The Enduring Power of Printed Catalogs

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, some may question the relevance of printed catalogs. However, studies have shown that printed catalogs continue to wield significant influence in B2B marketing. In fact, revealed that 66 percent of adults prefer reading printed media to digital. This is not coincidental, there are a few reasons why:

• Tangibility and Credibility: Printed catalogs are a tangible representation of your brand. They allow customers to fully engage with your products. The weight, texture and quality of a well-designed catalog can enhance your brand’s credibility and leave an impression on recipients.
• Targeted Reach: By distributing printed catalogs to specific B2B prospects, you can ensure your message captures the attention of the right audience.
• Enhanced Brand Awareness: By highlighting your products and brand identity through captivating visuals and engaging content, you can increase brand recognition and forge a stronger connection with your audience.

In a previous blog post, we explored the neuroscience of touch and its impact on the brain. We found that paper, through a combination of sight and touch, has the power to create a lasting impression. reveals that ownership enhances a product’s value. Merely touching an object triggers this effect, increasing its perceived worth in the eyes of customers.

Touch fosters deeper engagement, surpassing the impact of sight or sound alone. that physical media promotes better reading comprehension compared to digital. The neuroscience of touch reveals that paper thrives as a tangible medium due to its ability to enhance intuitive navigation, facilitate mental mapping and demand fewer cognitive resources for better information retention.

Unlocking the Potential of Digital Catalogs

While printed catalogs hold undeniable power, digital catalogs provide an opportunity to extend your reach and enhance customer convenience. Here is why incorporating digital catalogs into your marketing strategy is beneficial:

• Accessibility: Digital catalogs transcend geographic boundaries, allowing businesses to reach prospects everywhere. With a few clicks, potential customers can access your catalog from anywhere in the world.
• Cost-Effective Distribution: Digital catalogs offer a cost-effective solution for businesses of all sizes, and you can identify and reach many potential customers at one time.
• Immersion: Digital catalogs offer embedded interactive features such as augmented reality, videos and more, providing an immersive experience for customers. With a click, they can explore additional product details, access related content and make direct purchases.

Digital catalogs also give you the ability to track customer engagement. By using dynamic QR codes, you can track customer engagement. You gain insight into what works in your catalog marketing by comparing unique locations, scan times, orders and more.

Combining Printed and Digital Catalogs

Printed and digital catalogs are not mutually exclusive. Businesses can leverage the complementary strengths of both and maximize impact. Here’s how you can harness the power of combining the two mediums:

• Cross-Promotion: Incorporate QR codes strategically within your printed catalogs to seamlessly bridge the gap between print and digital. By scanning QR codes, customers can instantly access the digital version of the catalog, unlocking additional content.
• Multi-Channel Engagement: Reach a wide audience by promoting both printed and digital catalogs through email campaigns, social media and your website. This multi-channel approach increases engagement and accessibility, ensuring customers encounter your catalog in their preferred format.
• Data-Driven Insights: Digital catalogs provide valuable data on customer behavior, such as time spent on specific pages and more. By analyzing this data, you gain insight into customer preferences, and can refine your marketing strategies to create personalized experiences for your target audience.

Additionally, combining printed and digital catalogs creates comprehensive product presentation. Printed catalogs offer tangibility, while digital catalogs provide immersion. This combination delivers a multi-sensory experience for your customers.

Tactile in nature, printed catalogs allow customers to interact physically. Digital catalogs leverage enhanced multimedia features for an enhanced visual experience. By integrating both formats, businesses can captivate customers, provide relevant content and drive conversions cohesively.

How �������Ƶ Can Help

As print experts, we know a thing or two about catalogs. �������Ƶ is here to help you unlock the full potential of your marketing campaigns. We want to power your business with the tools and expertise needed to create catalogs that captivate your audience on any platform. Here are a few resources we offer to help you reach your goals:

• Printing: With over 86 years of experience, �������Ƶ is the print expert. We have plenty of print options including:
  • Sheet-fed printing that provides solutions for short and medium-run jobs.
  • Digital printing that can handle projects ranging anywhere from one to thousands of copies and beyond.
  • Heat-set web printing that produces precise color accuracy at fast speeds.
  • Binding and cover treatment capabilities to ensure your project will stand out and maintain its integrity over time.
  • Fulfillment services that are reliable and free our customers of the hassle, so they can focus on what matters.
• App Development: Our app development services give your business the ability to create, publish and measure with ease. We have launched 300+ mobile apps for publications, catalogs and more.
• Digital Conversion: In addition to our app development service, �������Ƶ Apps can also convert your publication into a digital version. The Klein Tools case study serves as a notable example of how �������Ƶ’s solutions help increase B2B revenue and connect audiences.
• Mailing Service: �������Ƶ helps streamline catalog mailing processes by working with businesses to find out how we can make their distribution seamless. We will schedule a personal onboarding call to discuss permit usage, certified software, ways to save money and more.

Key Takeaways

In the landscape of B2B catalog marketing, a comprehensive approach that combines printed and digital platforms can yield remarkable results. By providing both a printed catalog and a digital version, businesses can expand their customer base, enhance brand awareness and accessibility, while also increasing their revenue. As always, our experts here at �������Ƶ are here to help by offering a wide array of services customized to fit your needs.

For a more in-depth look at what we do, please visit our website at www.walsworth.com.

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Luckily, the combination of data and print technology advancements enable catalog buyers to shop where everyone knows their name – and then some. Consider these key findings  reported in a McKinsey & Company article, by Nidhi Arora, Daniel Ensslen, Lars Fiedler, Wei Wei Liu, Kelsey Robinson, Eli Stein and Gustavo Schüler:

• 75% of consumers switched to a new store, product or buying method during the pandemic.
• 71% of consumers expect companies to deliver personalized interactions. And 75% get concerned when this doesn’t occur.
• Personalization drives higher performance and better customer outcomes. Faster-growing companies drive 40% more revenue from personalization than their slower-growing competitors.��
• Personalization is particularly good at driving repeat engagement and loyalty over time.��
• Personalization typically produces a 10-15% revenue lift, depending upon the sector and the company’s ability to execute a program.��

As the authors note, “Personalization is not only a crucial capability, it’s one that punches above its weight, no matter whether the company is a digital native, a brick-and-mortar player or a behind-the-scenes producer or supplier.” 

Simply put, personalization is now the default standard for customer engagement. Buyers expect a relationship, not simply a transaction. Ignore their wishes at your own peril. Customers have alternatives, and they don’t hesitate to make changes.��

Need We Say More about the Value of Personalization? 

The truth is we could—and easily. There is a growing body of research that supports the value of personalization and customization. B2B catalog marketing is no exception. So, let’s assume you’re a believer. We’ll move on to the nitty gritty of how to raise your print personalization level and better connect with your B2B catalog buyers.��

Personalization among B2B marketers looks different from that in the consumer sector. According to a recent MarTech article, “What is personalized marketing and how is it used today?” by Corey Patterson, they face different issues. Chief among those can be outdated, siloed or low-quality data that prevents B2B marketers from getting actionable business information. Which leads us to our next topic.��

Building an Actionable Data Warehouse

Any discussion of elevating your personalization capabilities begins and ends with data. You either have it or you don’t. Most have it (somewhere), but the data must be accessible and in an actionable form.��

As Patterson points out, one of the outcomes of poor data management can be alienating buyers with slapdash communications. An example? Conflicting or duplicate messages that tend to turn off buyers. Often the culprit is data siloing between sales and marketing.��

A good customer data platform (CDP) can do wonders to solve this and other data silo issues. A CDP is a software assortment that creates a continual, unified customer database that is accessible to other systems. The platform pulls data from numerous sources. It then cleans and combines the data to build a single customer profile. Finally, the structured data are made available to other marketing systems.��

What if Your Data Mining Tools Are Lacking?

If you still lack confidence in your data, consider enhancing it through a data aggregator. These service providers collect and compile data from individual sites to sell to marketers. These providers can profile the demographics of your current customer list (gender, location, average age, etc.) and allow you to create more targeted prospecting campaigns.��

Understanding the Levels of Personalization Technology 

Many B2B catalog marketers never get started (or advance) because they think personalization is too complicated and expensive. Neither is accurate. The idea is to get started and then keep raising the level of sophistication.��

Here are some personalization methods to explore:

• Inkjet imaging. Most B2B catalog marketers already use inkjet imaging for addressing and required postal coding information. But inkjet imaging sophistication has risen far above its low-resolution beginnings. Now you can image variable data images and messages in a variety of fonts, colors and locations—all in higher resolution imaging.��

Use your customer data to create exclusive offers, highlight a product of interest or image a map that helps a customer locate the nearest physical store. And don’t forget source codes, which can raise catalog order tracking to 95%. According to catalog marketing consultant Stephen Lett in they are the lifeblood of any catalog business—consumer or B2B. Source codes help marketers know which:

• House file segments to mail
• Prospect lists to use or eliminate

• Promotional offers to make Demographic/Selective binding. This process enables you to insert different signatures into a catalog—based on buyer data—in a single bindery run. A code in the address file determines which signatures a recipient receives. The address file also induces the addressing information for the catalog. A simple example would be a maintenance products cataloger excluding (or replacing) a signature on snow removal products during the winter season for buyers in warm weather states.�� 

In addition to signatures, you can also selectively apply covers and other types of inserts.��

• Digital printing. Today’s digital presses offer the maximum in print personalization. You can create a catalog where each word and image are unique. And digital printing systems can reproduce clear, sharp images with accurate skin tones, smooth gradients and color accuracy. They are ideal for micro niche-targeting strategies aimed at small groups or even individuals. It’s the polar opposite of “spray-and-pray” approaches and can pay big dividends in reducing total costs.��

Variable data digital printing systems can also help support a branded digital storefront. These storefronts provide anytime, anywhere web sales and services. Authorized users (sales reps and channel partners) can access an online catalog 24/7, view documents and then order either inventoried materials or create personalized documents on-demand. The systems can accept payment and transmit an order to an in-house fulfillment center. Digital storefronts provide another personalized element to B2B organizations that also utilize a sales force, distributors, agents and other channel partners.��

• Specialty bindery applications. There are a number of other items–dot whacks (machine-affixed labels), tip-ons, cover wraps or bands and order forms—that can add involvement and personalization. Discuss with your printer the options for incorporating inkjet imaging and selective insertion with these specialty items.��

Getting Personal at �������Ƶ

We have a wide range of solutions to help you personalize and customize your B2B catalogs. Most importantly, we have the expertise to help analyze your program and create a customized plan forward. From data services to offset and digital printing platforms, to inkjet imaging and a variety of bindery options, we deliver the benefits of catalog personalization.

We invite you to learn more about �������Ƶ. Perhaps consider us for your next personalization challenge. We’re confident you’ll like our responsiveness, creativity, competitiveness and helpful attitude. You can get all the details about �������Ƶ at our . Or you can submit your information, and a friendly �������Ƶ associate will be in touch within 24 hours.

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The Importance of Catalog Management

Printed catalogs serve as a vital tool for businesses to display their products or services, providing customers with comprehensive information and enticing visuals. Catalogs play a crucial role in generating sales, building brand awareness and fostering customer loyalty. The absence of the Catalog Manager can significantly impact the business’s ability to showcase its offerings effectively.

Identifying the Impact

When the Catalog Manager leaves, businesses may encounter numerous challenges. These include outdated or incomplete information, broken links, inconsistent formatting and the inability to update the catalog promptly. This can lead to customer dissatisfaction, lost sales opportunities and a tarnished brand image.

Assessing Existing Resources

A first step after the departure of the Catalog Manager is to evaluate the existing resources within the organization. Look for individuals who possess the necessary knowledge and skills to handle catalog management responsibilities. This could include marketing personnel, graphic designers or IT professionals familiar with content management systems.

Once you’ve looked internally, reach out to your printer, who should have the files from your previous projects. The printer would also offer guidance on correct formatting and design considerations to ensure the file you create will work. Covid-19 and the Great Resignation spurred major change within catalog staffs. No need to reinvent the wheel, instead rely on your printer for help.

Documenting Processes and Workflows

If the previous Catalog Manager did not adequately document the processes and workflows involved in catalog management, it is crucial to create comprehensive documentation. This documentation should cover tasks such as data collection, product categorization, image selection, pricing updates and publishing protocols. It will serve as a valuable resource for new team members and ensure consistency in catalog management practices.

Training and Collaboration

The transition period after the Catalog Manager’s departure requires effective training and collaboration among the team members involved. Conduct training sessions to familiarize the team with the catalog management tools and processes. Encourage open communication and collaboration to address any challenges or questions that arise during the learning process. And, don’t hesitate to get your printer involved with the discussion, their prior involvement with the catalog and familiarity with the project can prevent many mistakes from happening.

Leveraging Technology

Investing in catalog management software or content management systems can streamline the catalog creation and updating process. These tools offer features such as automated data synchronization, template-based design and version control. By leveraging technology, businesses can reduce manual errors, improve efficiency and maintain a consistent and up-to-date catalog.

Outsourcing Catalog Management

In cases where internal resources are limited, inexperienced or insufficient, outsourcing catalog management may be a viable option. Many companies specialize in providing catalog management services, offering expertise in data entry, image editing, content creation and catalog design. Outsourcing allows businesses to focus on core operations while ensuring the catalog is professionally managed. Ask your printer if they work with any specific companies, can give recommendations or know of a good freelancer. Depending on how much notice your Catalog Manager gave, use of freelance management may make sense in the near-term, allowing you enough time to investigate a commitment to a specialized provider.

Continuous Evaluation and Improvement

Even after establishing new catalog management processes, it is crucial to continuously evaluate their effectiveness. Regularly review the catalog for accuracy, relevance and customer engagement. Collect feedback from customers, sales representatives and other stakeholders to identify areas for improvement. A continuous improvement approach will help optimize the catalog’s performance and meet evolving customer needs.

Losing the person who previously managed the catalog can be a significant challenge for businesses. However, with careful planning, effective use of resources and the adoption of technology-driven solutions, organizations can successfully navigate this transition. By embracing new strategies, documenting processes, providing training and considering outsourcing options, businesses can ensure a seamless continuation of catalog management, maintain a professional image and effectively reach their target audience.

You Have a Reliable Friend in the Catalog Business

If you are experiencing the loss of your veteran Catalog Manager, �������Ƶ can help. We are catalog experts, printing thousands of catalogs annually, and know the ins and outs of the catalog creation process. Most importantly, we have the expertise to help analyze your program and offer you guidance to ensure you don’t miss a beat.

We invite you to learn more about �������Ƶ. Perhaps consider us for your next catalog challenge. We’re confident you’ll like our responsiveness, creativity, competitiveness and helpful attitude. You can get all the details about �������Ƶ at our website. Or you can submit your information, and a friendly �������Ƶ associate will be in touch within 24 hours.

Sources

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If you don’t already know the answer, you’re likely imagining the old Montgomery Ward or Sears Roebuck & Co. catalogs. If you do know the answer, congratulations! You’re officially a print nerd.��

So when was the first catalog printed?  1498. Let’s take a look at the long and rich history of catalogs.

The First Catalog

Caption: An illustration from c.1895 believed to represent Aldus Manutius, showing works done on his printing press. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Aldus Pius Manutius founded The Aldine Press in Venice in 1495. He printed small portable books, called enchiridia, of Greek and Latin classics. (Fun fact: Manutius is the .) He was a strong believer in sharing information with a broader audience, and worked to . Before his efforts, books were extremely rare and precious items. The Aldine Press helped change this, printing more than 100 editions between 1495 and 1505. Manutius’ enchiridia can be considered a predecessor to the modern paperback. The profuse output is likely what led to the first known trade catalog in 1498.��

Thus began the long and rich history of catalogs.

Seeds of Change

The sale of seeds and plants plays a significant role in the history of catalogs. The was created by Dutch grower Emmanual Sweerts. It appeared at the 1612 Frankfurt Fair and featured 560 hand-tinted images of the flower bulbs he offered for sale.

Twelve Months of Flowers, an illustrated English flower catalog from 1730, shows breathtaking images of bouquets. Creator Robert Furber sold the catalog to royal and aristocratic customers by subscription. Catalogs have long been tied to luxury. Customers had the option to purchase uncolored or painted sets. These catalogs were works of art created by Flemish artist Pieter Casteels.��

The was the first major commercial nursery in the United States. It was founded in 1737 and operated until about 1865. The nursery was even visited by George Washington. Their first catalog was published in 1771, offering a selection of fruit trees.��

These seed and nursery catalogs often featured beautiful illustrations. And it seems the publishers weren’t shy about adding their personal opinions in the pages. “Ladies should cultivate flowers as an invigorating and inspiring out-door occupation. Many are pining and dying from monotony and depression, who might bury their cares by planting a few seeds,” wrote D.M. Ferry in the 1876 Seed Annual.��

(Fun fact: the first cactus catalog in the United States was published in 1886. Hints on Cacti, from Belgium-born cactus dealer was “a combination cultural guide and trade catalog.” That sounds a lot like the magalogs of today!)

Catalogs Pick Up

Caption: Page from the Benziger Brothers catalog of church furniture. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Catalogs picked up in the 17th century. The first instance of mail order is credited to Benjamin Franklin in 1744, but it wasn’t until that the practice became common. It’s during this time in the history of catalogs that the now-iconic Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Montgomery Ward catalogs appear.

Sears B2B Example

The Tiffany and Co. “Blue Book” was first, debuting in 1845, but Sears, Roebuck and Co. was biggest.

Founded in 1886, with their first catalog published in 1894, by 1916 Sears, Roebuck and Co. mailed catalogs annually. The catalog featured detailed, accurate images of the products that were engraved directly from photographs of those objects. The entries also included detailed descriptions of the items for sale. (Fun fact: most of that copy was written by until he retired in 1908.) 

When the U.S. Mail began offering in 1896, the effectiveness of these mail-order catalogs increased. Almost anything could be purchased via mail-order catalog. Sears, Roebuck and Co. sold everything from houses to horseshoes, while more specialty catalogs flourished as well.��

Both B2B and B2C catalogs were widespread during this time. For a long time, the Sears, Roebuck and Co. catalog served both a B2C and B2B audience. They sent their catalogs directly to consumers, but supplied to merchants as well. A 1909 catalog reads, “We want to correct the impression that may be in the minds of some merchants, that we sell exclusively to the consumer, the party who buys the goods to use. If you have this impression we are anxious to correct it. A goodly percentage of the goods we ship in all lines go direct to merchants, business houses who buy to sell again, and in some lines, especially materials and supplies, a large percentage of our good go to manufacturers, which they use in the manufacture of their wares, which in turn they sell.” 

Other B2B catalog examples we found include Benzinger Brothers Church Furniture, Automatic Door Equipment and a piece from Marietta Manufacturing Co. titled “The Story of Sani Onyx: A Vitreous Marble for Hospitals.” 

 Cover and pages from the Automatic Power Door Mfg. Co., circa 1912. Images courtesy of . Click each photo to enlarge.��

Post-War Consumerism and the Rise of the Mall

The growth of the suburbs and construction of shopping malls following World War II had a massive impact on consumer culture. American consumerism had started after the First World War, but really took off in the 1940s, 50s and 60s.��

Wages increased, young people had more disposable income and people had more leisure time than ever before. This created a demand for consumer goods. Sears, which had previously sold solely via catalogs, opened its first brick-and-mortar store in 1925. By the 1950s the company had opened more than 700 stores in the United States. J.C. Penney, which had previously sold only through its physical locations, . The two mediums didn’t fight each other for sales. Rather, the in-store and catalog experiences played off each other to benefit sales.��

The Heyday of Mail-order Catalogs

The popularity of mail-order catalogs peaked in the 1980s. about lingerie catalogs is a fun time capsule with elements that still ring true today. The focus on luxury is something modern printed catalogs are . One jaw-dropping figure stands out: “The Victoria’s Secret catalogue [sic] now accounts for about 55 percent of the company’s annual sales of more than $7 million, which explains why other catalogues are patterned after it.” 

(Another fun fact: catalogue is still the preferred spelling in the U.K., while Americans abandoned it for the much easier catalog. The shorter spelling first appeared around 1880 and overtook the traditional spelling around 1970, although some people in the U.S. still use catalogue today.)

In the 1990s, the stood out. It used a magalog approach, combining sales pitches with stories. And they understood their target audience – young women ages 10 through 24 – and how to appeal to them.

The Great Recession

A couple of factors came together in 2007 that negatively affected the trade catalog industry. The U.S. experienced a recession as digital marketing and online shopping were becoming more popular. Many catalogs went , but that trend didn’t quite stick. Now, even online retailer Amazon puts out a great holiday catalog.��

The Future

Printed catalogs have a bright future. Consumers face a near-constant onslaught of digital distractions. Print cuts through the noise (sometimes that noise is even literal!), allowing consumers to sink into what’s displayed on the pages.��

Much like retailers learned to combine the power of brick-and-mortar stores with catalogs in the mid-20th century, catalogers today are learning to combine the power of digital access with printed catalogs. With QR codes, augmented reality and the pervasiveness of smart phones, it’s easier than ever. The enormous amount of information available about specific customers also means that catalogs can be tailored for the reader.��

If you’re ready to explore innovative ways you can stand out in the long history of catalogs, reach out to us to find out more about our catalog printing services.

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1. Seasoned Sales Professionals

Your customer experience begins with the sales rep, and the more experienced and knowledgeable the better. You need a problem solver, not an order taker. You also need a high level of trust in that person.

While technical knowledge is essential, it goes beyond that. The best sales professionals take a holistic approach to your marketing objectives. They suggest solutions that will improve response rates, provide cost-efficiencies and speed your catalogs to market. The best-of-class sales reps are collaborative and work as a valuable extension of your staff. In short, amazing catalog printers employ sales professionals who see the big picture while keeping in mind your unique business requirements.

2. Client Focused Customer Service Structure

Some printers are set up for ease-of-doing business and some aren’t. All successful business relationships start with great customer service. Look for a layered team structure that provides leadership and plenty of bench strength. Multiple people should be familiar with your project and its production status. When your key contact is away, others should seamlessly pick up the reins.

However, customer service is also not an island. Serving you best requires a joint effort of sales, customer service, manufacturing, fulfillment and distribution staff. If you sense they don’t talk to one another or have independent agendas, look for a different provider. Top B2B catalog printers have a customer service structure that focuses on your success. Team members have the commitment, knowledge, energy and empowerment to act in your best interests.

3. Equipment Diversity

The more you can produce, mail, distribute and fulfill from one facility, the more speed you’ll add to your supply chain. And you’ll likely save money as well. Diversity also expands your options. For example, it can provide more format choices or more ways to achieve personalization. It doesn’t mean an amazing catalog printer has to own one of everything. But you don’t want them so one-note that you miss catalog marketing opportunities either. The best have breadth and depth, especially in areas that impact your profitability, like print platforms and personalization/customization capabilities.

4. Technology Level

Up-to-date technology accelerates production, maximizes quality,  improves accuracy and even contributes to sustainability. Beyond hardware, top B2B catalog printers also strive for seamless digital workflows. These high-tech workflows should link all aspects of print production as well as your systems with their own. The more complex your needs, the more important technology becomes. Processes such as content management, collaborative prepress workflows, personalization/customization and digitally enabled distribution and fulfillment rely on high technology.

But amazing catalog printers also have clear expertise in how to apply high technology. For example, a provider may have great digital prepress technology, but the best will also have G7 Certification. This means you’ll get the same predictable color output every time, whether your job is running on a digital press or an offset press—regardless of the substrate.

5. Subject Matter Experts, Education & Training

The combination of stretched personnel, lower training budgets and ever-evolving technology can create the perfect storm for disaster. Amazing catalog printers invest in the education and training of their own staffs and yours. And with increasingly collaborative workflows, it’s essential to find a printing partner that invests in knowledge sharing. Education and training can take many forms—blogs, newsletters, webinars, technical sheets and both small group and one-on-one training opportunities. The availability of certified subject matter experts (think Adobe Certified Instructor or USPS Regulations Expert) are a big bonus.

6. Economies of Scale

The challenge (especially for mid-market catalogers) is finding an amazing printer whose size seems just right. Bigger isn’t always better, but there are aspects of the business where sufficient size provides an advantage.

Larger, more credit-worthy catalog printers have more buying power. That transfers into better pricing for equipment and supplies, including essential materials like paper. And higher production volumes can mean better mail co-processing potential and lower freight rates.

Size also plays into equipment diversity and redundancy, as well as the likelihood of more uniform high technology. Do a hard assessment of your needs and seek a print source that feels just right.

7. Mailing, Distribution and Fulfillment Systems and Expertise

With so much resting on this phase, you must have complete faith in your plan as well as the systems and people executing it. Best-in-class providers will be front loaded with systems for data management and mail list processing. They’ll have a laser focus on minimizing postage costs and meeting critical arrival dates. You can’t settle for second-rate solutions in this make-or-break area. And downstream, top providers should offer advanced mail co-processing and pool shipping options.

Efficient fulfillment systems should also be digitally driven and demand based. For instance, custom branded digital storefronts can provide web-based sales and fulfillment services anytime, anywhere to you and your authorized users—agents, distributors and other channel partners. Amazing catalog printers will have fulfillment systems and tools to eliminate waste and inventory expense.

8. Location

Unless you have a very local or limited regional business, central is usually better. Central locations near major mail centers and transportation hubs generally provide cost and time advantages for national or multiregional distribution. Likewise, central locations often have logistical advantages for dealing with vendors and suppliers.

Location is a major reason why the Midwest remains a national and global printing hub. In fact, its advantages helped propel the catalog industry’s development. Horace Greeley’s advice, “Go West, young man,” may have had wisdom. But when it comes to printing, many amazing catalog printers found Midwest was better.

9. Sustainable Practices

Literally, the heat is on for companies to show sound environmental practices throughout their supply chains. Gone are the days when marketers could slap an environmental logo on their catalogs and call it a day. Consumer demands are more sophisticated today. They recognize that a print eco-footprint begins with content creation and continues through distribution.

So, you want to look at a catalog printer’s environmental policy, which should be readily available. Do they measure, manage, report and continually improve their environmental impact? And do they have the expertise to guide you through better environmental choices from start to finish?

10. Equipment and Plant Redundancy

Things happen. Equipment breaks down. Natural disasters occur. You need a backup plan. And amazing printers have one (or more).  Here’s what to look for:

• Equipment redundancy within your primary production facility. If a press or piece of bindery equipment goes down, what’s the alternative equipment compatibility and capacity to produce your catalog there.
• Equipment redundancy within sister facilities. This can come into play for a variety of reasons (catalog season, schedule changes, etc.) but is critical during a disaster. A catalog printer will get priority within its own network of facilities.
• Agreements with other catalog printers. Some companies have mutual agreements to help one another out of jams. This can be a reasonable fallback position in the absence (or failure) of the first two options. Look for formal agreements or at least a successful history of outsourcing.

Our Catalog Customers Call �������Ƶ Amazing

Sometimes it’s nice to hear what customers say about a company they rely on. Neil Cooperstein with Paragraphics wanted folks to know “�������Ƶ gives me a comfort factor, that I know everyone at �������Ƶ gives you 100% attention to quality and detail.��If there is one thing anyone that knows about me and my company, it’s that I take pride in the work I do for my customers. I do not trust my work to just anyone. Any catalog work I do belongs in only one place:  �������Ƶ.”

That’s high praise, indeed. But people truly appreciate our flexible scheduling, equipment diversity, integrated solutions, educational opportunities and many other qualities. Most of all, they love that we’re easy to do business with and put their interests first.

We invite you to learn more about �������Ƶ and our catalog printing services. Perhaps consider us for a project or a challenge. We’re confident you’ll like our responsiveness, creativity, competitiveness and helpful attitude. You can get all the details about �������Ƶ at our website. Or you can submit your information, and a friendly �������Ƶ associate will be in touch within 24 hours.

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The Wave Started Building Long Before Covid

Several underlying issues were surfacing and came to fruition during the pandemic. For example, a 2022 article in Harvard Business Review, by Jonathan Z. Zhang, points to exploding advertising costs. Prices on major digital platforms grew from 61-184% year-over-year in 2021. While simultaneously responses plummeted.

Changes in the digital advertising environment such as more restrictive privacy policies made it harder to target customers. Many buyers were already ignoring both targeted and general advertisements, which they often found intrusive and repetitive. The bottom line is digital advertising was becoming unproductive and unprofitable, obviously not a good mix for most marketing budgets.

Adding further complications was growing digital fatigue. Meanwhile, the complexity of electronic marketing was growing. The new circumstances screamed for different strategies.

When Old Becomes New

Subsequently, both B2B and consumer marketers began to re-assess printed catalogs. Recent field research by Jonathan Zhang comparing people’s responses to catalog marketing between 2019 and 2021 reinforces the wisdom of expanding print. The findings of his six-month field experiment showed:

• People who received catalogs in addition to emails made 24% more purchases versus those who only received emails—a bump of 870% Return On Investment (ROI).
• ROI represented a 45% increase over the notable 600% ROI found in a 2019 study conducted by Zhang.

In Zhang’s words, “This finding leads us to believe that the audience for catalogs is growing, even as the pandemic subsides. The emerging remote/hybrid work culture and consumers’ increased screen time will make analog experiences such as catalogs increasingly appealing and effective.”

What About This Tactile Experience Buzz?

Because we spend so much time on screens, there’s a greater yearning for tactile experiences. Even among digital natives. The physical aspect of a printed catalog allows buyers to interact with advertisers in a different way. Its physicality and tactile nature make print more engaging and improves retention.

According to research, “From the feel of the paper on your fingertips to the visual appeal of the images, catalogs give readers a real and multidimensional experience that stimulates multiple senses simultaneously.” This translates into:

• Engaging with catalogs at a deeper level
• Developing a more emotional connection with the brand
• Creating a longer lasting impact for easy recall when making a purchase decision vs. digital
• Triggering activity in the area of the brain responsible for assessing the value and appeal of featured products, which can signal a greater intent to purchase

Since the physical nature of printed catalogs (the feel, the reflection of ambient light on the page) is so important, it’s worth spending time maximizing its impact. Your print provider can play an invaluable role. Paper is the focal point, so start there.

What paper choices within your budget might give your catalog more tactile appeal? Look at what your competitors are doing and challenge your printer to differentiate your catalog in a positive way.

Not everything needs to be overly complicated or expensive. For example:

• Create a separate cover with a different weight and/or finish
• Change the finish throughout—gloss to matte or a smooth uncoated to a richer, toothier finish

Going Beyond Paper

Definitely don’t stop at paper. Consider these and other techniques that will also enhance your tactile effect:

• Cover coatings giving your catalog a special feel
• Spot varnishes to increase visual contrast
• Labels in a unique shape or color as teasers on your front or back cover
• Tip-on inserts for special promotions on interior pages
• Cover wraps and belly bands to highlight sales and promotions
• Special folds—gatefolds, etc. (possibly on a different stock)
• The list is only limited by your imagination, your budget and your partner’s capabilities

Are Tactile Effects All That Count?

Definitely not. Your printed catalog’s success still depends upon your ability to track key metrics across each of your campaigns in every channel. This allows you to identify areas for improvement and adjust. Most importantly, your product selection, design and messaging can then better align with your marketing objectives.

The good news is today’s print technology can help you deliver the right products and messages to the right customers. From a broad range of imaging capabilities to variable data digital printing, the personalization/customization possibilities are robust and affordable.

Lest We Forget Print’s Best Friend—Digital

We spend way too much time arguing over print vs. digital. There’s no need to pick a winner because they’re both winners. In fact, they achieve maximum success when used together.

Their integration enhances your brand’s recognition while increasing reach and engagement. Tons of research exists showing the integration of your messaging channels improves:

• Response
• Sales
• Order size
• And total profits (often significantly)

Spend your time determining how to create the best print-digital experience for your customers. It will pay big dividends.

Oh, and We Can Help

�������Ƶ is one of the country’s largest and most respected B2B catalog printers and digital solution providers. We offer you the greatest value and flexibility in catalog printing, binding, mailing, fulfillment, and distribution services. We combine those with a suite of digital marketing services designed for the B2B catalog sector.

Our goal is to maximize your catalog profits while making it easy to do business with us. You can get all the details about �������Ƶ at our website. Or you can submit your information, and a friendly �������Ƶ team member will be in touch, usually in less than 24 hours.

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1. Get Your Data Right

Every customer wants to feel understood, and it begins with data. Without an actionable database, catalog marketers miss valuable opportunities to better relate to customers and increase profitability.��

A key starting point is to become more data intelligent. The more complete, accurate, up-to-date and accessible your data, the better your outcomes will be.�� 

Building Actionable Data

Actionable data likely exist in your organizations from a multitude of sources, including purchases, website interactions, surveys, special promotions and many other ways. The problem is the data often reside within silos rather than in a consolidated, actionable data warehouse. Multiple databases and data sets are difficult to manage and present real challenges in extracting the data’s value. An important starting point is determining the most important data to your marketing program. Then create a plan for extracting, summarizing and using it.��

If you have incomplete data and lack robust internal tools, consider enhancing it through a data aggregator. These service providers collect and compile data from individual sites to sell to marketers. Some of the services offered can profile the demographics of your current customer list (gender, location, average age, etc.) and allow you to create more targeted prospecting campaigns.��

2. Get Your Print File Right

PDF workflow is the standard today. So, if you’re not already using a PDF system, start now.��

Avoid the Headache of Improperly Prepared Files

It seems basic, but many time-consuming errors occur because of improperly prepared files. Although your catalog printer will undoubtedly run your file through their own software, the cleaner, more accurate your original file the better. Anything that’s missing or out of spec causes a file to be incomplete and can result in costly delays. Sending duplicate files or previous catalog files also can cause unnecessary confusion.��

Set your raster and transparency settings to high resolution and be certain to arrange type in the uppermost level. Image resolution will vary by print production method and paper, but a good default standard is 300-350 dpi.��

Many workflow systems also work with pages, not spreads, so set up your files in the single page size of your catalog. Remember that bleeds will extend into the gutter and stop exactly on the gutter margin.�� Then use the appropriate file compression software to reduce file size and speed transmission.��

Help!

Workflow systems are more collaborative than ever. To get the greatest efficiency, your team may need training as well. Look for catalog printers who can provide the training and education you need. For example, �������Ƶ has a full-time Customer Education Specialist who is also an Adobe Certified Instructor. If just reading this blog is making your heartrate increase, �������Ƶ has subject matter experts ready and willing to help lower your anxiety.

3. Get Your Paper Right

Nothing influences the appearance and production costs of your printed catalog more than paper. Getting a working knowledge of key factors like grade, weight, finish, color, brightness, opacity, etc., as well as market issues such as demand and lead times, can favorably affect costs and aesthetics.

Factors Influencing Paper Choice

Broadly speaking (and we mean very broadly), there are two key factors that should influence your paper selection: 

• The image you want to create. Higher end products demand higher end papers. Before you wince at the potential costs, this is where a good catalog printer can be invaluable. They likely have experience with lower cost stocks that perform comparably with higher priced papers. And they may be able to save you money in other ways.�� And even if you’re selling more basic products, you still want to present a professional image. So, rather than locking into one stock, consider the idea of periodically testing papers. Use some simple coding to measure results. You might test a portion of your list or experiment with a lower quantity, special edition.�� On the more subtle side, you may want to consider the environmental image your catalog projects. Paper choice is the most obvious to your customers, and there are many recycled paper alternatives that do not necessarily bring a cost premium.�� Above all, remember that catalogs are not just visual, but also tactile. It’s one of the major advantages of catalogs, and your paper choice plays a major role.
• Longevity. How customers use your catalog and how long it must last are critical paper selection issues. For example, is it used multiple times per day in a commercial environment? Or perhaps you only publish your catalog a few times per year. Or maybe you know there is a strong pass-along facto. Any of these issues will influence the weight, finish, tear and tensile strength you choose.

Global Paper Supply Chain Issues

The pandemic caused short- and long-term paper manufacturing plant closures and reduced the workforce. Transportation issues with driver shortages increased costs and extended delivery times. Rising energy and fuel costs further added to higher paper prices. It’s exhausting.��

Fortunately, the paper-supply chain is normalizing, but the past few years did highlight the advantages of being with a catalog printing company that is nimble, resourceful and has the buying power and creditworthiness to secure sufficient paper allocations. �������Ƶ is one of those printing resources.��

Clearly, there are many fine points to consider in making a paper selection. If you’re interested in doing a deeper dive, we’ve got you covered. �������Ƶ published a comprehensive, two-part white paper series called “Weighing Your Stock Options.” Part 1 covers selecting the right coated paper for your catalog, and part 2 covers selecting the right uncoated paper.��

4. Get Your Mailing and Distribution Right

With postage costs exceeding all catalog production costs combined, it’s critical to minimize costs while also ensuring speedy delivery. Here’s where to focus your resources:

• Refine your database and mailing lists. Once again, the richer and more accessible your data, the better targeting you’ll be able to accomplish. And the more accurate your mailing lists are, the greater speed and cost-efficiency you’ll achieve. Start by deduping (merging/purging) your lists to avoid costly and embarrassing doubles. This process requires making some upfront choices and then applying logic that reflects your marketing strategy. And again, �������Ƶ can help. You’ll next want to run your mailing lists through USPS-approved software. These programs perform critical tasks like standardizing all addresses as well as adding information like carrier route coding to help ensure the best possible presort rates. Using the National Change of Address (NCOA) is also a must.
• CoProcess your mail. This is especially important for lower circulation catalogs lacking the penetration needed to achieve the best possible postal discounts. Except for some minor design requirements and schedule flexibility, the CoMail process is pretty straightforward. The printer or service provider combines your list with the lists of 30 or more other catalogs to form a much larger mailing pool. Discounts generally range from 5 percent to a little over 20 percent. In-hand delivery windows are targetable and shorter. Plus, you can participate in coprocessing with quantities as low as 5,000 pieces.

5. Get Your Fulfillment Right

Great B2B catalog marketing plans can easily fall apart at the fulfillment stage. Too often fulfillment is dealt with as an afterthought. Yet there’s no need for it to be a time-consuming hassle.��

Start by Streamlining your Fulfillment Program

Dealing with multiple sources only complicates your life while wasting time and money. Fulfilling and distributing from your printer’s facility can solve this problem. And if you’re currently fulfilling from your own facility, you also can avoid the ongoing investment costs of maintaining a world-class fulfillment infrastructure. Look for printers who can integrate their systems with your own or create a customized program if needed. Your key objective should be to get as demand based as possible. No one makes money from slow-moving inventories or high obsolescence costs. And, you guessed it, �������Ƶ can help.

6. Get Your Printer Right 

This is a critical decision and deserves careful consideration. Literally, a printer can make or break your catalog events. Here are some key factors to evaluate: 

• Location. Everything’s all about speed today. So, looking for a location that shortens shipping and mailing times is important. For many B2B catalogers, central locations make sense for obvious reasons.
• Size. You may want to use the Goldilocks’ principle of finding just the right size. Not too big where you’re lost in the crowd but not too small where the printer lacks economies of scale or the inability to provide redundancy.��
• Equipment diversity. You don’t want to have to involve multiple printers if you have a web-run quantity along with several micro-targeted versions that require a digital press. And, of course, your needs may change over time.��
• High technology levels. Newer technologies generally deliver cost, speed and reliability  advantages. Another often overlooked advantage is that newer technologies are generally  more environmentally friendly. Look for digitally driven, integrated workflows, systems and equipment. That’s where the catalog print world is headed.��
• Schedule flexibility. There’s little need to elaborate here. Most catalog marketers need a little flexibility now and then. It’s critical.��
• Single point-of-contact. Having one person who understands your needs makes it so much easier to do business. And behind that person should be others who are knowledgeable and prepared to step in.��
• Training and education. There are a lot of complexities in high-tech print, and you may need help. Look for a company that puts an emphasis on easy on-boarding and providing expert help through all aspects of the printing, fulfillment and mailing process.�� 
• Sustainable practices. This is a growing issue and your print partner should have an environmental policy backed up by sound, sustainable practices.��

Getting to �������Ƶ

Okay, we confess. We’d love to hear from you.��

With more than a half century of experience in the B2B catalog market, �������Ƶ offers you the greatest value and flexibility in catalog printing, binding, mailing, fulfillment and distribution services.��

Our goal is to maximize your catalog profits while making it easy to do business with us. You can get all the details about �������Ƶ at our website. Or you can submit your information, and a friendly �������Ƶ team member will be in touch within 24 hours.

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