6. Have copy for the top 20 products that starts with a benefit to the customer. Almost everyone knows that the three rules of advertising are benefit, benefit and benefit, but not everyone makes sure that the very first sentence in every copy block is the primary benefit for the customer.
7. Make sure copy follows a logical hierarchy. This keeps the selling process streamlined so the customer isn’t looking around copy blocks and callouts to find the information she needs to place an order. Follow this four-step process:
- start with the primary benefit;
- explain any additional benefits;
- list the necessary ordering information (color, size, weight, style); and
- then list SKU number and price.
8. Look at past catalogs to see if there are great ideas that devolved but still could be effective. Your marketing and creative departments will get bored with creative presentations long before your customers will. Look back at past presentations to see if there's an oldie-but-goody that'll perform better than a current presentation.
Sarah Fletcher is the creative director for Catalog Design Studios, a consulting firm that specializes in catalog design and creative. She can be reached at sfletcher@catalogdesignstudios.com.
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I hear that the "magic" words " free, save, sale, new" are losing their effectiveness in today's benefit-driven market. Based on 02/09 Wizard of Ads on the Road seminar held in Denver from which I just returned. We—the cultural "we"—are very much into benefits, "What's in it for me?" However there is definitely a civic side to it...concern about helping others. Your on-going info is valuable to me. Thank you, Suzy. PS: check www.wizardacademy.org for source; no, I'm not part of their organization.