Adventures in Cataloging: The Vital Importance of Good Copy

“Just make the photos big, and people will buy.”

The cataloger had reviewed our production budget and was now on the phone.

“What’s this big bill for copywriting?” he asked.

“That’s the cost of writing all of your catalog copy.”

“But we don’t need any copy,” he said.

“You really do. Copy does for catalogs what a salesperson does in person: describes features, explains benefits, answers questions, asks for the sale.”

“We still don’t want any. Who reads any more? Just put the photo on the page. If they like it, they’ll buy. If not, a bunch of words won’t change their minds.”

Among the skills required to create an effective catalog, copywriting is one of the most critical and probably the least appreciated. For new catalogers, the biggest hurdle often is accepting the idea that copy is necessary at all. I often hear the claim that nobody reads any more, and I hear it most often from hard-driving entrepreneurs who seem to have little time or patience for the written word.

Catalog shoppers can’t learn much about a product just by looking at a photo, no matter how detailed or beautiful the photo. A picture can’t tell a shopper what fabric a sweater is made of, how soft it feels on the skin, how colorfast it is, or how warm it will keep her. If you think of catalog copy as simultaneously playing the roles of a knowledgeable shopping friend, a helpful salesperson and an informative product package, you’ll be closer to understanding the vital importance of good copy to the success of your catalog.

“I’m sorry, but following your copy guidelines would interfere with my ability to express myself as an artist.”

The cataloger had just hired a new copywriter, and my job was to train her. I scanned her latest efforts.