Woodworkers Catalog Can Easily Go From Good to Great
Osborne Wood Products positions its catalog as a full-service resource for woodworkers and artists, be it layman consumers looking for products to spiff up their homes or interior designers looking on behalf of their clients. With a few improvements and alterations, this catalog can attract an even broader audience and increase response.
Front Cover
There are several elements of the catalog’s front cover that give it a workbook appearance, from the holes punched near the spine (suggesting this is a reference tool to draw on time and again) to the photo of woodworking hands.
The cover photo, positioned slightly askew with tape willy-nilly along its edges, implies this is a book for true artists. The Osborne logo, reminiscent of friendly hardware stores from earlier days, suggests this is a business that’s been around for generations.
The remainder of the cover is ambivalent. The painterly ground with the superimposed leaf is confusing. The “Wood Turnings” tagline is obscured. There’s a faint image of a bun foot (a very small percentage of the mix inside) that resembles an urn rather than what it is.
Inside Front Spread
Osborne fails to use its opening spread to its maximum potential. With some reorganization and redesign, this can be a very effective platform for selling and enforcing its services, philosophies and products.
And then there’s the company story to tell. A quick look at the company’s history on its Web site (www.osbornewood.com) shows Leon and Janice Osborne founded the company in a garage on Parkway Drive in Toccoa, Ga., in 1979. The opening spread is the perfect space to let this be known while personalizing the book.
The introduction, which doesn’t need to repeat the “Important Information” lead-in, can be more benefit-driven, while still emphasizing the company’s convictions. Since it states, “We strive as a business to operate under the Lordship of Christ,” what better example of God’s gifts than natural wood products and the expertise to craft them? Add a couple of qualities that set the company apart (e.g., made in the USA, handcrafted nature, custom availability, variety of woods and finishes, etc.), and the message is clear and informative.
