Graphic Design

10 Tips for Catalog Design

When designing a catalog, anyone can easily get lost in the process and forget some of the most important design rules. Below are 10 tips to use as a reminder when creating a catalog.

1. When designing the cover, include images of the feature items. Adding page numbers where the items can be found allow customers to easily skip to the desired merchandise without digging through pages of products they care nothing about. The only drawback is that they may not skim through the rest of the catalog.

2. When choosing a style, keep in mind your audience and appeal to their ideal standard of living. Creating a sense of lifestyle will help you connect with customers.

3. Be consistent with the catalog image. Customers will recognize your catalogs if you use apparent branding.

4. Place the most eye-catching item on the page in the upper right hand corner and the best selling item in the upper left corner. When flipping through pages, customers tend to glance first at the right corner, then move to the left and will keep flipping if nothing catches their attention in the first glance.

5. Use at least four colors in the catalog design. Choose contrasting colors that support your image. Four colors produce vibrant, attractive catalogs that tend to sell more than two or three color schemes.

6. Do not go overboard on font types. Limit the amount of fonts, and instead use bolding, underlining, or a contrasting color to emphasize discounts or other important text.

7. A consistent layout throughout the catalog enhances readability but can become boring. Break up the monotony of a predictable layout by including a unique page or two.

8. Emphasize the best products by using larger pictures for display. This technique will draw the eye and, therefore, capture the reader’s attention easier. Also, do not lump several products into one photograph, as a single photograph will better display the product.

9. All images should be of the highest quality. Make sure pictures are clear and vivid, not pixilated. Poor quality images will send the message that the products listed are low quality.

10. Cut costs by printing catalogs with only multiples of 16 pages. Commercial printing presses produce 16 different pages at once, so printers often charge less for multiples of sixteen pages.

One more little reminder: be creative when designing your catalog. Following common tips does not mean that your catalog has to look like any other. So have fun creating a catalog that promotes your unique brand and sells your products successfully.

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