Is Your Catalog a Roadmap or a Puzzle?

From his experience managing shed lots, Dave Miller knew that sales catalogs too often confused clients rather than making it easy for them to decide what to buy. “Many shed lots have generic catalogs with separate price lists,” Dave relates. “Customers have trouble figuring out shed prices.” As a result, salesmen would spend considerable time answering basic questions to guide customers through the buying process.

As owner of The Olde Sale Barn, a distributor of Amish-built storage sheds on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Dave needed a catalog refresh. He wanted to provide his customers with a clear road map rather than a confusing puzzle.

Framing the Catalog

During initial consultations, Dave explained his goals to Rosewood team members. “He wanted it so the customer could pick up the catalog and know what direction they wanted to go before they talked to him,” recalls Maureen Logan, Rosewood’s Creative Coach and manager for the catalog project.“He wanted the catalog to be easy to navigate.”

The Olde Sale Barn wanted to provide their customers with a clear road map rather than a confusing puzzle.

Other than reusing a few photos and a breakout diagram from the old catalog, Maureen wire-framed the new layout from scratch. She eliminated confusing information and organized shed features that had been scattered through the original catalog.  

The most popular shed styles are featured first in the new catalog. The catalog includes clear pricing for the different shed styles in the various sizes available. It lists the features of each shed style. 

The catalog includes clear pricing for the different shed styles in the various sizes available.

Inviting the Customer

Rosewood designer Janessa Weaver incorporated The Olde Sale Barn’s new logo, brand feel, and brand colors throughout the catalog. A glossy cover provides a professional first impression. Lifestyle photos invite customers to imagine the benefits of owning a shed. Carefully selected and edited shed photos draw customers to the shed best suited to their needs.  

The intuitive  layout, clear details, and transparent pricing guide the customer from initial interest to intention to buy. With site prep instructions and delivery details, the catalog even helps customers prepare their properties.  

The catalog even helps customers prepare their properties for a new shed.

Closing the Sale

By answering many common questions, the catalog saves everyone time when the customer is ready to complete the sale.

Dave was pleased with Rosewood’s solutions to his catalog needs. “With Rosewood, you are going to get exactly what you ask for.”

By answering many common questions, the catalog saves everyone time when the customer is ready to complete the sale.

As The Olde Sale Barn prepares for another busy selling season, its sales team is armed with a new catalog providing customers a clear roadmap to the shed of their dreams.  

Are your sales catalogs puzzling your clients?  Team with Rosewood to develop catalogs that clarify and simplify your sales process.  Call 717.866.5000 today to schedule a consultation.

About the Author: Lyndon Martin is Rosewood’s Messaging Director. He collaborated with the Messaging Team and the Sales Team to create this article. Contact Lyndon and the Rosewood team at lyndonmartin@rosewood.us.com