We live in a hyper-connected world, where we have the reflex to be able to find any information online.
Has the paper catalog, so widespread in the 90s, become obsolete today?
The answer is clearly “no”!
The paper catalog remains a powerful and totally relevant marketing tool.
Even though it may seem to run counter to today’s all-digital logic, the paper catalog remains indispensable.
Let’s take a look at how it can still effectively complement your sales strategy.
Reach all age groups
Unless you really want to target a small, specific age group, it’s hard to do without a paper catalog.
It enables you to reach a very wide and varied audience, and raise awareness of your brand.
Although online sales volumes have risen steadily over the last ten years, not everyone shops online.
In many countries, a significant number of consumers have no reflex to go online, or worse, are skeptical or even resistant to online commerce.
The paper catalog therefore offers an effective alternative, reaching even the least connected.
It remains an operational marketing tool.
Gain credibility and confidence
Offering a paper catalog reinforces your company’s credibility.
A paper catalog gives your company a physical presence.
Its very existence reassures consumers and demonstrates the real existence of your company.
For suspicious or fearful consumers, a quality paper catalog is a guarantee of seriousness and professionalism.
A definite advantage for B2B
If you’re targeting a B2B clientele, the paper catalog remains indispensable.
It enables customers to view products, annotate them and compare them easily, even across different ranges.
For volume purchasing decisions, a detailed catalog often makes the difference.
Seeing the products, some customers may even request samples or specimens so they can test them before making a final decision.
But that’s because they’ve seen the product in the paper catalog.
Without this decisive tool, it’s highly likely that you wouldn’t even have been selected, and that the customer would have turned to a competitor offering a paper catalog.
Without a paper catalog, you’re likely to lose out on opportunities to better-equipped competitors.
The advantages of paper catalogs
Sensory stimulation
Unlike simply consulting a website, a paper catalog stimulates several senses at once.
The quality of the paper on which the catalog is printed stimulates touch.
The smell of printing ink stimulates the sense of smell.
The high-definition visuals presented in the paper catalog will stimulate the eyes.
These sensations can positively influence the reader’s perception of the brand, and encourage him or her to place an order.
Catalog accessibility
A paper catalog is something you can keep close to you and consult at any time, even if you don’t have an Internet connection.
It can therefore be consulted very easily and repeatedly, and notes can be taken directly from it if necessary.
Fewer distractions when browsing the catalog
When we consult a website, whether it’s a catalog or anything else, we’re all constantly being solicited.
Whether it’s advertisements, incoming messages, all kinds of notifications disrupt the catalog consultation.
A paper catalog can be easily consulted, without interruption or distraction.
It’s possible to concentrate on reading the catalog and finding products much more efficiently.
Paper and digital catalogs: complementary tools
Paper and digital catalogs are not mutually exclusive – quite the contrary.
They are complementary tools, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.
An omnichannel experience
A customer can consult the online catalog and then continue on to the paper catalog, and vice versa.
They can identify an interesting product in the paper catalog, then consult the digital catalog to get other users’ opinions, then place an order online.
QR codes for each product in the paper catalog can be directly directed to the same product in the online catalog, saving time and facilitating the act of purchasing.
A stronger brand
The side-by-side use of a digital catalog and a paper catalog reinforces brand identity.
The paper catalog brings the brand’s physical presence to the customer, establishing a bond of trust.
The digital catalog can be interactive, providing additional information.
Here are a few concrete examples of paper catalog use
Many companies, despite having an online store, continue to distribute a paper catalog to their customers.
Consumer catalogs
La Redoute is a well-known French mail-order company with a strong online presence.
However, it continues to publish and distribute paper catalogs to reach its loyal customers.
IKEA is another brand that is well known for its paper catalogs, despite its strong online presence.
The Swedish kit-furniture giant still uses a paper catalog, which is very popular with customers.
This makes it easier for them to discover products and new arrivals, and they can find inspiration in the scenarios proposed in the paper catalog.
Professional catalogs
Paper catalogs are also widely used in B2B.
Manutan, a supplier of business equipment, provides its professional customers with a paper catalog.
This makes it easier for them to compare the different products on offer, and gives them all the information they need to make a purchasing decision.
RS Components is a global distributor of electronic and industrial components.
The company also uses a paper catalog, which it distributes to its B2B customers to make it easier for them to search, compare and order products.
To conclude on the paper catalog
The paper catalog remains an indispensable marketing tool.
By offering a tangible object, you ensure a physical presence of your brand with your customers.
Would you like to complement your paper catalog with a digital catalog for your e-commerce site?
Don’t hesitate to contact me.
I can help you turn your paper and digital catalogs into complementary marketing tools, so that you can continue to promote your brand to a wider customer base.
