graphics : 

Using Design and Graphics Layouts Illustrations & Photographs Involvement Devices Type Paper Ink Color 25

Using Design and Graphics : 

Using Design and Graphics Layouts A positioning of copy and illustrations not only to gain attention but also to direct the reader through the message in the sequence intended by the copywriter 26

Using Design and Graphics : 

Using Design and Graphics Illustrations & Photographs A compelling illustration can create attention Photographs of product in use can dramatize benefits Can highlight copy elements for prominence 27

Using Design and Graphics : 

Using Design and Graphics Involvement Devices Attention-getters in advertising that engage the reader to spur action … such as tokens, puzzles, sweepstakes, contests, premiums Links and click bottoms are natural involvement devices of websites 28

Using Design and Graphics : 

Using Design and Graphics Type Designers use typefaces to suggest boldness or dignity Typefaces create emphasis Certain special designs become recognizable logotypes for organizations 29

Using Design and Graphics : 

Using Design and Graphics Paper Designers are concerned with substance, texture, color, weight, size and shape of paper Paper can convey the impression Paper helps set the tone of a direct response advertisement 30

Using Design and Graphics : 

Using Design and Graphics Ink Like paper, ink can convey the impression through color, gloss, intensity and placement Ink selection must consider the paper and printing press as well as design 31

Using Design and Graphics : 

Using Design and Graphics Color The ‘warm’ colors (yellow, orange, red) stimulate The ‘cool colors’ ( blue, green, violet) sedate Color have different meanings to various cultures, to various ages, in various geographic locations 32

Slide 33: 

33 </Using Design and Graphics>

Core Competency#5: : 

12-34 Core Competency#5: Creative Execution 5. Catalog Copy: Your Salesperson Grab readers with headlines A successful direct mail package combines great graphics with even greater copy

EVALUATING DIRECT RESPONSE ADVERTISING COPY : 

EVALUATING DIRECT RESPONSE ADVERTISING COPY Copy is a direct mail package is content, and content has been king Benefit copy Descriptive copy Support copy Sweetener copy Facilitating copy

EVALUATING DIRECT RESPONSE ADVERTISING COPY : 

EVALUATING DIRECT RESPONSE ADVERTISING COPY Benefit copy: is the most important copy in a direct mail package Great direct marketing copy is benefit-oriented It tells the reader what they get when they respond This helps readers to project themselves into the brand

EVALUATING DIRECT RESPONSE ADVERTISING COPY : 

EVALUATING DIRECT RESPONSE ADVERTISING COPY 2. Descriptive copy is also included in direct mail package It replaces personal examination, the ability to touch and feel a product before making a decision The copy needs to describe the benefits in ways that capture and engage the reader's attention

EVALUATING DIRECT RESPONSE ADVERTISING COPY : 

EVALUATING DIRECT RESPONSE ADVERTISING COPY 3. Support copy answers the readers’ objections It offers a rationale behind claims made This may include data, statistics, research, cases, testimonials It provides a reason why for why the reader should believe the claims made in the copy

EVALUATING DIRECT RESPONSE ADVERTISING COPY : 

EVALUATING DIRECT RESPONSE ADVERTISING COPY 4. Sweetener copy provides yet more reasons the reader should accept the offer It may include additional aspects of the offer, incentive and choices It makes it easier for the reader to respond

EVALUATING DIRECT RESPONSE ADVERTISING COPY : 

EVALUATING DIRECT RESPONSE ADVERTISING COPY 5. Facilitating copy is copy that relieves anxiety, It makes responding easier (provides a toll-free phone number ) It offers easy payment terms (bill me later, send no money)

Four Basic Home Page Design Principles : 

41 Four Basic Home Page Design Principles Alignment Proximity Repetition Contrast