B-to-B Insights: Catalog Curb Appeal
You’ll want cover images to fit into your overall brand look and feel. Cover shots don’t have to exactly match how your internal products are photographed, however, you don’t want a dramatic difference between your cover shot and inside product shots.
Shoot: Set aside a block of time to focus attention on capturing cover shots. For most B-to-B catalogs, product images are shot on seamless white backgrounds and the quantity of images is emphasized over their quality. Cover shots are different. You may shoot dozens of tabletop product shots a day but only get through three cover shots.
A columnist for Retail Online Integration, George founded HAGUEdirect, a marketing agency. Previously he was a member of the Shawnee Mission, Kan.-based consulting and creative agency J. Schmid & Assoc. He has more than 10 years of experience in circulation, advertising, consulting and financial strategy in the catalog/retail industry. George's expertise includes circulation strategy, mailing execution, response analysis and financial planning. Before joining J. Schmid, George worked as catalog marketing director at Dynamic Resource Group, where he was responsible for marketing and merchandising for the Annie's Attic Needlecraft catalog, the Clotilde Sewing Notions catalog, the House of White Birches Quilter's catalog and three book clubs. George also worked on corporate acquisitions.
