Catalogs remain valuable marketing tools that every business should pay attention to. Catalogs offer a high return on investment and a more engaging experience compared to online marketing efforts and have a wide range of purposes beyond the traditional mail-order catalog.

In this blog, we'll explore the many benefits of using catalogs as a part of your marketing strategy. From increasing sales and customer loyalty to building strong brand awareness and attracting new customers, here is why catalogs work.

Why Catalogs Work

Catalogs work as a powerful marketing tool because they allow companies to reach and engage with their target audience in a tangible way. Unlike digital advertising, catalogs provide a physical product that customers can touch, flip through, and even keep for future reference. This creates a longer-lasting and more meaningful connection between the customer and the brand. Additionally, catalogs offer a level of personalization that digital ads cannot, allowing businesses to tailor their message and products to each customer's specific interests and needs. As a result, catalogs have proven to generate higher order values, repeat purchases, and overall return on investment for businesses that use them effectively.

Using Catalogs as Part of a Marketing Strategy and Their Impact

Mail Order Catalogs

Mail order catalogs are a list of products or services a business offers that can be ordered and delivered through the mail. They often feature product descriptions, prices, images, instructions, website URLs, and contact information to place orders. Catalog recipients can use the catalog to browse products or services offered by a company, make selections, and place orders via mail, phone, or online. Mail-order catalogs have been a popular and effective business tool for many decades. With the rise of online shopping, many companies have seen increased website traffic generated by their catalogs. In fact, 60% of catalog recipients visit the website of the business that sent them the catalog.

While the retail industry commonly uses mail-order catalogs for selling clothing, home goods, beauty products, electronics, and other consumer goods, they are also highly effective when used by service providers like home improvement businesses and nonprofit organizations as an effort to bring in donations and promote their cause.

Catalogs as Portfolios

A portfolio catalog's purpose isn't to advertise items for sale. Instead, they display examples of a person's work, like authors, photographers, graphic designers, and other artists, to generate interest and commissions.

Creative professionals often self-publish collections of their existing work in catalog format. This strategy allows artists to present their work to prospective clients. Portfolio catalogs are effective communication tools in several ways. First, they allow artists to showcase their work in a tangible and organized manner. This enables them to present their work in a format that is easy to flip through, creating a more memorable and impactful impression on potential clients than showing their work solely through digital media. Additionally, a printed portfolio catalog can easily be shared with others in various settings allowing the artist to extend their reach and generate more prospects.

Periodicals in Catalog Format

Periodicals such as magazines, newsletters, or newspapers that come out periodically are beneficial for showcasing company updates, educating readers about product features or service benefits, or announcing special events. Periodicals in catalog format are incredibly effective communication tools that build and maintain relationships with subscribers or customers. Publishers and companies can establish themselves as a trusted brand with expertise by offering consistent updates, insights, topics, and news to their audience. Also, catalogs sent out periodically can increase traffic and sales to a company's website or store. Publishers can successfully encourage their audience to engage with their brand and purchase by including special offers or discounts.

Digital Catalogs

Many businesses provide a digital catalog—also known as an "electronic catalog" or "e-catalog"—on their website or via email. Digital catalogs can be easily updated and customized, allowing companies to promote products or services that frequently change, keeping the offerings and messaging current. In addition to being easily updated, e-catalogs offer interactive features that can help enhance readers' experience while allowing the company to track engagement. For example, by including links within a digital catalog, businesses can track click-through rates and time spent on each page.

Boosting Revenue with Catalogs

Even in today's digital age, Catalogs are an effective marketing tool. Studies have shown that catalogs can generate a strong return on investment, with 84% of shoppers purchasing an item after seeing it in a catalog. Additionally, when people receive emails and printed catalogs, sales increase is an impressive 49%.

One reason for this success is that catalogs offer a unique and tangible experience that online media can't match. A printed catalog's physical interaction creates a more meaningful connection between the customer and the brand, increasing the likelihood that they will remember and revisit the catalog.

Another advantage of catalogs is their high visibility and longer lifespan than digital media. People are naturally drawn to printed materials, making it more likely that they will glance at a catalog and become a new customer. Additionally, catalogs stay on coffee tables or bookshelves for extended periods, providing multiple opportunities for people to read and engage with the content.

Overall, catalogs are a powerful tool for boosting revenue and customer loyalty, offering a unique and tangible experience.

Catalogs for Brand Promotion

Catalogs offer businesses a powerful tool for attracting new customers and building brand awareness. Rather than just a way to select and order merchandise, catalogs provide a tangible and engaging experience that can create a longer-lasting connection between the customer and the brand.

Direct mail catalogs are particularly effective for informing prospective customers about a business's products and services. In fact, studies have shown that over 90% of consumers browse catalogs and keep them for around a week, making them highly effective and impactful marketing materials.

How Catalogs Are Effective Communication Tools

Catalogs are a highly effective communication tool because they offer customers and prospects a tangible and interactive experience. Unlike online media, printed catalogs can be physically held, browsed through, and marked with notes or bookmarks. This allows an audience to engage more deeply with a business's brand and products, as they can revisit and consider the catalog at their own pace. Additionally, catalogs have a longer shelf life than digital ads, making them a more persistent and visible way to promote a brand. Furthermore, catalogs are more likely to catch the attention of people passing by. They can be shared or passed on to others, increasing their reach and impact. Overall, catalogs offer businesses a unique and valuable way to communicate their message and connect with their target audience.

Start Using Catalogs Effectively

Catalogs work, and they're an effective communication tool that offers businesses a tangible and interactive way to engage with and reach their target audience. From mail-order catalogs to periodicals in catalog format, digital catalogs, and even portfolio catalogs, there are many ways to use catalogs to promote products and services and build brand awareness. Catalogs offer a unique and personal connection between customers and brands, allowing for extended engagement and higher ROI for businesses.

With advancements in printing technology, catalogs have become easier and more affordable to produce, making them accessible to businesses of all sizes. So, what are you waiting for? If you want to increase your revenue and connect with your target audience, consider adding catalogs to your marketing strategy. Get a quote for your catalogs today.