Whether you’re just starting a new catalog campaign or ramping up an existing campaign, knowing as many of the advantages catalog marketing presents you with is essential for getting the most out of your future campaigns.

In a previous blog, we saw how catalogs are still very much relevant in today’s digital world and why they’re one of the best print marketing tools for maximizing your ROI.

Now we are going to go through some of the other advantages of catalog marketing, so you can make the most out of your next catalog marketing campaign.

Advantages of catalog marketing…

1. Increases brand visibility and awareness

With digital ads, only 44% of people can recall a brand compared to 75% of people who receive direct mail. So, whether you decide to mail your catalog to a wide array of prospects or a targeted list of customers, putting a catalog in the mail will get your brand a large amount of visibility no matter what.

2. Maximizes profits of online marketing campaigns through a unique synergistic relationship

Online marketing campaigns that also have a direct mail catalog component receive a 125% lift in inquiries and a 49% lift in sales compared to online marketing campaigns without a printed catalog component.

3. Simplifies response monitoring and results tracking

When you know where which lead comes from where you can then assess if you’re meeting your goals. And direct mail including catalog marketing allows you to measure your results easily through unique URLs, QR codes, or call tracking numbers. You can have complete control over how responses are measured for your catalog campaign using some of the tips we outline in our blog How to Make a Catalog that Gets Results

4. Provides audience targeting opportunities

Creating targeted versions of catalogs for your customers or prospects can be a great way to more effectively tailor content to media consumption habits and preferences. You can even personalize your catalog to reflect each recipient to increase your response rates by 135%. You can also create a targeted list based on location and certain demographics, so your catalog reaches a previously unknown audience that is more likely to take you up on your offers.

5. Drives traffic to your website and simplifies customers’ ordering process

Consumers love catalogs and they love shopping online and 60% of consumers who receive a catalog visit the website of the company who sent the catalog. Consider using a QR code to give your audience a quick way to visit your website. Also, make sure to include a mail in order form with necessary contact info so the ordering process accommodates all shoppers' needs.

6. Influences purchasing decisions

Catalogs have a stronger influence on consumer purchasing decisions than any online or even TV advertisement. In fact, 72% of people said that catalogs make them more interested in what a company has to offer and 84% purchased an item after seeing it in a catalog.

7. Helps establish brand voice and style

Since catalogs are longer form print pieces, you have more space to express your brand through words and images. Make sure your catalog design reflects your brand’s overall design and that it is consistent with your brand’s voice, as it will be the only thing representing it to many consumers who may not be very familiar with your brand.

8. Nurtures existing groups of customers while increasing sales significantly

On average consumers who receive catalogs spend $850 per year on catalog purchases. So, while also taking advantage of the fact people enjoy catalogs, you can keep your customers and new prospects happy while increasing your sales by sending a regular catalog to your audience.

9. Impresses audiences and strengthens your brand while making it into something that your customers and prospects want to be a part of

Simply having a catalog for your brand is a statement about your brand’s professionalism and size. Catalogs strengthen your brand and share your company in a way that makes your customers and prospects want to learn more or be a part of its community.

10. Takes advantage of advertising preference trends among consumers who prefer catalogs over digital ads

73% of consumers say they enjoy being contacted by brands through direct mail. Which goes to show people simply prefer to be contacted for marketing purposes through a paper medium proving that catalogs are a crowd favorite compared to online advertisements.

11. Gives your audience the freedom to view your marketing message at their leisure

Consumers get hit with advertisements repeatedly throughout the day, and those same consumers say print advertisements are 43% less annoying than online ads. Going back to catalog benefits #10, one of the main reasons consumers enjoy direct mail over digital ads, is because they can read it whenever they want which means your audience will view your catalog when it’s the best time for them to give it their full attention while not feeling rushed to make a decision right away.

12. Leaves a lasting impression on customers and prospects with a good catalog design they will want to keep

A well-designed catalog is extremely important in building the image of your brand and with 81% of consumers taking the time to look through their mail each day, an eye-catching catalog will increase the chances of them keeping your catalog and placing it on their coffee table or magazine rack for a longer period, thus making a lasting impression every time they view your catalog.

13. Translates into digital catalog marketing quickly and easily by using the same design

With just a few small tweaks, your print file can be made into a digital catalog that can easily be embedded on any website and can even be downloaded so your audience can easily share your catalog, with whomever, whenever, and anywhere. For more information about digital catalogs and what they’re good for, check out our blog "Why Use a Digital Catalog?"

14. Monetizes your marketing by adding ad space

Interest has grown in the ad space available on direct mail pieces like catalogs and mail-order-houses. As a result, ad spaces on catalogs that are mailing to large audiences are highly desirable and you can have your catalog practically pay for itself by the growing number of advertisers who are in need of the catalog benefits of placing ads in print publications.

15. Is one of the most cost-effective marketing tools today

One catalog benefit includes catalogs being one of the most cost-effective marketing tools today as indicated by the continued growth of ad spending on catalogs and mail-order houses year over year. The rapid growth of ad spending in this category is a sign that there is still untapped potential in the area of catalog marketing that could be tremendous. In fact, just from 2019 to 2020, catalog ad spending jumped from 21.82 billion to 27.24 billion dollars. And they expect it to keep rising even until 2029 and beyond.

16. Provides longer lasting medium which results in a longer amount of time that you brand will have an impression on the recipient

Catalogs are engaged with longer and stick around longer than your standard postcard ad or brochure and definitely longer than your marketing email or pop up ad. In fact, the average consumer spends around 30 minutes looking at a catalog and they keep it for an average of 20.3 days.

17. Provides customers and prospects with a comprehensive list of your products, giving you greater control over what sells

69% of consumers consult a printed catalog before purchasing, and catalogs allow you to showcase your most profitable products or services if you choose to do so. So, whether your catalog is a seasonally curated collection of your most profitable products or a listing of your full inventory, the format of a catalog can easily be adapted to suit any product or service listing need and a large percentage of your audience will use your catalog as a guide in choosing what they want to purchase.

18. Provides a large canvas that can feature an infinite number of other types of creative content

Just because your catalog is called a catalog doesn’t mean it has to be a “product catalog.” Catalogs are very versatile and can be a service listing, a guide, a photo book, a company bio, an editorial catalog, or even an interactive coloring book.

19. Provides an excuse to get in touch with customers at multiple points throughout the year

With 64% of consumers looking forward to receiving mail each day, seasonal catalogs are the perfect way to keep stirring your occasional mailing lists enough to keep them warm. As you add new products or services, update your catalog or create seasonal designs to keep your catalog fresh and exciting to receive.

20. Allows for maximum versatility in how you present your information by offering a wide range of sizes and page counts

Catalogs are one of the oldest printed formats, as they provide the ultimate medium for conveying complex ideas and information through print. Whether you call it a booklet, a catalog, a magazine, or a periodical, the power of printed pages bound together to create a multi-paged printed piece is undeniable. There are multiple sizes, paper options, binding options, and more to create the perfect catalog for your marketing goals and budget.

Catalogs are so powerful, and catalog benefits include a countless number of advantages compared to other forms of marketing. To find out more about the ways in which catalog marketing is a powerful option for any business, check out our blog on the topic here.

For all these reasons and more, we believe there are an unbelievably large number of advantages to catalog print marketing that can easily be applied to any business, regardless of industry, company, or organization size. Click below to get started on your catalog marketing campaign today.