The old saying that size does not matter is not always true. Size does matter. In catalog printing, size does matter.
If you want to save money, ask how differently the sizes would be priced. Chances are, depending on its size and some other factors like color separation, a print catalog would be priced differently.
More is cheaper.
Plan your orders so that you can order in bulk. As you may well know, the higher the quantity, the cheaper it becomes. Secondly, if you plan your orders, you avoid second print runs which tend to be more costly. Talk to your catalog printing company and discuss with them the difference in costs. This way, you can see how much your budget would allow for large quantities.
A dummy is no dummy.
Create your own dummy or mock up to make sure you have all the right specs. Your dummy can help you see the actual print catalog, e.g. the pictures and images, the font sizes, lay-out, etc. Your printer would be more than willing to help you create a dummy for you because it saves them a lot of time.
Proofread. Proofread. Proofread.
This is the advice I cannot help but repeat. Often times, a lot of print catalogs, brochures, or posters look unprofessional because of errors. Wrong spellings, grammatical lapses, wrong captions make your marketing tool look amateurish. Re-printing after a full order has been delivered is definitely a no-no. So invest in proofreading your dummies - the more people to check on your job, the more mistakes that can be captured.
Paper texture also matters.
There are different kinds of paper. Depending on what you want to project, there is a particular type of paper for it. For instance, if you are selling a perfume, you do not want to have print catalogs on cheap paper. Your paper tells a lot about an image. When it feels cheap to touch, then you'd better change your paper choice because it'll just make you look amateurish and unprofessional.
When you talk to your printers, ask for a few samples. Be patient in determining the appropriate paper type because your brand image also depends on the type of paper you use for your advertising materials.
