The trend of the future will most likely be catalogs that resemble magazines as closely as possible. This catalog marketing idea will give you a catalog design that will increase the perceived value of your catalog and increase its readability and acceptance.



OK, you want to know where I'm getting this crazy catalog marketing idea from? I've got a copy of my report ?64 Fantastic Ideas to Increase Your Catalogs Response? right in front of me, and I just pulled out idea #1 to share with you.

You just brought today's mail in and you are holding a catalog and a magazine in your hand, which one are you more likely to save? That catalog is more likely to end up in the trash. A magazine seems to have more importance, something you save to read. Let's give that same appeal to your catalog!

A Magazine Cover for Better Catalog Results:

Now we are going to take advantage of the appeal and looks of a magazine for your catalog. Design your catalog cover with a magazine in mind. Incorporate into it a magazine masthead look. Design this masthead to include your catalog name. ?Lands? End? does a good job of this. And don't forget to include your cutline under the masthead. This is the line that describes what you are all about such as this one from the ?Doctors Foster and Smith? catalog ?Quality Products For Small Pets.?

Include on your cover such magazine type items as a cover price (even though you give your catalog away put something like a $5 or $3 price on it to increase its perceived value and keep it from getting thrown out) Lines of large copy across the cover describing what's featured inside with the page numbers looks cool. You know, like you've seen on magazines.

I like to see artwork depicting the lower right cover corner being pulled back to reveal a listing of some of the features or special items inside or just highlighting a special item. Or how about showing more of the cover being pulled back and a bunch of your products popping out? You've got to entice those buyers to look inside your catalog!

Let this Catalog Marketing Idea Continue on Inside:

Now consider creating a catalog where the inside pages resemble a magazine. The pages could contain some articles spaced around your merchandise selections. If you want to get real clever, the articles could be written to tie in with the merchandise being offered and the copy would promote these items. Of course these articles will be selling messages for your products giving examples of how to use your products. Or if say you are selling decorating items, have articles that describe how to do certain projects and mention how to do it with your products. If you are selling gourmet food items or spices or something like that throw in a few recipes which call for the use of your products of course.

Including pertinent articles will give your catalog pages more of a magazine flavor, increase customer interest and increase your catalog results! But be careful, if you don't tie-in the articles and layout smoothly, you take the risk of confusing your readers.

Give Your Catalog Marketing the Timeliness of a Monthly Magazine:

Make your catalog similar to a monthly magazine! You wouldn't necessarily have to mail one out every month. Just spotlight a certain month, say July. Then put a July cover date on your catalog. Everything in this catalog could tie in with July activities. Highlight such activities as picnics, swimming, beaches, parties, 4th of July celebrations... hot weather fun of all kinds. Include artwork with strong July themes. Further enhance this theme by including appropriate articles and features.

This monthly magazine concept will work well for catalogs selling clothes, gourmet food, toys, electronics, gifts and a lot of other different items. Just use a little creative thinking to see how this would fit in with your products. There are so many more great magazine style catalog ideas you can use, pick up several magazines and get creative!

This was just idea #1, there are 63 Fantastic Ideas to Increase Your Catalog Response left, get them at?