A heat-set web press is standard catalog and magazine printing press. It has a heating unit that dries printed ink as it exits press. This press allows high speed printing on coated papers such as gloss. It also produces brilliant, crisp photo reproduction for catalogs. Heat-set web presses are huge, complicated presses that necessitate several people to operate and setup. It is only reasonable to use this type of press for print runs of 10,000 copies or more and in increments of 8 pages, preferably 16. Ninety nine per centum of all mail-order catalogs are printed on this type of press.

Cold-set web press, on other hand, does not include a heating unit so printed ink must air dry. This press can only print on uncoated papers which allow ink to absorb into paper. Cold-set web press produces a fairly dull, fuzzy photo reproduction for catalogs. This kind of press is smaller and simpler than heat-set web presses, costing less and requiring less setup time. This can be a good press for very small quantity catalog print runs starting at 1,000 copies.

Another method of catalog printing is sheet-fed press. This press is a customarily low volume press that prints on pre-cut sheets of paper. Because of its more precise printing method a sheet-fed press produces sharpest printing of these three press types. It can print on a wider variety of paper weights. However, because of its sluggish speed it is most costly of all print methods. Sheet-fed press is commonly used for small print runs or job which necessitates most excellent printing.

6. Grouped products don't sell.

Usually, grouping complementary products either in dissimilar photos put together in layout or in a single shot doesn't sell goods. For one thing, some of products grouped together in a photo or layout are not related. For another, in a grouped layout or photo, no product is hero that draws reader in. If you're selling books, greeting cards, advertising specialties or products that tend to be similar to one another - grouping products makes a good deal of sense.

7. Magalogs don't sell.

Magalogs are half-magazine and half-catalog. In most cases, as amount of nonselling editorial space takes away from sales-oriented real estate, viability of catalog as a revenue producer decreases. Nonetheless, many conventional catalog marketers have increased use of editorial material in their books, and quite a few have improved sales with this technique.

8. A four-color catalog performs better than one- or two-color book.

Generally, answer will be yes, four-color presentation looks more attractive and grabs more attention thus, generates more sales than a one-color book. In fact, some product lines such as apparel and cosmetics require precise color representation. But in some select cases sales do not justify cost of four-color printing and color separations. You might even find out that a two-color presentation sets your book apart from competition.

Catalog design rules and principles are already tested and true. They work – that’s a proven fact! However, it can occasionally be bent or broken as long as you know what you are doing and is concern of doing it right. A number of useful principles are discovered by experimentation and innovation. Who knows if it can result to rewarding proceeds or an established principle? No way to know it if you’ll not going to try.