Increase Sales Now with a Product Catalog

Even in today's online age, having a website isn't always enough to turn visitors into customers and clients. We all still love catalogs and they do still have an important place in making sales.

One reason why a catalog can be more important to a customer than a website is the layout and format. A typical website can be a complex network of pages, blogs, forms and links, whereas a catalog is a straightforward document that you can simply read from page to page. It can keep a reader more focused on your product and is more likely to be read cover to cover.

So to increase your own sales, you should consider having a catalog. Here is what you need to know.

Digital or Print

Though a paper catalog can have some benefits, more and more companies are leaning towards digital documents instead. You still get all the great photos and graphics, interesting text and vital information, but you gain in flexibility and ease of use.

Formats

This is going to be your next question once you've decided to go with digital documents for your catalog. PDFs are currently one of the most popular options because they are readable across any devices, but some newer formats are getting some attention too.

The flipbook (flipbookhub.com) is a fantastic way to create a cutting-edge catalog, with lots of graphics and animated pages that feel like you're flipping paper pages.

Distribution

Getting your catalog seen is an important part of sales, with either paper or digital documents. Mailing lists used to to be important for mailed paper documents, and the concept is still the same with online documents. In this case, you want to build a list of email addresses for interested parties and potential customers. Once you have a list, you can periodically send your catalog.

Getting your catalog directly in front of people is one option, and one that has worked for generations. You can also tie your catalog into your web presence as well. As we mentioned, the catalog and website serve different purposes and are separate things. Even so, you can have your catalog available on your site to get people reading it.

Work on social media too. Share via Facebook or Twitter, or add some product photos to Instagram and Pinterest to get people interested in requesting your catalog.

Good Content

A catalog doesn't need to be filled with articles, blogs or testimonials. Focus on your products and keep readers interested with snappy text. Don't skimp on good photography for your product images either, and try to utilize video if you are going with a digital or online document for your catalog.

You don't necessarily need a professional to take good pics either. A little creativity and you can create your own lightbox or backdrops to create vivid and appealing photos. A decent quality digital camera should be able to take high-resolution photos, so you shouldn't need to invest in too much new equipment.

Keep your products well organized in your catalog and keep the accompanying text clear. People don't want to hunt around. That's why they're reading your catalog rather than your website.