Skip to content 
Last Updated on November 16, 2022 by Packoi Team
A catalog is a visual tool for a marketing campaign. That means the printing process plays an important role in how effective it can be.
In this article, you’ll find out more about printed catalogs and the important must-haves that you need before sending your design to the best catalog printing services.
What is a Catalog?
A catalog is printed material that contains the overall product line of a company. Both small and multinational companies use this marketing material to promote their products.
The primary purpose of catalogs is to inform. It’s not meant to be advertising material, but it could be a part of a current campaign. Of course, brand recognition is considered in the design, but it’s not a priority either.
The focus of a catalog is your products. That’s why it can sometimes be used as part of a brand presentation.
These are like booklets that contain photos and information about a product. It can also contain the brand’s story – but it’s not always necessary to have it there so you can probably put it on the back cover.
You want catalogs to be user-friendly so customers will look at them from the front cover and to the back. Customers will use these as references to ensure they’re ordering the right thing from your company.
Some companies have general catalogs that are always available. But there are times when seasonal catalogs are also printed. You can have a dedicated printed catalog if you have a holiday collection or a special product launch.
Many businesses have a specific mail-order catalog that customers use as a reference to order products they like. Some of these catalogs have product shots with the corresponding details to help the customer decide. Other times, the catalogs look like magazines that can feature either a new line or seasonal products.
6 Details You Need to Define Before Printing Your Catalog
Catalog printing plays a critical role in increasing your sales. It showcases your products and services so customers will be enticed to buy from you. Your salespeople can also use it to present your business to clients.
This is why it’s important that this marketing tool isn’t just well-designed. Choose a great printing company so your customers will be treated with high print quality as they view your products.
Of course, even the best catalog printing services can’t do it alone. You have to ensure that you provide them with the information they need to give you the final product you desire.
So before anything else, you have to determine the following information.
Dimensions
When planning your catalog project, start with the dimensions. How big or small do you want your catalog to be?
The dimensions will influence the first impression of customers about your product. So ensure you approach this with the proper vision for your catalog.
The more cost-efficient option is to choose 8.5” x 11” – the standard size for product catalogs. Since it’s the most common size, it’s more economical for printing companies to produce. But if your product requires a smaller or broader paper, the best printers should be able to accommodate that.
If you’re unsure about your options, consult a catalog printer. They might have done a special size for their previous customers. That means they can accommodate the unique dimensions that you’re requesting. They might even have the paper stock on hand to print your order faster.
Page Count
The next thing you want to decide on is the page count. This will affect a couple of things in the production of your catalog.
For instance, if you have many products you want to showcase in your catalog, you might want to get a bigger dimension so you can incorporate many products on one page. Of course, that’ll still depend on your vision for the catalog.
The page count will also help the printer determine the materials they’ll need to print your order. If you want both sides of the paper to have a print, it must be thicker paper stock.
Not only that, but the page count will also determine the binding style that’ll be used for the catalog.
Paper Features
What are the paper characteristics that you’re looking for? You have to decide on the paper’s thickness, glossiness, and even texture.
Usually, the catalog cover uses the thickest paper material. The inner pages use the thinner ones. But there are more to consider when it comes to your choice of paper.
It can also depend on what the catalog is for. If you want to promote luxury products, you don’t want them printed on dull paper. You want high-quality visuals for your products. That means using thicker paper.
Or if your catalog is for showcasing industrial materials, you must use durable paper. It has to have a clear finish. You can even laminate it. That’ll reflect the durability and strength of the product that you’re selling.
You might have to discuss this with the catalog printing company. Ask their expert opinion about the type of paper that fits your idea for your catalog.
They can give you professional advice regarding the best paper to bring your catalog project to life.
Ink Colors
Do you want your product catalog to be in full color? Or are you okay with some pages being printed in black and white?
You have to decide how you want the catalog to look. Having full-color pages and covers will be more costly. But remember, you have to consider the final product catalog. You want it to represent your brand and company.
So, if having a full-color catalog is the best way to promote your product, you need to invest in it.
You should also decide if the catalog printing will “bleed” to the edge of the page. This will cost more because it means using bigger paper to print on so the edges can be trimmed to the image.
These important decisions will help the printer secure the right ink to use for your catalogs.
Binding Style
The binding style that you’ll use will depend on the page count. If it’s fewer than 65 pages, your catalog will use the saddle stitch binding method. This uses staples to bind the booklet together.
But if you have more than that, the catalog printer will use the perfect binding method. This option uses glue to bind all the pages together. What’s great about this perfect binding option is you’ll get a flat spine for the catalog. You can print more designs in this area.
Other binding styles are available, but these two are the most common. If you want to explore the other options, consult a catalog printing company. They might have a specific binding method that you can choose.
Quantity
The last piece of information that you need to talk about is your order quantity. Most catalog printing companies can accept any quantity. But if you can’t meet their minimum order quantity, you might be asked to pay a higher fee per catalog.
It’s usually more cost-efficient to have your catalogs printed in bulk. But if you only need 200 pieces or so, look for a printing company with a digital press.
But if you’ll order 50,000 prices of catalogs or more, go for offset press printing. It’ll be more cost-efficient to use that option.
If you provide these details, the catalog printing company can give you a more accurate quotation for your order.
Different Types of Printed Catalogs
Now that you know what you need to provide the printing company, it’s time to find out what other types of printed catalogs are available.
Here are some of the types of catalogs that are being printed for big and small businesses.
Apparel Catalogs
These catalogs show the complete clothing line in full-color photos. The photos can be a combination of models wearing the clothes, product shots on mannequins, or any flat surface. These usually come with relevant information, including the product name, code, style description, materials, color options, and price.
Home Decor Catalogs
This shows products used around the house or even in commercial spaces. These include candles, lamps, art decor, fixtures, rugs, appliances, and various decorative products. The catalog is filled with photos of home interiors and exteriors to showcase how the products can be placed around the house. It can also have individual product shots on a white background – with details like product code, name, description, materials, color, price, etc.
Mechanical and Industrial Catalogs
These are the type of catalogs that salespeople usually bring with them as part of their business presentations. This booklet shows mechanical and industrial products with a more detailed description. It still has the product name, code, material type, etc. But since these catalogs are technical, they also include information like how the product is used, etc. The text description usually includes a diagram or actual photo of the product application.
Beauty Catalogs
This catalog is all about beauty products. This includes cosmetics like makeup, skin care products, perfume, hair care products, and other products used on the body. These catalogs usually feature a lot of products. Unless the beauty product is uncommon or has a special feature, the product information provided in the catalog will be minimal. It’ll only be the product name, type, variants, and price. There’s usually no additional information about the ingredients – unless it’s highlighted as a selling feature. The product shots are usually held by a model or on a surface with other elements for aesthetic shots.
Jewelry Catalogs
This catalog features jewelry pieces like earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, watches, and other body accessories. It’s usually luxurious in theme – unless the featured accessories are more fashionable and playful. The pieces may be modeled by someone or photographed in a box or a jewelry case. The product details include the description and price.
Food Product Catalogs
This is a catalog is for food products. It contains special information about the product’s ingredients and nutritional benefits. You must be very careful when creating these catalogs because the information should be accurate. The photograph of the food is usually done in an aesthetic way to entice the customers into buying.
There are other types of product catalogs that you can have printed. Just remember that the goal of the catalog is to provide information. Usually, the people who get these catalogs are interested in buying already. You have to make it easier for them by providing the right information.
Are You in Need of the Best Catalog Printing Services? Packoi Printing is Here to Help
Having the right catalog to showcase your products and services is a must if you want to increase your sales. This is your chance to show your customers everything that you offer in the business. Ensure your catalog is printed well so they’ll be encouraged to look at all the pages.
To make that happen, you must partner with the right printing company. Packoi Printing has been in the industry of printing catalogs for many years. Our knowledge and expertise can help you identify the right options to bring your ideal catalog to life.
Get in touch with us so we can discuss your ideas. We’ll get back to you with a fair quote in no time.
