Catalogues and leaflets are the face of an organization. They communicate the advantages and user benefits of the products and services that the organization sells and markets. In this age of integrated marketing approach, different marketing tools serve different and unique purpose for the business. All these unique purposes are a part of the unified strategy and communicate to the customer in a powerful voice. Catalogues and leaflets have also a unique role of their own. Even in this digital age their importance remains mostly unaffected. Yes, we have e-catalogues. They serve the same purpose of their printed cousins. And catalogues serve a purpose that other marketing tools simply cannot provide.
Generally speaking newspapers, magazines, television and radio do not have a high brand recall on their own. This is mainly because they have a very low shelf life. They need to be repeated again and again to occupy top space in a viewer's mind. But that is expensive. Comparatively a brochure printer can churn out catalogues that have a high shelf life. They are referred to again and again. Print and electronic media are mass media. They can reach a wider target fast. But they cannot communicate to the customer the full benefits of the product or service. That makes a leaflet unique. It can communicate the benefits in depth. It makes the communication between the customer and the marketer effective.
A good mix of graphics (pictures, product applications, etc.) and content is the foundation of a catalogue design. A well designed catalogue has the power to communicate to the target audience on a personal basis the benefits of the product or service. This is their unique value. Mass marketing gives customers a very small peep into the company and its offerings. Catalogues give a detailed version. They remove doubts, answer the customer's queries and build credibility.
To do that, they need to be attractive. So we need to get several printing quotes and get the best quality paper and print possible. A good quality, layout, color combination, etc. will let the catalogue get the customer's attention. This is a necessary first step in the customer acquisition process.
One of the other main advantages of a catalogue or pamphlet is its affordability. And it has a great economy of scale. The higher the number of catalogues, higher the reach, higher the impact and lower the unit cost. Repeat publications come at a lesser cost. Multiple printing quotes from several brochure printers can really give you a breakthrough price. So the return on this marketing investment is quite high.
Pizza companies worldwide are famous for their flyers. It happens in most households. We refer to those flyers and order for pizza. Yes it is available online. But still we love to hold that flyer and order by phone or even online. A well designed and well written catalogue or flyer is a perfect tool for customer moments of truth. It catches the attention of an already interested customer. Many outlets have the practice of handing out a nice flyer to all customers who walk in. So if there is any question that customer is not asking, chances are that the question will get answered through the flyer. Also the customer will take back the flyer with him and can refer to it in case he needs.