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Catalog covers demand more attention from your marketing and design staff than any other page because consumers judge their catalogs by their covers. That is where you build excitement and expectations for what's inside. So if you're looking to elicit an immediate reaction, encourage readers to open pages, drive them to your website or purchase $120 instead of $40… then you need to invest in your catalog cover.
And don't think you're exempt if you publish a 300-page parts catalog. Business buyers make decisions by the shelf appeal of a cover too. Every catalog marketer needs to invest resources in making their covers stand out, whether your market is high-fashion apparel or high-performance microchips.
Catalog covers evolve with the marketplace
Catalogs are more than mail order vehicles today. Many are as much about marketing as order writing. For some business-to-business marketers, the catalog is becoming more of a branded piece, and consumer direct-marketers likewise use catalogs to drive website sales. Both groups use catalogs to set the brand stage for other promotions ranging from postcard mailings to email campaigns. The catalog, led by its most attention-demanding element—the cover—now forms the foundation of broader multi-channel marketing programs.
Great covers allow you to stand out and drive results
Catalog marketers can also learn from newsstand magazine marketing studies, which indicate that magazine covers show higher recall than inside pages. Similarly, catalogs can benefit from higher recall rates by leveraging those very important pages. Creative and innovative covers are also a great strategy to:
- Combat mailbox saturation. Many customers and prospects receive multiple catalogs on any given day. Even if the other catalogs are not from competitors, volume alone tends to foster disinterest.
- Build the brand experience. Express who you are and what you stand for. Be visually compelling to your audience and clearly convey key messages.
- Get customers to react promptly. The cover is also where you'll want to announce when a great offer begins or expires. And it should present products of special interest to the recipient along with easily visible contact information. You always want to ensure that the cover communicates a distinguishing offer, whether it's free next-day delivery or the best guarantee in the industry.
- Help readers find what they need. Use the inside cover pages as your table of contents.
- Give special interest to product launches, best sellers and other marketing priorities. Guide recipients to products that encourage both profitable and multiple purchases.
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Example of a magazine
double-sided flap |
Back page - 1/3 flap cover with
tear-off coupons |
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Front page gatefold highlighting the table
of content |
Looking for your own cover ideas?
There are many cover production options that can help you build readership and revenue cost-effectively. In fact, modern press and bindery advancements continue to make cover enhancements more affordable and intriguing than ever. MetalFX®, personalization options, attention-demanding folds and specialty printing such as stamping, embossing and reflective papers can help take your catalog covers to new performance levels.
Naruto used foil stamping and embossing on the cover with contrasting matte printing inside.
Get into the fold
Catalog marketers can also learn from newstand magazine marketing studies, wich indicate that magazine covers show higher recall than inside pages. Similarly, folding options are an especially effective and economical way to generate more revenue. A study from Starch Research indicates that nothing pulls like covers, and special folds attract even more attention.
More folding options
Gatefolds are the most popular, with single gates providing a powerful cover spread on either the front or back cover. Double gatefolds (panoramic spreads) offer a spectacular foldout display spanning both covers. They’re great vehicles for launching a new product line or as an attention-demanding way to kick off a special promotion.
Get started
Since any cover treatment impacts both production scheduling and budget, start by talking with your printer to learn the types of cover options and formats they can offer as well as cost comparisons. Be proactive in sharing with your marketing and production team the possible production options and the benefits of investing more in your catalog covers to generate more revenue.
Want to go to the next step? Get personal. Nothing draws attention like personalization, and today's advanced technology allows you to speak with customers 1to1, beginning with the cover. Learn more about how to MatchUP! your covers with transaction-based data.
Contact your Transcontinental representative to learn what cover options are right for you. |
