Interview: Kate Tetlow, Jupiter Design

Kate is part of the copywriting team at Jupiter Design in the UK, specializing in marketing communications that includes catalog copywriting for the big catalogs for Boots and Argos. As a studio writer, Kate works across a number of clients and has to adapt the tone of voice to suit each brand accordingly.

I work on all types of catalog writing, from product entries and body copy to creating new voices for development ranges and managing tone of voice across a publication. There are lots of different challenges in terms of organization, maintaining structure, and accuracy, and there is always lots of information to gather (and lots of checklists to work through). The creative writing almost comes last, and with so many space restrictions in a catalog, the trick is to create the right mood with a suitable adjective here and there to ensure the copy does not become too list-like.

My starting point is usually an overview brief, although this could be the same from one year to the next. Either with other writers or alone, I create some copy guidelines that tell the client the sort of information we need in order to write the catalog.

There are a few techniques that can help minimize repetition and can create the correct voice. For example, in one gift guide I run the copy on directly after the product title to avoid having to repeat the name and to make the best use of space. We also avoid using “you” in the text, because the benefits are not for the reader, they are for the recipient of the gift that the reader selects.

We try to work to a set of guidelines or rules for each catalog, but it is difficult to keep everyone on track, especially when a number of people in the client company are approving and amending copy simultaneously. If we have any difficulty getting the client to sign off the copy, we include a note saying “this copy is in line with the agreed tone of voice” to help control consistency. Clients are easier to manage than suppliers of the products, who often insist on the copy being in their own brand style. They have often paid to be in the catalog and we have to be sensitive to their needs without unbalancing the overall tone.

Initially, a new catalog becomes a full-time job for me, and sometimes for our other writers too. As the project progresses, our approved copy is sent to artworking and we start to receive these typeset pages for checking. These can come back to us in a fairly random order, so we have different copy at different stages. It can be very difficult to schedule this work or predict the time it will take to complete the whole project. When the overall deadline is so far away it is important to be disciplined and not let anything slip.

The brief for the premium fine-fragrance catalog (which we called “Heaven Scent” this year) for Boots was to create a magazine feel. The designer and production artist created a template for the spreads (using some of my sample headlines and introductory copy) and gave me the word counts (telling me how many words I could use on each layout). We decided to use far fewer words than the previous versions in order to create a premium feel, and I kept the copy to the bare minimum to give more emphasis to the photography, which ensured an elegant appearance. Fragrances are hard to describe so they need enough words to do this, and I tried to give the copy quite an indulgent feel without waffling. The way fragrance houses write is really over the top, so it was about stripping that back to something everyone could relate to. I created a mini tone-of-voice guide so that the client knew how to approve the copy consistently for style as well as for content, and this was all approved before we began the task of building the catalog.

We stripped out all non-essential copy to give the pictures maximum impact. It is a short catalog so we didn’t need to include navigation, for example. I had to conduct a lot of research on how to describe fragrances, and I learnt about top notes and base notes, and how to explain these concepts in plain English. Some of the perfumes were new products that had not been launched, and all I had to work with was a few lines from the PR agency, while some other information arrived late and had to be built in later.

“I aim to highlight the benefits for the reader wherever possible.”

In the introduction, I tried to create an excited feel, similar to that in women’s fashion magazines. And in the product copy, I tried to talk about the personalities that each perfume would be suitable for, as if the reader were choosing a gift for someone. Avoiding repetition is key, not just with individual words but also with sentence structure, which should always vary in length. I maintain an idea of every product while writing each individual description to avoid over- or underselling any of them.

Working closely with the designer, I did some last-stage editing to combine some product entries and achieve the best look and feel on the page. There were hardly any amends and we have all been pleased with the finished result, and the impact it has had in the marketplace.

With all of my copy I aim to highlight the benefits for the reader wherever possible, but I think that catalogs sometimes are the exception to this rule. If you have a double-page spread of hairdryers, for example, you have to highlight the features because this is the only way the customer can differentiate between the similar products. You have to give them the hard facts so that they can compare and contrast easily. A good idea is to include a summary box of the features and their specific benefits, so that the product entry can simply list the features for comparison.

Why are catalogs so effective?

Catalogs are a form of shopping, and they do such good business because they are so easy to use, in every sense. For some of us, nothing beats the experience of wandering around a store, finding our favorite things, talking to the sales assistants, and carrying the stuff home, where our lives become enriched as a result. Some of us don’t like the hassle. We find it too much trouble to park, with too many people getting in the way and too much pressure to buy. Many of us live a long way from the stores. When writing a catalog, put yourself in your reader’s shoes – you’re writing for people who prefer home shopping to going into town – and give them what they need, both with the clarity of your information and the helpful and inviting tone that you use.

Catalogs are retail environments that the customer controls. Reading a catalog is not at all like visiting a store. The reader can browse, compare, and contrast in comfort and at leisure. The purchase can be discussed with friends or family, and there is no one trying to close the sale, which can lead people either to buy something they may not really want, or to walk away when they really did want to make a purchase.

Knowing that your readers (as opposed to the others who don’t want to read it at all) prefer catalogs and like the benefits they bring, you can talk to them from the perspective of a trusted friend or adviser, and guide them through the process of buying by using a reassuring and interested tone of voice, for example “The curse of having a large garden is the amount of grass-cutting you have to do, but these sit-on lawnmowers turn the chore into a pleasurable pastime.” This can be a lot more effective than trying to adopt a heavy-sell approach with every item (unless you are creating a discount prices catalog).

How catalogs interact with the reader

The major characteristic of a catalog is that it contains a range of information that needs to be easily accessed by the reader. A catalog features multiple products or messages, and your challenge as the writer is to organize and present the content in the most digestible way possible, with clear navigation, strong branding, well-presented product and service benefits, and a clear call to action.

The different approaches to each catalog format

The three main types of catalog are directories (which are usually used in business-to-business marketing), wholesale (which are also mainly for trade purposes), and retail (which sell to the consumer directly off the page or entice the reader into the retailer’s store).

Knowing how much to say about each product is a big decision. Companies that specialize in creating catalogs for older customers (such as charity fund-raising catalogs) may expect you to include sizes, weights, colors, and fine details that cannot be communicated by a photograph, such as how something should be operated or who would benefit the most from it.

Pace yourself to help maintain a consistent voice throughout every page. You’ll be able to write brilliant entries for some products but this may simply serve to highlight weaknesses in entries for products about which you have less to say. Resist the temptation to repeat common phrases and reuse the best descriptive words.

Manage your use of vocabulary precisely and sparingly. If one product is “perfect for … “ how will you describe another product? Once you have used “exceptional quality,” “unbeatable value for money,” “unrivalled performance,” or “specially formulated to … “ you may find yourself running short of alternatives in a situation where you might be writing over a thousand entries. If this is a problem you can consider opting for bullet points to avoid repetition. Always use the same number of bullet points for each product, and present information in the same order to allow for easy comparison.

Understanding and relating to your reader

Before immersing yourself in the specific brief on your table, think about yourself and the catalogs you might use and consider how customers will use yours. Theoretically, just about every household in the US has a Sears catalog, and in the UK an Argos catalog. What about you? Do you have one? How do you use it? One thing is certain – you know the catalog, and even if you don’t shop at Sears or Argos, you are bound to have used one of their catalogs to browse through the available options when considering a purchase.

You’re likely to begin by flicking through the catalog until the categories you’re looking for turn up, as if by magic. If not, you’ll try the contents page. Color-coded edges to the pages with section headers as labels work very well for this. You probably flick through it from the back to the front, and definitely won’t look at every page. Your conclusion should be that clear navigation is the starting point for any good catalog.

As a catalog shopper, when you’re looking at a product range you’ll use the pictures as your starting point, identifying the items that you’re most interested in and checking their price points. Quality photography is therefore essential, with positioning copy to set the scene for the section as a whole. Your copy will support these images, but you won’t always get to see the images yourself when writing the entry. You will be lucky to get a manufacturer’s specification sheet, and this is likely to be a list of bullet points that does little to distinguish one product from another.

You have to squeeze the little information you get very hard. Go on a journey of lateral thinking. If a camera has auto-focus digital SLR, what does this mean? It means it has the ability to focus on any image you point at and show you the exact image through the lens before you take the picture, allowing you to adjust accordingly. So what? Well, this means the photographer can take crystal-clear images consistently and with confidence. So what? Someone with one of these cameras is likely to build up a collection of great images and develop a real ability as a photographer. So what? Well, this camera can really help you enjoy photography to the full. OK. Now summarize this in a short, compelling sentence. “Hit the bull’s-eye with every shot” – no, that’s too hard. “Precision photography made effortless” – no, too patronizing. “Greater control for enhanced quality photography” – maybe. The final solution will depend on the brand and the tone of voice.

Your shopper will want to compare and contrast the options. Why does one item cost twice as much as another? Do I need all of these extra features? Is the lowest-cost product enough for my needs? What does the top of the range offer me? Your body copy needs to present the key features and, ideally, the associated benefits, in a logical order that enables direct comparison.

Your copy must communicate your client’s distinctive USP wherever possible, both overtly and subtly. You can work out what this is when taking the brief. Ask the client, or your account manager, what it is that makes the brand unique. Good brand positioning will highlight to your readers that your brand is the best place to make a purchase because you are clearly offering better value for money, or stronger guarantees, or far better service and customer care, or a much funkier place to include as part of their cool lifestyle, or better peace of mind, or all of the above.

Your call to action (the messages that persuade the shopper to purchase, or close the sale) is as important as the navigation. This is a team effort between the client’s purchasing process managers and the copywriters. As much thought has to go into streamlining the buying procedures, making them as foolproof as possible, as goes into the explanations of them. You can only clarify what can be clarified – if the process of buying from the catalogue is very complex, there will be little you can do to make it seem straightforward. Let the process managers explain the process in full to you, then see how concisely you can express this. Show them where you might have sticking points and see if they can solve the problem either by explaining it more clearly to you, or by making the process more straightforward (perhaps by removing a step in the process). You should end up with something along the lines of “Three simple ways to purchase – post, call, or email.”

Creating and managing the correct tone of voice

While your objective is to develop a perfect tone of voice that flows effortlessly through the pages, with examples of great writing in every paragraph, you won’t be working on this project in isolation and may find that other priorities (such as the client adding in more products, the designer slashing the word count, or the account team struggling with difficult suppliers who don’t provide raw material) will remove the controls that you need to deliver beautifully crafted copy.

It’s best not to set yourself up for a fall. Don’t put all of your best work into the first few entries or write in a highly creative style that is packed with detailed information and witty explanations. The chances are you won’t be able to deliver this on every product, as the raw material simply won’t allow it. Pitch it in the middle – a few key facts, a single benefit, and a friendly comment. This will give you the chance to seamlessly include the weaker entries and allow some of the easier entries to be a bit more expressive.

Everyone involved with the catalog, from the boss to the buyers, will want maximum space for their ideas and products and will not understand why the “creatives” insist on wanting to let the design “breathe,” and allow the copy to “set the scene” and “build a rapport” with the reader. The client wants sales, and wants them now.

Structure for a catalog tone-of-voice manual

There are similarities between most good premium retail catalogs, and you could follow this structure as a guide when identifying the different copy elements. There is no limit to the size of guide you create, but there is merit in keeping it short, so don’t worry if you can cover all of this in a few pages – it’ll probably be read more often.

So you don’t usually get much room for maneuvre with your copy. If you learn to adapt to this restrictive environment, you will soon regard every problem as an opportunity, and every restriction as a chance to create something potent. Forget about putting personality into your product copy if there simply isn’t room for it. If you’re writing long product copy, stick to the facts and make sure the benefits are calling out loudly and clearly.

You have four main opportunities to weave in your client’s personality: the cover; the welcome page; the section headers and introductions; and the customer information pages. There is very little space in any of these areas, but that doesn’t mean you can’t project a distinct personality. Less is more, so get to work on a creative concept (such as “Be Gorgeous this Christmas,” from British health and beauty retailer Boots) and some punchy lines that you know you can replicate and work with. Look for a structure with a pattern that you can replicate, such as four words divided by commas, or a phrase that always begins with “Because …,” or a theme that always uses a reference to “relaxation,” for example.

Begin with an understanding of your target audience. What are they like, what are they looking for, and what is their relationship with your client? Develop a voice to which you feel they can relate directly, and roll this out consistently. There is a tendency in catalogs not to use copy imaginatively, so you may have to persuade the client or the creative team that there is value in giving a strong verbal identity to yours. Your copy effectively adds the voice of the sales assistant to the catalog.

Understanding all of the elements within a catalog

Whether you are writing a catalog that is a simple directory of products and services (where your role may be as much to do with the organization and presentation of information as with creative writing), or a sophisticated retail offering (where your ability to maintain a consistent personality throughout the copy is paramount), the core requirements of your copy are the same. You need to attract interest, guide and advise, and facilitate purchase. There are several elements that you can use to a greater or lesser degree to achieve this, and the approach you take will depend on the specific brief to which you are working. Direct sales catalogs have to grab the attention and will be more promotions-based, with exciting offers to tempt customers, while retail catalogs will take a softer approach, designed to foster long-term relations.

“Overstretching for colorful words can damage reader empathy. Stay within acceptable bounds. Once again we see hard evidence that strong direct response writing can require the discipline of vocabulary suppression. Fundraisers have to be especially careful; when their message reflects a fanatical devotion to their cause, it’s time for disinterested third-person proofreading.”

Hershell Gordon Lewis, Copywriting Secrets and Tactics

With a specialist catalog in a niche market (such as supplies for fly-fishing enthusiasts) you can adopt a very specific tone of voice in the knowledge that readers share the same attitudes and beliefs, while more generalized catalogs covering a number of product ranges will require their own carefully controlled brand voice to speak to their customers. In these large catalogs the brand voice of the retailer (focused on the service, choice, and value messages rather than the characteristics of the specific items) should be the consistent thread running through the pages.

Putting a catalog together

The first stage (which doesn’t necessarily mean you write this section first) is the positioning statement on the cover. Identify the brand’s features and the choice, value, and quality within the catalog – is it exclusivity, or ease of purchase, or range of options, or price, or something else? The client will give you some direction, but you must evaluate this as objectively as possible. Having identified the key features, turn these into an overall benefit and encapsulate this in the correct tone of voice for the brand.

Once your reader has picked up and opened your catalog you’re talking to a different audience. You now have to deliver the promise you made on the cover. What was previously a general audience is now an actively interested audience, who are much closer to becoming customers.

Focus on the way you welcome the reader and introduce your offering, how you identify and describe each section, and how you navigate the customer through your pages.

Give a clear identity to each section. The sections may be divided by product type or customer profile. You must create a style that can be used in a balanced way across every section. You may decide to be functional or descriptive (for example “Gifts for men, Gifts for women, Gifts for children”) or you may consider a lifestyle approach (“The great outdoors, Home is where your heart is, Time for each other”). Be careful not to set yourself an impossible challenge by using a great line for one or two sections that can’t be replicated across the catalog. Work on the most boring and least inspiring range first, and leave the easy ones until the end!

Your next consideration is the introductions to each section. Follow the style you’ve created for the section headers and draft a short paragraph to qualify the header and explain who the products or services are designed for. This is one of the few places in your catalog where you can breathe some personality into the copy, so give the readers some interesting points to provoke their interest. Push this to the limit, without breaking brand boundaries, and you should create something fresh and alive.

The bulk of the copy in your catalog will be the product entries. You, the designer, and the client have two main considerations: should each double-page spread feature one item as a hero product, with a larger image and longer, more detailed copy than the rest of the products? Is the product copy going to be succinct bullet points or longer copy that explains the features and benefits fully? Featuring a hero product is a great way to bring some variety to your pages and set the scene for each range, which can then be differentiated through the use of short bullet points. This is particularly suitable where the customer can also visit the retail store to find out more before purchasing. Longer product copy is more effective when customers are expected to buy off the page, as it answers more of their queries and reduces their need to find out more. You can write long copy only when you have plenty of information about every product, and collecting this can be very time-consuming.

Calls to action are communications tools designed to close the sale by encouraging the reader to commit to purchasing. There should be a call to action on each spread, and somewhere in your catalog you must include a detailed description of the buying process, explaining how to order and what to expect after ordering. These will probably be quite wordy and uninspiring, so consider using charts, tables, and graphic icons to support and streamline this information wherever possible.

All supporting evidence should be included in these customer information pages, as concisely as possible so that as many readers as possible will digest it and understand the buying process. You may also wish to include an index, which can be quite time-consuming to compile but will help the readers to navigate your catalog without any confusion. If they can’t find something they’ll go somewhere else, and will be disappointed with your catalog.

With each of the copywriting elements listed you can adopt a slightly different tone of voice, as they are each fulfilling quite distinct roles. You are facilitating a sales process, so be clear about your specific objectives with each individual element and ensure that each contributes effectively to the overall process. There’s no room for any weak links in these self-contained purchasing chains.

Is it an online catalog too?

Some clients want an online catalog as well as a print version and may ask for the same product copy to be used in both environments. This can be achieved, but you’ll need to plan in advance. It is important to understand the function of your product entries before you embark on writing the online catalog.

Whereas every bit of space in a print catalog is expensive and fought over by the trading teams, designers, and marketers, you are likely to have more room available online, allowing you to give the reader some additional detail about the product, if it is available. You may decide to write both entries simultaneously: one that is more succinct, to be used in print, and another, more detailed, version for the web edition.