Catalogs simplify complex financial products for consumers, such as mortgages and car loans. Printed customized financial product catalogs also facilitate the inclusion of important compliance information.
Professionally printed booklets and catalogs suggest a high level of credibility, which helps build brand trust. In addition, they are beautiful and can leave a lasting impression on recipients.
Layout
When you’re ready to make your printed product catalog, it’s essential to start with a solid plan. You’ll need to decide on the form, the number of pages, the type of paper, and whether you will include tear-out order forms. You should also choose which images you’re going to use and how they’re going to be laid out. Having one main photographer who takes the photographs and a graphic designer who lays out the pages will help keep the style consistent throughout the book.
A great way to draw attention is using various shapes and curves in your designs. Dotted lines and zig-zagging curves can add movement to your page, while symmetrical boxes give the impression of stability.
It’s also important to consider the type of font you’ll use throughout your catalog. Having too many different types of fonts can cause the text to appear disjointed and messy, detracting from the overall appearance of your catalog. It’s better to stick with a few clean fonts that are easy on the eyes and match the style of your brand.
Color
Catalog printing is a proven and effective marketing tool for retail products like toys, craft items, clothing, jewelry, furniture, and more. It can be a great way to boost sales and strengthen customer loyalty.
When creating a catalog, it is essential to decide whether or not you want it printed in full color or black and white. Full-color catalogs are more appealing and will attract the eye of potential customers. It is also a good idea to ask your printer if they offer lamination and soft-touch lamination for a more luxurious look and feel.
Some print shops offer green printing to reduce their environmental impact. This is achieved by using paper certified by a reputable eco-friendly organization.
A catalog’s pages may be bound in various ways depending on its thickness and page count. Those with low page counts are often saddle stitched, which utilizes staples to hold the pages together along the center edge of the catalog. Catalogs with thicker pages are more commonly bound with perfect binding, which uses glue to create a book-like cover.
Paper
The type of paper used in a catalog printing company can have an important impact on how it looks and how durable it is. It is essential to choose a paper that will be sturdy enough to survive in circulation, and that has a high-quality finish.
The number of pages in a catalog will also affect the choice of paper. For example, if a catalog has double-sided pages, it will require a thicker paper to prevent the ink from showing through to the other side.
In addition to the thickness and sheen level of the paper, other options are available to make your printed catalogs stand out. One option is foiling, which involves stamping a thin layer of metallic foil onto the paper to create a unique, eye-catching look.
Another option is embossing, which involves pressing a design into the paper’s surface to create a raised effect. This can give a catalog an exquisite, luxurious look and is a great way to attract customers. Both options are available from many printing companies.
Binding
The type of paper used for a catalog affects its ability to showcase products. Generally, high-quality paper projects an image of quality that will encourage readers to keep it and make a purchase.
The final format of your catalog is also one of the first decisions that must be made. It is influenced by both marketing design, created by sales managers, and by the graphic designer. The choice of format is affected by the presence of printable elements that come up to the edge (bleeds) and by the technical machine limitations imposed on the sizes that can be printed.
Saddle stitch binding is ideal for catalogs with fewer pages and offers a budget-friendly solution. It involves layering folded page signatures together before stapling them along the crease. Perfect-bound catalogs provide a more professional look and are suitable for higher page counts. They require a longer turnaround time than saddle-stitched catalogs, but they are a more durable option. They are also ideal for mailing in padded envelopes.
Finishing
Once the product selection has been made and the layout has been approved, it’s time to start considering the finishing touches. These can include foil stamping or embossing to add a bit of shine or depth to your content block. This is particularly important if the catalog will be distributed publicly, such as at a trade show.
Another finish option is lamination, which will not only protect your printed pages from wear and tear but also give them a professional and appealing sheen. When creating your catalog, you can choose between two types of lamination: gloss or matte. This decision will depend on the look you want to achieve. Additionally, it’s important to decide how your catalog will be bound together. If your catalog has fewer than 48 pages, saddle stitch binding is an excellent option as it’s cost-effective. For more pages, a wire spiral binding may be a better option. For high-end catalogs targeting affluent consumers, soft touch lamination is an excellent finishing option to impart a sense of luxury and distinction. This process is typically applied to coated paper stocks and some hardcover materials.