Consumers often use the Internet to research products and then head to brick-and-mortar stores to make a final purchase. Catalogers, however, are discovering that they can engage online customers for a fast, final purchase by using a digital catalog that complements a print catalog.

Broaden your reach, extend your brand

Rob Nowak, director of new catalog technology at The Dingley Press, says that catalogers who reach out to customers using multiple channels not only broaden their audiences but also reinforce their brand and retain customers.

“Catalogers who use a combination of print, email and digital options can attract customers how they want to be connected with your organization,” says Nowak. “If you think of each marketing channel as one more way to help a customer find what they’re looking for, then it’s easy to see how each channel can complement another.”

Working hand-in-hand

Print catalogs offer a variety of benefits, such as the ability to show both images and product descriptions on a single page and a word-of-mouth marketing opportunity that builds as catalogs are passed around by readers. Print catalogs also have “curb appeal” — the ability to promote a brand and grab readers with an eye-catching cover.

All of these print advantages are enhanced by a digital catalog edition, which allows users to instantly purchase items online. From online curb appeal to interactively engaging customers, a digital edition is a uniquely branded sales experience that supports the print edition, explains Nowak.

Benefits of browsing

Online readers use digital catalogs differently than they do other types of digital sales processes. A website user, for instance, might use a search engine provided on a website to look for a particular item. It’s a good resource if you want to sell one item.

But a digital catalog gives customers the opportunity to skim through items and, in the process, discover products they didn’t realize they needed.

That ability to browse through products using a digital edition — instead of just directing customers to a product they already know about — can engage customers more deeply and encourage increased sales.

Digital catalogs are a turnkey production through The Dingley Press. When a print-ready PDF is submitted, says Nowak, a digital edition can be created. Catalogers send Dingley a URL spreadsheet, and we link the images to ensure customers are directed to the items they are interested in purchasing.

As shoppers embrace online purchasing more freely, catalogers look for the best ways to engage them and keep them with their brand. Digital editions are a natural fit.

If you would like to see a personalized demo to understand how a digital catalog will enhance your print catalogs, contact Rob Nowak.