In this age rife with media and technology, all the brands and outlets are literally at our fingertips. This digital age has made it possible for us to buy anything from anywhere and the internet has become our playground through which we can buy unlimited products, give reviews, and get free delivery with great ease.
Despite the internet’s popularity and the rise of online shopping, catalog shopping continues to remain alive and well!
According to a research conducted by Data and Marketing Association (DMA), over 9.8 billion were mailed a catalog in 2016 and over 100 million people purchased print and mail custom catalogs. Why is that? Because catalogs are very much relevant and are an important driver of sales for a lot of markets today (as well).
Here are the top reasons why catalogs serve as the best sales and marketing tool:
1. Keep the conversation going
They are collected and kept on coffee tables along with magazines and books and serve as a constant reminder about the brand and their connection with the customers. Nothing beats the pleasure of flipping through the pages of a beautiful book. As long as the catalog keeps people engaged, they will be a delight to read and that’s something no e-commerce site can offer.
2. Influence purchase decisions
72% of people say that a catalog makes them feel more interested and 84% of them purchased a product after seeing it in a catalog! Since print and mail custom catalogsare proactive and have a better return on investment which is a good thing for retention as well as acquisition. Catalogs have content that represents a brand’s personality and includes stories about the same, which makes it more relevant to people.
3. Bridge the gap between physical and digitals worlds
Amazing things are born out of the blend of paper and pixels. And print and mail custom catalogsoffer the best platform for the amalgamation of artificial intelligence and near function communication amongst others. This amalgamation helps drive consumers to brand experiences that they will remember for a long time.
4. Catalogs deliver ease and convenience
Print and mail custom catalogs are easy to consume and gives the customers a chance to slow down and experience the stories and images given in a catalog. They are very accessible and help the readers read at their own pace and according to their schedule. Since they have a focused selection of products, they save people a lot of time as compared to when they try finding the same product online, which also makes them fun to browse!
5. All generations like physical mail, especially the ‘millennials’!
They might be a tech generation but millennials embrace physical mails rather than the digital emails they receive every few minutes. These physical catalogs stand out in a millennials’ tech world and cater to their physical senses. Any important buyer will sort through the required mail, leading to more engagement with catalogs and mails. Even Boomers and Gen Xers have reported strong childhood connections which prompts feelings for curiosity and excitement in them once again.
Conclusion
Today, a catalog is a powerhouse marketing tool that helps create inspiration and engagement hence, adding to the brand value of a company. The age-old marketing tool that social media tried to replace, is back again and the ‘catalog effect’ is here to stay! They increase the vividness of the product and enhance the consumer’s involvement.
They are the oldest forms of printed formats and are a very powerful medium, they have shaped human history in a very different way since it creates a multi-page dynamic that provokes social, political, and cultural thought. Catalogs have an unbelievably large number of advantages and improve the customer experience of every field!
