Are you boldly grabbing the attention of your catalog customers? While much time is spent on what’s inside your catalog, what is presented on the outside is of equal, and sometimes even greater, importance. Your catalog cover has a one-time opportunity to leave a positive first impression that grabs the attention of potential buyers, turning them into lifelong customers. So, how does your catalog stand out in your current and future customer’s mailbox?

Work Backwards to Move Forward

Generally, the catalog will be delivered with the back cover facing up, as this is where the address is located. With 30% of your current and potential customers reading from back cover to front cover, it makes for an easy place to capture their attention.

Create a back cover which invites the customer to shop your catalog. Your back cover makes an excellent guide for what to expect inside the catalog. This is an opportunity to display your best-selling item or items, clearly promoting your brand, indicating a genre of products and price point for buyers. Within moments, a powerful back cover will determine whether or not the catalog will be opened and a potential buyer becomes a lifelong customer.

Design your back cover with the customer in mind. Leave room for customer service information, such as your toll free telephone number and web address.

The second most critical design is the front cover, especially if your catalog marketing campaign includes frequent mailings. How do you grab a customer’s attention?

Be Bold, Be Fresh

Looking forward as you design your new cover also requires you to look back, as correlation to previous catalogs and familiarity are key components in successfully revising your look. While keeping future customers in mind, don’t forget your returning customers, as they are familiar with your brand already. Drastically changing the cover may cause current customers to not recognize your business.

Create fresh, appealing images or sleek, attention-grabbing graphics that make your product or products stand out. Images should complement your brand, not take from it.

Every time your potential customer receives your catalog, offer an element of familiarity. Tie in old designs with new elements. For example, using the same color scheme but adding in bold new prints or captivating fonts adds continuity and balance from past to present catalogs.

Balance in Design

A guaranteed way to overwhelm a potential customer is to weigh down your cover with too many images, colors, and content. This includes multiple items in one picture. This impedes your customer from looking at specific items, as there are too many items to look at all at once. Direct their eyes to a few separate items that make your company stand out, representing your brand.

Where’s Your Logo?

Your images and design should complement your logo, not hide it or take away from it. Buyers’ eyes should instantly see your logo so they can connect the items with the brand and know where it is coming from. Remain consistent on the location of the logo with future catalogs. Customers need to recognize the company as soon as they remove the catalog from their mailboxes.

 Put a stamp on it!

Are you utilizing the ‘dot whack’? This simple, but cost effective method can add a personalized touch to your cover. Offer messages that thank return customers. Also consider adding messages that encourage a call to action which request buyers to become preferred customers. Statements such as “Try us” or “Free shipping to our valued customers” makes future customers feel of greater importance.

Your cover and back cover provide a window of opportunity to generate new customers and hold on to loyal customers. With Dingley’s outstanding printing services and commitment to highest quality, your catalog covers will be sure to stand out above the rest.