If you
work on your own, either as an administrator of a business or as a freelance, an aspect of great importance is to make a catalog that you can show your clients and sell more.
It doesn't matter if what you offer is a product or a service, your catalog or portfoliois one of your main sales tools, will help because not only to make known the quality of your work, but it will make you easier to explain to the client what they're offering.
Insurance, you
will have excellent works of which you are proud. Why not compile them all in a good catalogue, that is attractive and you help to sell more?
If not know how do it, not you worry, begin to create it is very simple and then yougive some steps and tips for can create a catalog or portfolio of products and services.
It lists your best work
To begin, get a list (can be in Word or even a Notepad of notes) of what are them works that best you have been or of them customers that are more satisfied with yourservices.
Attempts that them projects that mentions are of which have made more recently, but not let out a pair of works old, especially if have been very representative or havebeen very well.
Once you
have your list of recent work, begins to describe below each characteristics of such project as the case may be:
If you offer a product, describes what is its function, of what is fact and its measurement, weight, etc. adding also a comment about your benefit or usefulness. For example: "latch to mark Christmas, made in balsa wood + varnish, measure 15 cm. perfect to decorate your kids room".
If is a service, described briefly in what was your intervention. For example, if what you do is remodeling, put things as: "construction of pergola, game of chairs resistant to weather." "This decoration combines perfectly with the terrace already existing,create a welcoming environment that invites to rest", etc.
In the case of online work, copy and paste the URL of the site where your work shown also.
The idea is that the people know what is what you will receive and in what it benefits. Use the simplest language possible, and ensures that your descriptions are not very long. Use of 3 to 5 lines Max.
If you are selling products that you do batch, you can create names in code to facilitate orders. For example, suppose that you sell candles of lavender, Apple, Lemongrass and vanilla, can be something like: v_lavanda, v_manzana, or something similar.
Products digital
If what you offer are digital products, as in the case of design or programming, yourtask will be easy, as what you should do is take export your designs to an image asa JPG or PNG format, or in the case of web sites and programs, take screenshots and save them in the same formats.
Physical products
In this case, it only that must do is take a sample of the product that sell and photograph it. But, before open the application of camera of your cell, reminds that mustbe photographs of good resolution, where is can appreciate the quality of the product and run both for print your catalog as to put it in Internet:
Get a good camera digital that you let take photos of good quality (at least 20 MP).
Go to a place where there is good light, but not direct sun light, since that can cause product to shine too and not to appreciate its colour.
Place your product in front of a solid background with a single color. A good idea isto place a piece of fabric that does not have much texture. Prefer the white, unless the color of your product is that same or another color very clear. Then use one more dark. It seeks to be a color that much shine that glare does not affect what you will photograph.
Take photographs from all angles visible product: forward, backward, side and fromabove. Get more than one by side, trying whenever not has flashes of light white that "blind" or hide the color of what photographs.
Bring your product to a place where their use is also displayed. For example, if is a pencil holder, place him pencils inside and carry it to a desktop with a decorated thatharmonize, where is show how is.
Take photos from one or two angles. Don't forget to take care of the light and takeseveral pictures to select the best.
Once you
have all your photos, download them on your computer. Select the best one for each angle. Clears the bottom of the fabric and put one solid digitally. Not forget to save in a format of image compatible with the majority of programs, as JPGor PNG.
Services
How to make a catalogue
If what offer are services, as organization of events, remodeling, repairs, creation ofmodels, decoration, etc., the work will require that you checking until the place where the project is located and do several takes.
If is is of repairs or remodeling, it ideal is that have a photo of the before and another of the after, but if not took an of the before, not you unduly, as it primary is thatyour customers see how is your work, your creativity and it well that is.
It follows the Council get a good camera so that photographs have an optimal resolution. Remember, at least 20 MP, to make the image useful for printed on if necessary.
If it takes place, seen in a schedule in which the Sun's light is good but not very strong, as 10 o'clock or 3 o'clock. Possibly you need the help of a professional photographer, you will have to get several shots and take care of the detail of the light, so that they are not very dark or, conversely, too illuminated. If you don't have equipment or feel that you need help, you can hire a professional photographer online by clicking here, compare bids you receive before hiring.
If is is of a place, takes images both from the outside as from the inside. If it is an object or repaired piece, follow the recommendation taken from several angles, wherepossible on a solid background that you can delete and replace digitally, in addition to taking a bottom where you will see the utility of the object.
For events takes details of decoration: flowers, linens, centerpieces, banquet service;as well as photographs of the attendees.
Once you
have all your tomas, download them to your computer and selects the best.
Creates a form of orders
In your same document in Word or in a sheet of Excel, get a form of order. Includesthe following fields basic: name of the client, phone, email, address or country of origin (if is necessary).
Places also an area where detailing if want a proof tax and them data that this should contain (reason social, number tax, turn of business, etc).
Then adds an area where the customer detail what is what want and the amount that goes to order (if created codes, put an area so it placed) and beside each item, leaves a box where will place the price.
Leaves to the end a space so that the client firm.
Time of build your catalogue!
How to make a catalogue
You have everything ready to work. Now you can use a layout program to start to place your photos with each description.
To do so you can use a program like Microsoft Publisher, or if you have knowledgeabout graphic design, use InDesign, which is ideal for this type of work.
On the first page, get your cover. Place "Thing X catalogue", your logo with your slogan and a picture or frame that you serve to illustrate.
Placed on the second page (back cover) your contact details: name of your businessor yours if you're a freelance worker, social networks, email, phone, web site or anymechanism by which you want to your customers contact you.
Starting from the page 3 begins by placing the title of the product, then adds of 2 to 4 photos small with Fund solid to show the angles of the product u object. Place the larger photo showing the use of the product. In the case of photographs of places or events, use small images for less important details and a large for something that you want to highlight or an outlet wide set.
Place the description general that already have as text main and used feet of photo(1 or 2 lines) for images.
Try that every product or project does not exceed one or two pages each. If you have too many, consider reducing the amount of photos to a couple by product, preferably one with solid background and one where its use is displayed, and put severalon each page.
When have armed the first page with them elements placed, choose a typography striking but readable, as well as colors and elements to game to highlight your photographs and not distract the attention.
Get a couple of tests and a time you like the result, continues with the rest of pages.
If going to print your catalog, before arriving to the penultimate page placed your sheet of order. If it will be a digital catalogue, you can send this sheet separately so customer fill it and send it to you.
Procurement than the final number of pages (including the front and the back) is amultiple of 4, if you decide to get a printed version.
In the last page or back cover, placed a picture of all of your products or your store,place your name and logo again, as well as your primary means of contact, which can be your site, email, etc. The idea is that is attractive and that report quickly on how contact you but that not you subtract importance to her home.
Get the settings necessary to your catalog and once it have, saves and exports to a format as PDF so can send it by mail. Recalls that if is digital, you must send by separate the sheet of asked so the customer can fill it and send you it with your application.
If you
want to print your catalog, choose the option to save it in high resolution.
Pro tip: If you have a blog or website, you can use your order form to ask your webmaster to create you a form online. Place a link to the form in your digital catalog.
If want
to help with the design of the catalog once have them photographs and descriptions, also can search the help of a designer freelance. Paramount is that you arewho collect the information, get the detail of your work and coordines the content so you go little by little adding or changing things, as your career or your business are rising.
Start today to build your own catalog of products and services to make the most ofyour career and sell more. Hands to the work!
