Customizing Catalogs for Different Customers

Direct-mail catalogs are a quick and efficient way to put your products in front of a targeted audience. You're sending your catalog directly to the customer, so they do not have to wade through advertisements to find what they want. You essentially give them the keys to the store. Successful catalog marketing depends on precisions: the right products, the right message, the right offers and the right audience. Many catalog companies have learned that customizing catalog mailers for different customer segments can pay big dividends. Here are some tips for customizing catalog mailers for different customer segments and achieving results far beyond the reach of traditional all-in-one catalog marketing:

Know your audience

Understanding who your audience is and what they want is essential to direct-mail catalog success. Many companies have a diverse audience and struggle to find ways to address their needs and desires at the same time. Catalog mailers can easily accomplish this. Clothing catalogs are an excellent example - instead of sending one large catalog to all customer segments, a clothing cataloger might send one catalog to the men on their list, another to the women on their list and yet another to the teenage crowd. Once you know who to market each catalog to, compile a highly targeted mailing list from your current customer list, other leads and using the tools available at PsPrint, which allow you to research a list using many specific demographics.

Segment your design

Your catalog design can vary greatly between market segments. Using our clothing catalog example, those catalogs sent to women would naturally depict a woman on the cover; and incorporate colors and product offers women would find appealing. A men's clothing catalog would likewise showcase a man on the cover, with offers tailored to the men on your mailing list. The teenage segment would likewise require a different design for optimal return on investment.

Target your offer

If you have three marketing segments, you should have three targeted offers that address the needs of each. All-encompassing store-wide sales can be profitable, but in many cases seasonal promotions can be more economical in the long term. A home supply store such as Lowe's or Home Depot might hold a spring sale and promote lawnmowers and weed trimmers to men, but interior carpets and shades to women. If you're giving something away for free as part of your offer, make sure it has appeal to your audience. If you don't have the budget to do a complete catalog design for every customer segment you have, you can consider simply changing the cover to draw attention to a specific offer on a specific page. Full-color catalog printing is more affordable than ever through online printing companies such as PsPrint, allowing you to print more than one type of catalog cover economically. Niche marketing almost always leads to a higher return on investment, so the more you can segment catalogs, the more money you'll make.