If you are wondering what a magalog is or if it’s right for your business then you’ve come to the right place.  It’s simple: a magalog is a combination of both magazine and catalog.  The idea is to engage your prospect in a magazine format while at the same time selling your product to them.   This is often referred to as soft selling because it encompasses a more obscure approach to advertising Here are three reasons why a magalog might be the right choice for you.

 

Education Sells: At the local fish store when a new customer comes in and buys a fish tank, the owner of the store doesn’t just wave good bye and say “see ya!”  Most of the time, at least from my experiences, the owner educates you about the tank and how to be successful in your new found endeavors as an aquarium hobbyist.  This, first of all, makes the buyers feel more comfortable and confident in their purchase, but it likewise guarantees they will be back during the process of setting up their aquarium.  Magalogs act in the same way.  Think about how educating your buyers can help better influence them to buy your products and, perhaps, even become a loyalist.   In other words, magalogs allow you to take investment in your buyers so that buyers in return will take investment in you.  Teach a man to fish and then sell him fishing poles, bait, tackle, gear, and more!

 

Buyers Trust the Format:  Who would you trust more?  Your science teacher who recommends a brand of microscope to use in class or a Salesperson trying to sell you a microscope at the store?  The same concept can be applied to marketing.  By presenting your product through the lens of education, perhaps put out by influential writers, etc, your product will be more trusted by your buyers.  In other words, you are really selling yourself as an expert in your industry.  If you can succeed at that, then your product will sell itself.

MarkMagalog

 

Creates a HOOK:  To “create a hook” is a creative writing concept, but most certainly applies to most areas of marketing as well.  The idea is to engage your buyer with interesting information before they know what hit them.  By the time they realize they are reading an advertisement, they don’t care, and they will follow through till the end, because, well, they’re hooked!

 

On the right is an example of what a magalog might look like.  This is the cover of Avon’s Mark magalog.  It seems that, although, many fashion retailers have caught on to the success of the magalog, others have not.  Perhaps it’s time for something new.  Perhaps the magalog is just what you need to grow your mail order business.  Good luck!

 

Sources:

Best Direct Marketing Tools: Magalog

How to Get Amazing Direct Marketing Results with Magalogs

The Unexpected Power, and Success of the Magalog

Magalogs Catch On With Fashion Retailers