Freshness Sells

Many business-to-business (b-to-b) catalogers fail to periodically refresh their creative elements and end up making common mistakes in copywriting, photography, layout and design. To discern if you’re guilty of stale or ineffectual catalog creative, ask yourself the following questions.

“Am I employing copy that’s appropriate for b-to-b customers in particular?”

“B-to-b products tend to be more practical because they’re meant to help customers solve business problems,” says Sarah Fletcher, president of Charlestown, R.I.-based Catalog Design Studios, a catalog consultancy. You can’t sell on emotion in a b-to-b catalog like you can in a consumer catalog, she continues.

Gina Valentino, vice president and general manager of catalog consultancy J. Schmid & Associates, Shawnee Mission, Kan., agrees. “B-to-b copywriting isn’t about romancing [customers], but about solving their problems.”

Moreover, she continues, “B-to-b catalogers often assume there’s no need for marketing because customers already know them.” To avoid the mistake of not being promotional enough in your copy, try using headlines across a few spreads, suggests Valentino. “Don’t assume customers know what your items are or why they’d need them. Talk to customers on the page.”

Like copy for consumer catalogs, b-to-b copy must be audience-appropriate, says Fletcher. For example, if you’re selling software, use product descriptions that are suitable for the purchasing decision-makers at your target demographic companies. Are IT managers responsible for buying your software, or is it administrative assistants? Bear in mind that whomever does the actual buying probably will have to justify his or her purchases, so any copy you can offer to make that task easier for your customers would undoubtedly be most appreciated.

Says Fletcher, “Make sure that all benefits are clearly explained to assure [customers] your product is the best purchase for his or her company.”

Takeaway tip: To ensure your catalog’s copy is appropriate for various types of people, distribute it to several departments within your company to see if it’s universally understood.

“Am I showing my merchandise in the best possible manner?”

Like consumer catalogs, b-to-b catalog photography clearly must illustrate and explain your offerings, says Fletcher. Try showing products in use.

For example, WearGuard, a supplier of work clothing, offers insulated coveralls for those who toil in cold conditions. Rather than simply showing a picture of the item, the catalog displays a man wearing the coveralls while working in a frigid environment. Says Valentino, “The introduction of a human element is a frequently missed opportunity [for b-to-b catalogers].”

Another example: The Bob Barker Co., a supplier for the correctional industry, sells a mirror used to check for suspicious items under vehicles. In addition to a photo of the mirror itself, the catalog also shows a photo of the product in use.

Takeaway tip: If you can’t dedicate the space to two separate photos, try using an inset photo of people using your products.

“Is my catalog’s design as effective as it could be?”

It’s important to fully utilize your front and back covers, says Robert Barker, vice president of marketing at The Bob Barker Co. After his catalog received a critique, marketing executives added inside page references for products pictured on its covers, and it now promotes specific items. “We were missing a good opportunity to market our brand and product line,” says Barker.

Since b-to-b catalogs tend to be bigger books, they’re often perfect bound, says Valentino. (Perfect binding is a method of bookbinding in which a flexible adhesive attaches a paper cover to the spine of the catalog’s pages.) Such a layout works better in the b-to-b segment, says Fletcher. “Catalogers can display a company name and contact information [on the catalog’s spine], and they can showcase that when the catalog resides on a bookshelf.”

For certain catalogs, Valentino suggests using a heavier paper stock with varnish for a cover, thus providing more durability and a longer shelf life.

“Am I using the right catalog dimensions?”

How one uses a catalog may dictate size, Valentino notes. Should your catalog be sized to fit into the briefcase of a sales associate, or should it be of appropriate height to sit on a shelf? Your answers will help determine the appropriate dimensions.

“Since I sell to both consumers and b-to-b customers, should I print two different catalogs?”

One food merchant attempted to use its catalog as both a direct-to-consumer and b-to-b sales vehicle by printing one version without prices; an accompanying flyer listed product pricing. But using the same catalog in two different arenas without price points isn’t nearly as effective as having two different catalog versions with pricing, says Fletcher.

Takeaway tip: Ask your printer about a simple black plate change for pricing — an inexpensive solution for those catalogers producing both consumer and b-to-b editions.

Remember, b-to-b creative needn’t be uninteresting. Stay fresh while keeping in mind that clarity is paramount.