Kelsey Finley, Copywriter
By now, you’ve figured out that you want – and need – to start reaching a younger audience. But how do you accomplish that in a catalog? Well, as a Millennial who happens to write catalog copy for a living, I’ll tell ya.
Direct mail has always grabbed my attention more than the hundreds of unread promotional emails in my Gmail inbox. Sure, I’m also an online shopper like the other 80 million Millennials in the U.S., but there’s something about getting a catalog in the mail that even a personalized, hilarious subject line doesn’t do for me.
While I’m not a fan of every glossy bound book that makes its way into my mailbox, there are some catalogs that speak to me in all the “write” ways. Here’s how they do it:
They tell me a story. My favorite brands reserve their opening spread for editorial copy (and killer lifestyle photography) that establishes an emotional connection. REI does this really well. They don’t use this space to introduce new products, or to pat themselves on the back for being in business for X amount of years. Instead, they convey their brand ethos and personality, and ultimately, make me feel something.
They keep it simple. A few pages in, I need fewer paragraphs and more CliffsNotes. Product descriptions, for example, should quickly tell me what I’m buying, what it costs and maybe some benefit info that I can’t gather from the photo. Oh, and if it’s gluten-free (because, you know, Millennials). Save the other details for your e-commerce site.
They use a conversational tone. The chances of me reading your catalog from cover to cover are much higher if you talk to me like we’re at happy hour. Start a sentence with “and” every once in a while. And save exclamation points for rainy days. A conversational – yet knowledgeable – tone is more believable to me, which means I’m more likely to trust your brand.
They call attention to doing good. I’m not always buying a product; I’m buying a cause. I care about how my favorite brands are made, so if your products are environmentally friendly or sustainably sourced, call attention to it in a big way. West Elm does exactly this on pages 6 and 7 of their latest catalog. What’s more is I don’t get sick of hearing these kinds of stories, so tell me now, and then again in your next catalog.
They make me laugh. I can’t help but smile and give a nod of approval to brands who use wordplay effectively, especially in headlines. I don’t think that’s a writer thing, either, because I have plenty of non-writer friends who appreciate a good pun. But don’t force them – there’s nothing worse than being the guy who laughs at his own jokes.
They use emojis. Kidding. Emojis may be great storytellers, but when it comes to catalog copy, I prefer to let the words do the talking.
Need more help writing to Millennials? Or have any gluten-free recipes? (Kidding again. No need to send me those.) But do send me an email at kelseyf@jschmid.com if you’d like to talk catalog copy, and I’d be happy to help.
Tags: catalog copy, Copywriting, Kelsey Finley, millennials