When it comes to showcasing your products to your customers– you have to be creative. That’s where a product catalog comes in. What’s a product catalog? It is a form of marketing collateral to help customers make a decision to purchase by listing important product information. Such specifics include product features, specifications, measurements, size, weight, quality, color, feedback of customers, and more. Usually, it is presented through printed materials. But for e-commerce businesses– creating a digital product catalog is also essential.
Importance of a Product Catalog
Now let’s take a look at the important things that a product catalog can do to your business.
- Quick Source of Information for your Customers
A product catalog provides information that a customer may find useful about a product. And for it to be available online is helpful for pre-sale and after-sale
- Helps Reduce Business Cycles
Sending a digital product catalog to customers can help close deals quickly as the information they might be asking is already in there.
- Sales Rep’s Helpful Tool
A product catalog helps your sales representatives to effortlessly share your product information. They can make a sale quickly and move on to the next. And that is since everything that a customer might need to know is already in the catalog.
- Raise Conversion Rate
Having all the information that a customer needed on a product catalog can improve sales. It minimizes questions, problem discovery, etc. The catalog can make them straight to the decision making of “to buy or not to buy”.
- Promotes your Brand in a Professional Way
A well-designed product catalog shows how professional and trustworthy your brand is. In fact, a great design could actually show that what you sell is effective, high-grade, and sells more.
- Enhances Customers’ Experience
A digital product catalog enhances customers’ experience to your business. Such awareness can get them closer to purchase and become a loyal customer.
How to Create Your Product Catalog
Nowadays, it’s easier to create a product catalog because of online programs all over the internet. Such programs can be downloaded for free or buy it for more features. But to create an effective one, you have to keep these things in mind:
- Base its overall design and information on your Target Market
It is always a waste of time when a marketing strategy or action is not to reach your target market. So, before you create your own product catalog– make sure that you know who your audiences are. Therefore, you have to match their language or tone, SEO, layout design, location of items on the page, etc. Doing so would increase the conversion of both traffic and sales.
Gather all the Information of your Product
Once you know who your target markets are, you have to gather your content. You gotta have the details that your customers will need. These are the must-haves for your product catalog:
Name, Price, and Sizes
Of course, the name of the product and its price should be there but don’t forget to include your brand name and the size/s if there’s any.
Picture
This is the most critical component. It won’t be called a product catalog without it.
Brief Description
Customers won’t check every detail on every product. Describing the product briefly will help them quickly scan it for reference.
Discounts or Promos
If you can give discounts or promos, make sure it is included in the catalog. It will definitely help you with sales.
Features
Top features of the products helps customers see the greatness of your product at a glance. If there’s any, mention the product’s core constituents.
Dimensions
A catalog should be very informative. Don’t forget to include the product’s length, height, breadth, weight, volume, etc. As well as the version/release/series number.
Certifications
ISO 9001, ISO 27001, etc. are certifications that a product can get. Make sure to include it.
Guarantee and Warranty
Customers love to feel assured when buying a product, so make sure to specify guarantees and warranties. As well as return conditions.
Safety Measures and Ideal Conditions Usage
Some products are best-used on certain conditions like temperature, surroundings, etc. And some also have safety precautions that need to be indicated. Don’t ever forget to include this.
Terms and Conditions
Mention the most typical.
Customer Feedback or Review
Include customer testimonies, ratings, thumbs up, feedback, and review. It will help other customers’ decision on buying your product.
Call To Action
This is the most important component. Whether it’s a digital or a print-out catalog, it has to have a call-to-action. For example, a way to buy, list as favorite or include on a wish list, add to cart, or share the product socially or call, or email your company for inquiry.
Note: Not everything listed above is applicable to any type of business. You need to choose the ones that are more suited.
Produce Visually Appealing Images of the Products
If you’re don’t have time to learn how to produce visually appealing product images, then hire a professional photographer to take it. Keep in mind that it is the first thing that your customers will see. It should be appealing enough to encourage them to read the full details and turn them to sales.
Keep it Updated and Available
The availability of your product catalog should not be limited to your web page. It should also be available to be downloaded as pdf for later reading. And also, if there are changes, especially on prices– your customer should know. Keep them updated by updating your website product catalog page, and sending them a notification through email.
Create an Impressive Cover
Whether it’s for digital or printed product catalog, a cover is a must. It lets the customer see what you might have for them in a glance. Therefore, an impressive cover can encourage your customers to check what’s inside and even decide to spend time looking at them.
With this in mind, you can now create your own catalog. But no information is ever enough, marketing is all about research and innovations. You might be able to get more details about product catalogs if you don’t stop acquiring more knowledge.
See Also: INVENTORY PROCESS
