Lois Boyle

© Profile of Success, Catalog Success magazine, May 2006 Interview by Sharon R. Cole Catalog Success: When was the catalog established? Paulette Jarvey: The first issue went out February 2002. Catalog Success: Where are your headquarters? Jarvey: Canby, Oregon with distribution out of Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Catalog Success: What is your primary merchandise? Jarvey: Supplies for scrapbooking: patterned papers, kits, embellishments and idea books. Catalog Success: Number of SKUS? Jarvey: 1,100 per issue Catalog Success: What are your primary customer demographics? Jarvey: Women who are passionate about scrapbooking, cardmaking and papercrafting. Our customer is usually college-educated with a job

Inset photos in your catalog always should have a headline. —Lois Boyle, partner and chief creative officer of J. Schmid & Assoc.

Two-line captions in your catalog are better read than one-liners. —Lois Boyle, partner and chief creative officer of J. Schmid & Assoc.

In catalog design, never use more than five call outs for one product. —Lois Boyle, partner and chief creative officer of J. Schmid & Assoc.

Thirty percent of catalog shoppers start catalogs from the back. "So don't put all of your ancillary products in the back of the book," said Lois Boyle, partner and chief creative officer of J. Schmid & Assoc. In addition, she recommends putting some of your bestsellers in various price points on your back cover.

Keep the copy "you" focused, rather than "we" focused. "It's OK to tell your story in your catalog, but craft it to show how that story benefits customers," says Lois Boyle. For example, if you excel at technical product support, don't state: "We're the experts!" Better to state: "Can't decide on which product is right for you? Call us. We can help!" —Lois Boyle, partner and chief creative officer of J. Schmid & Assoc.