The print catalog is making a comeback, and its resurgence is largely attributed to the trust and value today’s customers put in print materials. For example, 70% of consumers trust print more than any other medium, with 53% of recipients sharing that they look forward to receiving direct mail ads.1
The ability of print catalogs to leverage a more sensory, tactile experience is helping brands better connect with and acquire customers, in large part due to the technological advancements in digital print technology and the ability to integrate digital components for a more interactive user experience.
Many brands are already making print catalogs a staple of their sales and marketing strategy – for example, clothing retailer J. Crew recently reintroduced their print catalog after a seven-year hiatus, reflecting an industry move to print materials.
Here, we’ll look at a couple of reasons why the print catalog is making a big comeback, and how prioritizing personalization and enhanced interactivity can help you create print catalogs that create a deeper connection with your customers.
Print catalogs make a lasting impact
Catalogs have staying power. While consumers may only spend a handful of seconds reading a brand’s emails, direct mail is kept in a recipient's home for an average of 17 days — and this kind of direct mail includes print catalogs.2
Print catalogs don’t just physically stick around longer than digital advertising; they also stick around in the minds of consumers. Print materials can help recipients better retain and recall information, with 60% of consumers saying direct mail ads make it easy to remember when they’re ready to make a purchase.3
That staying power also translates to sales, with 60% of consumers who received a catalog visiting the website of the company that sent it to them, and those recipients spending around 28% more than those who weren’t sent catalogs.4
Print catalogs create an omnichannel experience
Although print catalogs are a more traditional, static form of marketing, they’ve also become a way to bridge the physical and digital worlds through the incorporation of digital elements, creating an omnichannel experience for consumers.
By including integrations like QR codes, augmented reality (AR), and near-field communication (NFC) into your catalogs, the consumer is provided an engaging interactive experience that drives them directly to websites, promotional or instruction videos, or even your online store, where they can instantly make a purchase for what they were viewing in the catalog.
These digital integrations also make it easy to track the return on investment of your direct mail campaign by using the website analytics you already have.
Print catalogs can make the most of personalization
One-size-fits-all marketing has gone the way of the dinosaur. In fact, 71% of consumers expect personalized interactions from brands, 76% said that receiving personalized communications was a key factor in their purchasing considerations, and 78% said personalized content made them more likely to make a purchase from that brand in the future.5
Thanks to data analytics and print automation solutions that provide detailed demographic information, companies can personalize their catalogs to individual consumer preferences and behaviors. Going beyond simply including the customer’s name, print catalogs can feature products customers may have expressed interest in online, that are relevant to where they live, or even editorial content that appeals to the consumer’s interests.
Personalizing catalog content means more relevant information is being sent to the target audience, increasing the odds that they’ll convert.
Print catalogs can tap into consumer emotion
Catalogs have evolved from simply listing products and prices into what have essentially become magazines highlighting the unique stories and voice of a brand.
By including profiles of the people who make the products, stories behind what inspired the creation of specific products, and high-quality photographs that convey an aspirational lifestyle associated with the brand, catalogs can create an emotional connection with the consumer that builds both interest and loyalty.
From the tactile experience of holding a catalog in their hands to the visual images of relevant products, catalogs have the ability to simultaneously appeal to multiple senses, which is scientifically proven to drive increased consumer behavior.
Catalogs aren’t going anywhere in the near future — in fact, they’re coming on stronger than ever — and the best way for brands to tap into this medium is by partnering with a company that can provide print marketing automation solutions.
At Quantum, we help brands connect offline and digital customer interactions with data-driven print. By integrating their customer relationship management (CRM) platform to use customer insights and data, we can create targeted, highly personalized direct mail — including catalogs — making your print more effective and helping to optimize your marketing spend. Contact us to learn more about our commercial printing or direct mail services.
1 https://www.emarketer.com/content/us-adults-find-traditional-media-advertising-most-trustworthy
2 https://retailwire.com/discussion/does-direct-mail-or-email-deliver-greater-results-for-retailers/
4 https://www.usps.com/business/pdf/FY08_DM%20Onl_Sales%20WP.pdf