Catalogs and Catalog Websites
Custom printed catalogs are multi-page documents that allow customers to view and purchase your products and/or services.
Catalogs are great documents for complimenting other forms of business media like a website, a brochure, or a flyer.
The standard sizes available for custom printed catalogs are:
5-1/2" x 8-1/2", 8-1/2" x 11", 8-1/2" x 11, or 11 x 17.
How Should I Design My Catalog?
Communication is the #1 goal of any design. There are a number of things that can be included in your design that will grab a readers attention.
Ask yourself these questions:
- How many pages will it have? Are you going to have room to print the content and graphics you have decided upon?
- Are you going to print in full color?
- Have you thought about the paper you are going to print on? Most printed items look best on plain glossy paper with aqueous coating.
- How often will your catalog or booklet be distributed? Do you want to create a template into which information can be plugged into each month?
- Will you provide graphics? Most printers have graphics on file that you may be able to use.
- Will ordering information be included within your catalog? A separate brochure or flyer can be printed alongside your catalog or booklet to include this critical information.
Here are a few concepts that can give your custom printed catalog design a more dramatic feel and sharper look:
- Alignment - Most people unknowingly prefer symmetry. They look for lines, shapes, circles and patterns. Knowing this, make sure the images, graphics and text are designed to direct the most attention possible.
- Parallelism - Parallelism, or repetition is achieved when throughout the document you keep the same feel and tone by using the same colors, fonts, and types of graphics or images; this will give your custom printed catalog a professional look and feel.
Catalog Websites
These are sites that can typically be called online replicas of print catalogs and brochures of a company. A vast majority of corporate websites fall in this category. Typically, such sites are used to provide information about the company, its products and its contact details.
At its minimum, there would be:
- A home page which gives a snapshot of what the company is all about and what visitors can expect to find on its website.
- A 'Contact Us' page that provides the street address, phone, fax and email of the company. It may also have a country or city list of the firm's offices or agents/distributors.
- An 'About Us' page that typically gives the 'Company Profile'.
- A 'Products/Services' page that talks about the products offered and the services provided by the company. The details of individual products or services are generally given on separate web pages with links provided from the 'Products' page.
Very often, a catalog/brochure site also contains an Inquiry Form which asks the users to provide specific information in a particular format. An Inquiry form is particularly useful when you want potential customers to provide details about their specific requirements, production processes (in which your products would be used).
For designing such a brochure website, send us your print catalog and we will create, design and develop your website accordingly.
Our clean and innovative style will have your company's look and feel shouting for attention.
