The word “catalog” may conjure up images of expensive fashion models, glossy pages and huge costs - but it doesn’t have to be that way. Small businesses send out many catalogs every year. If you have products that especially appeal to a targeted audience, you can get more business from that audience, or expand it, with a simple catalog. It’s not very hard or expensive. Here’s what you need to know about:

1. Who can profit from a catalog
Do you have extraordinary products to sell? Products that aren’t necessarily available at every store in the neighborhood, but appeal to a targeted audience? Consider selling your products in a catalog. With it you can reach customers thousands of miles away - people who may not be able to get to your place of business, but still want what you have to offer. You can also profit from a catalog if there is a time of the year that interest in your product peaks. Corporate caterers, for instance, may want to start putting together a catalog about three months before the holiday season. That way the catalogs can be on customers’ desks when they start to plan their company holiday parties.

2. What to put in a catalog
The legendary catalogs from the turn of the 20th century had anything that anyone could want. This approach served rural America at a time of limited transportation and shopping choices. Today, however, it is neither practical nor cost-effective for a catalog to be all things to all people. With rare exceptions, today’s successful catalogs serve targeted audiences with specialized products geared to particular needs and tastes. Personalized stationery, stylish children’s clothing, handmade crafts - these are examples of products that do well in catalogs.

3. Producing a catalog
A catalog does not have to be an expensive production. For pictures, you might be able to take your own with a digital camera. This would allow you to experiment indefinitely, at no cost, until you get the lighting and pictures just right. Or maybe ask a high school or college student in your area to create illustrations. While you’re creating the art, write short, simple descriptions of everything you photograph. Now put your pictures and words together on your home computer. There are a lot of software programs to help you do this. Work with standard formats that a local printer can produce.

4. Mailing a catalog
Now that your work of art is ready to mail, who do you mail it to? Start with your own customer list, people who’ve bought your products or signed your guest book. They are interested in what you have to sell even if they can’t always get to your store. Or you can rent mailing lists of like-minded prospects.

5. Filling orders from a catalog
This can be very easy and inexpensive. Priority Mail® service from the U.S. Postal Service™ can get goods to your customers quickly and economically. Priority Mail® service averages 2-3 day delivery at a price that’s up to 50% less than what other shippers charge.