Jazzing up your company catalog isn’t a quick process.  It takes a lot of thought, opinion polling, and research to try and get it right.    Here are a few tips in creating an effective catalog.

1.The first tip is to not try and jam everything into a few pages to be cost effective.  This will overwhelm your customer and will likely leave the pictures too small.  Instead try weaving white space effectively into your design.  This is  especially true for photos that you want to draw the customer’s attention.

2. Another way to create an effective catalog is to create consistency from page to page.  A layout that your customer finds easy to navigate will certainly help this process.

3.  Finally, ensure that the color scheme is in sync with the color scheme of the company. This means company cards, website, etc.  This should be a continued branding effort.  Therefore it should be a continuation of what the company looks like not a deviance from it.

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Print Runner

A newsletter is an opportunity that companies both large and small capitalize on to inform their customers about the current events of the company.  It often works as both an informative piece as well as a promotional one.  But how exactly do you create an effective newsletter. There isn’t an exact formula- if there was we would all be using it.  However, here are a few helpful tips.

The first piece of advice is to keep the information relevant.  It may seem obvious but too often newsletters are an overwhelming amount of irrelavent information.  Align what you’re writing about with what your customers will take the time to read.  If your customers are environmentally consciousness you might want to spotlight your new green product line, or ways that your company has started recycling.

Another helpful hint is to send your newsletter out on a set schedule.  Don’t send it out whenever you find it convenient.  It isn’t a press release. It’s a newsletter. You also don’t want to overwhelm customers.   Monthly is usually a good time frame to send it out.

One of the best ways to improve your own newsletter is to look at newsletters you find interesting and mimic what they do. Do they have a lot of links?  Are they concise?  Is it an easy layout?  What type of colors and fonts are they using?  If it worked once it’ll likely work again.

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Promarketer

Top Story

The loved and occasionally loathed packaging shell, commonly called clamshell, is a product with a lot of positive as well as negative reviews. Manufacturers and store owners appreciate the perfectly protected shell around precious products.  Customers reach for that new flashdrive, phone charger or other shelled item appreciating the fact that it sits where it is supposed to, untampered with.  However, the appreciation of knowing it’ll make it home safely sometimes fades to the frustration experienced when trying to open it.

So why does packaging that sometimes leaves you frustrated continue to find it’s way onto our shelves? The simple answer is because it looks nice and it works.  Does a shoplifter really want to experience all of that? Of course not, simply put, these shells reduce theft while at the same time showing customers the benefits of the product they are about to purchase.

Additionally, your product was also able to make the journey from one area of the world to your house or business without injury which is something that isn’t always easily attainable in other packaging designs.

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Sunpack Store

Economic troubles of 2009 have left consumers cautious and penny-wise going into 2010. However,  companies can cater to this mentality in their marketing  programs.  People are appreciating coupons, discounts and free samples more than ever before.   Market and advertise to your customers using these  avenues.

Coupons don’t have to be expensive mass mailings either.  Offer coupons online through your website or social media.  This will also entice your customers to return to your sites for future discounts.

Other avenues you may consider include sending company calendars, magnets, chip clips, travel tags, pens, binders and other useful items.   These types of promotions help you connect with your customers.  They also ensure that your brand becomes a common household item.

What method you choose will depend on your company budget and the products you offer.  However, get creative and don’t underestimate the value of ‘on sale.’

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Sunpack Store

It has only been a few days into 2010 and already there are a plethora of predictions for what this year’s trends will be, including the ever changing face of social marketing.  So where are we headed?  Of course no one can be certain, but according to many sources the road will be one of exclusivity and slight obsession.

Social media may start to feel more exclusive as users filter out the masses of unwanted information.  For example, you may have a friend, or several friends who choose to update every waking detail of their lives on facebook. Hiding their newsfeeds will help to reduce this clutter, and to increase your sanity.

Another trend will take place within the business world.  Companies, if they haven’t already, will formalize social media policies, leading to more restrictions in web usage and blocking out social media platforms.  This will lead to another trend of increased usage of smartphones for social media browsing.   Smartphones have the capability of browsing social media sites.  More people will use smartphones to get their social media fix.  Only time will tell if these trends hold true for 2010.

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Social Media Trends

How do you feel about spending a relaxing afternoon on the deck, basking in the sun, taking in the scenery and kicking back… on a bunch of milk jugs?  This afternoon might have sounded like it was headed in the right direction until the milk jugs, but don’t be deterred.  By the Yard is an innovative, fellow Minnesota-based company whose outdoor furniture is made out of recycled milk and water jugs.  If you aren’t sold on their innovative materials you might be swayed by their comfort, variety and product guarantees.

Their furniture is no joke. By the Yard boasts a 35 year warranty for their outdoor furniture, guaranteeing that it will not crack, rot, or peel within that time.  It is also offered in a variety of colors and styles to ensure it meets your decor. Perhaps the best part about the color you choose is that it’ll stay that way.  Their website states;

It will not fade more than 3% over a 10 year period; a color change that is generally not noticeable to the human eye. The color runs throughout each piece and has a UV-inhibitor incorporated into the material to minimize the chance of any discoloration.

The following is a sampling of a few of these colors and styles.

Now that’s cool!

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By the Yard

Living a more sustainable lifestyle doesn’t happen overnight.  It’s unlikely that you go to bed a fossil fuel hog and wake up the next day with your hybrid car and carrying reusable grocery bags. It’s a continual learning process.  It’s also about recognizing the impact of your daily habits and understanding what it takes to change them.  For example, take a magazine and consider it’s impact on the environment.  You probably think that if you recycle them you are doing your part. To some extent this is true but did you ever think about the resources used to make the original magazine?  Do you know if you subscribe to a magazine that is made out of recycled paper or not?  Many magazines are in fact made out of recycled paper which significantly cuts down on the amount of resources needed to print them.   One such magazine is the popular Everyday With Rachel Ray.  For a list of more magazines go to better magazine list.

You may think now that you’ve subscribed to a magazine printed on recycled paper (which you of course plan to recycle when you’re done reading) you’ve really done your part. However, even this can be improved upon for the die hard green goers.  I’d like to introduce you to the electronic magazine subscription.  Available through your computer and involved in the destruction of zero trees.  Described by Barnes and Noble as

“…delivered to the recipient’s email address. Scores of titles available. An Eco-Friendly gift because these subscriptions are paperless and are delivered electronically- not by mail carrier.”

It’s everything the environment ever wanted.

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Grist

Barnes and Noble

Companies are always looking for ways to better market and revamp their products.  However, the answer isn’t always in altering the product itself.  This can be especially true if your customer base is extremely loyal to your current product.  A perfect example of this is when Coke tried to edge out Pepsi by reformulating it’s Classic Coca-Cola into its “New Coke.”  The result was a complete marketing failure as loyal Coke followers were outraged by the decision ultimately leading to the reintroduction of the original recipe.  So where do companies gain a marketing edge if they aren’t altering the product? It comes from new and innovative packaging.  Many companies have turned to this approach to give their classic products a new edge on the competition.  Here are a few recent examples.

Heinz worked extensively to redesign it’s ketchup bottle so that it would stand upside down.  This made for easy use as the ketchup was always near the opening.  It’s vacuum seal also helped eliminate mess.

Kraft was another company that benefited from redesigning its packaging for Chips Ahoy.  It’s old packaging opened from the side and lead to stale cookies.  The new packaging  allows for a resealable top flap that eliminates staleness and increases the ease of use.

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CNN

I think it’s safe to say that children and adults think differently.  Children have an innate curiosity to the world. They often walk into a store and want to touch everything.  They are drawn to bright colors and unusual shapes.  For this reason when packaging items that are marketed to children, such as toys, the packaging should pay close attention to these details while still fulfilling it’s packaging purpose.  Here are a few tips regarding color and construction offered by Mark Gallagher, the Creative Director of a brand positioning and consulting company.

Often, the use of die cut windows, clear plastic or other elements that allow the buyer to see the actual product can instill a level of trust. Being able to see the product’s color and construction is reassuring and will often sway the purchasing decision in your favor.

Although bright saturated colors tend to be eye catching, making your packaging too colorful can confuse your message. By using color with purpose, such as a blue/green pallet for a water related toy, your package design becomes thematic, making for a stronger message.

Check out these top toys of 2009.

The packaging on these toys are tastefully colorful.  They allow for children to interact with the toy while still protecting it. No wonder they’re the top sellers this year.

DR Toy

Have you ever seen a box or an advertisement that is covered with so many words, that you don’t know what to pay attention to?

An advertisement, or a package that has too many words may detract from sales.  Most people make a decision to buy something extremely quickly.  If a product, advertisement or package looks ‘too complicated’ it’s possible to lose buyers.

Words in advertising and in packaging should be short, to the point, and engaging.  A great example of this is the following:

This is a good example of wording because it tells the potential buyer, what it is, and what it does with a minimum amount of words.  It allows a buyer to make a quick decision.  There is nothing in this design that would make someone struggle to understand what the product is.

As you’re planning your next foray into design, consider using your words as minimally as possible for the greatest impact.