Main steps to a great catalog design graphic services process

Collecting product data

Firstly, one of the first things you need to do is to start collecting together a list of every product you want included in catalog designs. It’s important to do this early as if you realise you forgot something part way through the design process it will likely cost time and money to fix.

Writing copy

Secondly, the importance of getting this right should not be overlooked. Good copy can make all the difference when it comes to making a sale.

Choosing a look

However, early in the process you will need to settle for the overall look and style of the catalogues designs. This needs to reflect your business, both in terms of branding and feel. A company selling high-end bespoke furniture will need a very different look to one selling mass-produced flatpack design catalog.

Planning layout

In addition layout makes a huge difference to how successful catalogue designs are. Where products are placed in the catalogue design ideas can make a big difference to how well they sell. The layout also needs to be easy to scan to get the best possible customer engagement.

Producing imagery for company catalog design

Above all you will need both high quality product photos as well as a cover image and more general background imagery. If you do not already have these, they will have to be produced by either yourself or the catalogue designer. Make sure to spend plenty of time choosing images that really cast your business and products in the best possible light.

Other steps

Proofing

You really need to leave a good amount of time at the end of the production process to proof the final version before you send it to the printers. Just put it on your website or start emailing it to customers.

It can be really easy to miss minor mistakes. So make sure you get as many people as possible to look over the catalogue as many times as possible before signing it off.

Things to consider as part of your catalogue design

When planning your catalogue, there are certain key things your designer will need to know to help shape the design process. Although these are all things your designer should ask you about early in the process, it is worth giving them some thought before meeting with your designer to save time.

Price-points

Depending on your business, the price of the items in your catalogue could range from pence to thousands of pounds. This will have a big impact on the design, so it’s important to be clear about this upfront with your designer.

Their design needs to reflect your brand and your customers, and the price of your products will likely be a big factor in shaping customer perception of your brand. Your catalogue design needs to reflect this.

Highlighting benefits

Many companies fall into the trap of focusing too much on the features of their products and services, rather than the benefits.

Your designer can then make sure they use all of the tricks of their trade. This includes clever graphics, imagery and typography to highlight the benefits as much as possible.

Call to action

This is perhaps the most important thing to work out what do you actually want customers to do after reading your catalogue? How do they place an order? Do they need to call? Come to a store? Go online? Perhaps you offer free demos?

This needs to be absolutely clear throughout your catalogue. So potential customers are left in absolutely no doubt what to do when they are ready to make a buying decision. Your designer should have all sorts of ideas for highlighting your call to actions. So make sure this is at the forefront of the design process.