Create sensational catalogues
Figures from the Australian Catalogue Association show the catalogue media sector in Australia, which is worth approximately $1.6 billion, accounts for 66 per cent of all retail advertising dollars. Stuart Cumming (Where to start
First, run the numbers - do your budgets/modelling working with realistic numbers. Get options on formats, page counts, number of copies you think you might require.
Once you've decided to produce the catalogue some of the other questions you might initially consider are:
* What is the theme of the catalogue? - is it a sale, a release of seasonal range, or other event such as Mothers Day
* What is the purpose of the catalogue? - is it to drive store traffic or elicit direct sales (via, order form, phone or on-line)... or is it a combination of the two. It's best to have one purpose as the single focus and appreciate the extra sales as a bonus.
* How will this be distributed? - will it be mailed, delivered as unaddressed mail or a combination of the two? As delivery (and print) costs are a function of format (page count and size) this is a significant initial question.
* What products to feature? - are we encouraging short term sales increase with a smaller number of price sensitive offers or are we including a complete range of product to tell a theme or story?
Maintain brand consistency - don't make the mistake of assuming that because it's a catalogue it should have a different look and feel to the rest of your advertising. A catalogue is one of the best brand building tools available. With this much real estate to work with you can develop a strong story, but make sure it's consistent with your brand principles and elements, even if it's a sale.
* What are your competitors doing? - look at what they are doing well and what they are doing poorly. Adapt the good aspects to your own case.
It's then a matter of an appropriate distribution strategy which would normally be a combination of mailing to existing customers (assuming a customer list is available) and targeting non-customers of a similar profile through unaddressed mail.
Who to talk to
Surround yourself with brilliance - it'll rub off. Talk to those who are working in the medium - designers, photographers, printers, distributors - because experts do make a difference.
Who does this apply to?
A multi-store retailer who wants to drive store traffic will often see a catalogue as a cost-effective medium with pre-press production (set-up) costs able to be amortised over a number of stores. Catalogues can be mailed out to the customer list and also distributed unaddressed via letterbox or newspaper.
Conversely a single store retailer would have greater difficulty in justifying such an approach as the cost of production relative to the potential market would be uneconomic (unless it was an iconic, upmarket leader).
Is there any cost involved?
Like any advertising medium, the greatest cost is the opportunity cost of not producing an effective catalogue. Also, damage to the brand by not conforming to brand principles can be permanent or, at least, costly to rectify.
How can I obtain further information?
Call Chris Lee Brown CEO of Australian Catalogue Association
(03) 8687 6170 or visit catalogue.asn.au