Exclusive: Catalog Power: Print reasserts its value
New technology helps print catalogs reemerge as effective sales drivers.
In the economic downturn and slow recovery, manufacturers of all sizes are hard pressed as they pursue sales and marketing growth with lean budgets and leaner staffing.
While competition from around the globe and the Internet leaves little corporate breathing room, a growing number of manufacturers are succeeding by partnering with a new breed of online print vendor that offers not only needed expertise, design and pricing but also fresh ideas and proven strategies that are helping to rev up sales and marketing efforts.
One of the most lucrative methods of marketing that manufacturers can turn to in these circumstances is printing items such as sales catalogs, brochures, booklets, and annual reports. With a minimal investment, these items can significantly boost sales and marketing results, including sales close rates. But they have to be done right.
“As marketers of manufactured products, we tend to find success with a couple different sales tools and focus our attention there,” says Greg Garcia, Vice President of Marketing for American Exteriors, a vinyl replacement window and siding company in the U.S. West and Mid-West. “But we might be missing opportunities to try other effective approaches or re-invigorate those we’re already familiar with.”
“For us, refining our sales process by putting the right sales catalog in the hands of our reps has made an enormous difference,” says Garcia. “Sales have grown about 10%, over $2.6 million in just over a year, as the new catalog has improved the sales process, making it more visual and interactive. Our sales close rate has gone from 20% to 24.2%, largely because the new catalog helps our reps discuss all the key points with prospects in their homes, as well as get the conversation back on track if a prospect gets off topic.”
Marketing professionals like Garcia need to showcase product benefits in a way that prospects can immediately identify with. They need to capture interest, show value, and get the best value for their own marketing dollars. One of the best ways they can guarantee success is by learning from other manufacturers that have done it best.
Learning From the Best
Garcia was able to achieve a major revenue boost by creating a unique print sales catalog that empowered his sales force to more easily convey key sales points to prospects and interact with them while in their homes. He did so after finding useful information at the website of Printing Center USA and collaborating with the company, an online print specialist that provides a Market Smarts section for manufacturers.
From its experience working directly with manufacturers seeking to boost sales and marketing effectiveness, Printing Center USA has developed and posted actual case studies and examples from successful manufacturers who have used things like sales catalogs, brochures, booklets, annual reports and more to maximize their return on sales and marketing efforts. Together, these case studies serve as a set of “best practices” for other manufacturers in the same boat.
“Why not look at how other manufacturers successfully market themselves and adapt some of their techniques to your situation?” says Garcia of the site. “Why not try new approaches that haven’t been done in your market but have been successful elsewhere?”
When American Exteriors strove to improve their in-home sales process, as well as separate themselves from the competition and build their branding, they decided to put together a unique catalog. The product catalog would show the quality of their window work, as well as help their sales reps expertly lead prospects through the sales process. While they knew what they wanted, they needed expert guidance to meet their design and execution goals.
“It’s hard to ‘test’ windows in the home, so it’s critical for customers to see they’re getting a great product,” says Garcia. “Being able to compete with other companies that spend multiples of our marketing budget but still appear professionally competitive is extremely helpful.”
American Exteriors turned to Printing Center USA, which “helped us implement our ideas and structure our presentation for the greatest visual appeal,” says Garcia.
The online print company’s downloadable templates and advice helped American Exteriors achieve the look, layout, and dimensions needed to create a print-ready file. “They provided step-by-step instructions and walked us through the design process multiple times,” says Garcia. “We would not have a professional looking tool without their help.”
“We use the product catalog to walk prospects through our sales presentation,” says Garcia. “It’s both an educational piece and a sales tool. It’s critical to our success since the sales process is very visual and emotional. It paid for itself in the first week or two of use, as soon as we started generating extra sales.”
“Printing Center USA’s turnaround and pricing has been very competitive,” adds Garcia, who is also using the online print company’s door hangers and product brochures. “In fact, local proposals have not only cost more but also suggested timelines that were 2 to 3 times longer than what I could get from them. We’re getting the benefit of hands-on service and expertise. You just don’t get that from other companies.”
Boosting Sales by 10 to 15%
To introduce new products that could help customers work with more flexibly and cost effectively in the field, Beesley International, a Gainesville, GA-based innovator of poultry house design, needed a catalog that went beyond traditional product photos at a desk or simple lines of product description.
“We took color photos of every product in the field, showing them in use from a good, better, and best perspective,” says John Hill, Marketing Director at Beesley International. “We included part breakdowns and close ups, so customers could get a quick overview of a product or go into as much depth as they wanted. It was an ambitious project for us.”
According to Hill, Printing Center USA guided them through their first color catalog, helping them with its layout and a variety of options to help customize their visual and descriptive presentation. The online print company even sent Hill a digital proof of the catalog that assured him that everything, including Beasley’s company colors, were just right.
Printing was done on a Print-On-Demand digital press to save money. The digital press, which is able to print as few as a single copy on demand, is great for shorter print runs that save on cost without compromising print quality.
“The new catalog has not only increased our sale of new products but also helped customers see new uses for our existing products,” says Hill. “Customer response is very good, and the catalog has helped to boost sales by 10 to 15% in the past year.”
Still Selling Product After More Than a Decade
C. Sharps Arms, Inc., a Big Timber, MT-based manufacturer of custom Wild West era rifles featured in movies such as Tom Selleck’s Quigley Down Under, has successfully attracted worldwide customers for decades with print catalogs.
“We have a downloadable catalog, but our customers prefer the hands on connection of a good catalog,” says John Schoffstall, owner of C. Sharps Arms. “Catalogs are part of our sales force. Customers share them with friends, and their friends become customers.
Even when catalogs are out there a decade or more, they’re still selling for us.”
When C. Sharps Arms sought a partner for its latest catalog, it turned to Printing Center USA. “Their catalog captures the mystique of the Wild West; it maximizes visual impact, but minimizes mailing cost with a smaller format,” says Schoffstall, who also relies on the online print company for a product poster calendar with a soft crease that preserves print quality.
While Schoffstall used to wait up to two months for traditional print catalog printing, he found the online print company “could turn things around in 2 to 3 days” with their digital print capability. “Their digital files work seamlessly with our graphics,” he says. “Once they have a digital file in-house, we can easily make re-prints, needed changes, or smaller, shorter print runs as needed.”
“Our catalogs bring the showroom to prospects, and persuade them and their friends to become customers no matter how long that takes,” sums up Schoffstall.
For other successful manufacturing sales and marketing tips and examples, visit www.printingcenterusa.com (and check the Marketing Smarts section); or call 1.800.995.1555; email support@printingcenterusa.com.
