Do you have a multi-channel marketing strategy?
The best online sellers all have one thing in common. They work to get exposure beyond the storefront. One simple way to get noticed is to execute a multi-channel marketing strategy using a catalog at its core.
There are four distinct ways to do this:
Online Expansion: having a digital catalog will allow you to share your products across different platforms. You can share the catalog url on your Facebook page, tweet it out to your Twitter followers, link to it on forums and groups, or attach it in emails as a pdf.
When an interested buyer opens up the catalog and clicks on your product they’ll be redirected to the product on your Storenvy store.
Here’s an example catalog of a current Storenvy user, Norvine
A digital catalog opens up the number of other online channels you can sell on.
Data: A digital catalog also allows you to track which products people are clicking. This information becomes useful as you refine your business to understand which products do and do not appeal to your audience. For example, suppose a product is being clicked but there are no conversions (i.e. no one’s buying it). This hints at something – there’s initial interest and then it’s gone. What’s going on? Finding the answers to these sort of questions will take your business to the next level, yet the data is what allows you to ask the right questions in the first place.
Offline Expansion: you also have the option to print out copies of your digital catalog. Mail the printed copies with your current orders. Clients will keep these around the house, share with friends, and potentially order from them in the future. This simple change can dramatically boost sales. In a study conducted by the Direct Marketing Association, they found that 31% of shoppers have a retailer’s catalog with them when they make a purchase online.
Printed catalogs are a major asset to a comprehensive marketing strategy.
Impact: having a beautiful catalog leaves a strong message; it becomes an extension of your brand. If you’re selling at a fair, having a catalog with the rest of your collection allows customers to peruse through a stunning catalog and connect with your brand on an intrinsic level. In the same study, researchers found that 86% of shoppers bought an item after first seeing it in a catalog. Your products become memorable, independent of your online store.
Wholesale: You should consider having a printed catalog on you at all times. If you’ve been selling online one of the best ways to expand is reaching out to retail buyers. If you walk by a boutique that seems to be a good fit, walk in and introduce yourself. When you meet the owner in person, you’ll look far more professional and leave a great first impression with a polished catalog.
So….how do you create a product catalog?
- Images: your product images must be high quality. Storenvy has written about this before. You want: lots of natural light, models (if appropriate), and to focus on detail.
- Categorize: Decide how you want to categorize, by style (¾ tops together, short sleeve tops together, bottoms together), by price (cheap to expensive), color, silhouette, or perhaps aesthetic (whatever looks best).
- Create: You’re ready to create! We recommend checking out the Now in Store automatic catalog builder. With the click of one button you’ll import all your Storenvy products directly into a catalog that is ready to print and share.Using an online and offline catalog in your multi-channel marketing endeavors will help you get the exposure you want.
Divya H. Pahwa is the community manager for Now In Store, where she builds marketing game plans and authors content to help small businesses grow. She worked and created marketing strategies for Charlie Hoehn, Ooomf and has been featured on Life Hacker, Thought Catalog, and FastCompany. Every morning Divya makes breakfast from scratch and enjoys it while reading animal cartoons. She can be reached at: divya@nowinstore.com
