Print/Production: Four Challenges to On-demand Catalogs

Two sales representatives carry competing lines of business supplies. Both call on the same customer. The first tries to sell from a 3,500-page “all-products” catalog. The second presents a slim 36-page catalog. It features a customized product selection based on purchase history and is personalized with the company’s name.

Which sales rep is more likely to get the sale?

We all know the personalized approach is more effective. But there are hurdles in the way of establishing an on-demand catalog solution. By knowing what the major hurdles are in advance, you will be in the best possible position to ensure a smooth implementation. The four biggest challenges you are most likely to encounter are:

Customer Relationship Management (CRM): If your customer database is out of date or incorrectly segmented, the effectiveness of your personalized on-demand initiatives will be reduced. The obvious solution is to make sure that customer information is current and organized to align with planned customer-facing initiatives. The effort is almost certain to pay off, and may even help breathe life into stalled CRM initiatives. “CRM solutions are great for collecting information about customers,” says Michael Maziarka, an analyst for digital imaging technology research firm InfoTrends. “But the true value to the organization comes from being able to act on that information efficiently and effectively.”

Product Information Management: If your organization lacks a product information management strategy, you will need to build competency in this area before an investment in personalize-on-demand makes sense. It starts with a realization that product information -- the product descriptions, pricing information, text-based ad copy, digital images and Web content used for marketing and sales purposes -- is a valuable corporate asset. Organizations that develop this awareness typically implement systems to make product information easily accessible across multiple print and electronic channels that reach customers.

Composition Technology: Both marketing and sales people understand the value of getting collateral pieces such as catalogs and product brochures in the hands of customers and prospects. Where opinions differ is what is the best way to accomplish this goal.

Sales and service representatives shy away from generic materials produced by marketing. They prefer to assemble collateral materials whose content is personalized to the customer, pulling from various sources. The drawback is that such pieces tend to have a “patched-together” look and are time-consuming to produce. Brand guidelines fall by the wayside. The result? An ineffective piece.

New technology solves the classic sales collateral dilemma by helping marketing and sales people play to their strengths. Solutions, such as Stibo Catalog’s STEP on-Demand software, can help make this a reality. Your marketing department can design templates that have the right brand elements and messaging, while still allowing other employees to customize some of the content.

Functional Areas: Members of both the marketing and sales teams may raise objections to implementing the new technology. Marketing may worry about losing control of the look and messaging. Sales may object to being responsible for creating the pieces. The good news: You can expect these complaints to diminish once stakeholders understand how easy the system is to use, how great the pieces look and the impact the personalized collateral has on customers and prospects.

Personalize-on-demand technology maintains brand image and increases sales collateral effectiveness across the enterprise. Every entity within your organization becomes part of the sales process: marketing, sales and customer service. Better still, the new technology empowers sales and customer service employees to take charge of improving their own results.

If your sales-driven organization would like to field true one-to-one customer relationship initiatives, now is the time to add personalize-on-demand functionality to your existing CRM and product information systems.

Tom Minthorn is president of Minthorn Direct, a provider of strategy and copywriting services for marketing communications. He can be reached via his Web site, http://www.minthorndirect.com.