Print catalogs have never stopped working in B2B marketing; what changed is the job they do. Twenty years ago, a catalog often served as the primary product database and an ordering channel. Today, your buyers research across a web of touchpoints, then use catalogs for discovery, shortlisting and confidence building that moves a complex sale forward. Modern catalogs are built to drive digital engagement, support longer buying cycles and give decision makers a tangible reference they can keep on the desk. That shift calls for a different playbook.
B2B buyers now control the journey and expect to move between channels on their terms. McKinsey’s 2024 B2B Pulse found buyers use an average of ten interaction channels across the journey, up from five in 2016, and will switch suppliers if the experience isn’t seamless. Your catalog is one of those channels and should be designed to connect cleanly with the other nine.
From Order-Taker to Decision Accelerator
In the pre-digital era, catalogs doubled as a price list and a mail-in order form. In 2025, a catalog’s highest value is helping a buying group align on requirements, specs and supplier confidence. Gartner notes buyers spend only 17% of their total purchase time with potential suppliers, which drops to roughly 5% with any one rep if multiple vendors are in the mix.
Most work happens without you, so marketing assets must carry more of the decision load. A well-built catalog serves as buyer enablement by organizing choices, clarifying trade-offs and pointing to next steps online.
Why Print Still Earns Attention
Digital noise is real, which is part of why print continues to perform. Two Sides North America reports that U.S. consumer preference for printed catalogs climbed to 30% in 2023, up from 22% in 2021. That is a meaningful swing back to paper in a world saturated with screens.
Neuromarketing research also backs up the attention advantage. Canada Post’s “A Bias for Action” study found physical mail is easier to understand and more memorable than digital formats, making recipients more likely to act. For high consideration purchases with many SKUs and technical attributes, that extra comprehension matters.
Print Plus Digital Now Wins the Response Race
The best returns come when catalogs trigger digital actions. Harvard Business Review reported that in field experiments, customers who received both catalogs and email purchased 24% more than those who received email alone. The point is not print versus digital. The point is orchestration.
Marketers also agree the channel mix pays off. In the 2023 Lob State of Direct Mail report, 74% of enterprise marketers said direct mail delivers the best ROI, response and conversion rates among their channels, and the majority increased budget for it year over year. Use that budget to connect catalog moments to frictionless online steps.
How These Shifts Change Your Catalog Strategy
- Design for the omnichannel journey
Make every spread a bridge to digital. Use short vanity URLs, unique QR codes and product-level PURLs that jump buyers to the right spec sheet, configuration page or quote request. Trigger automated nurture when a code is scanned so sales sees engagement without waiting for a form fill. - Right-size production for agility
Print fewer, smarter and more often. Run your long-life core book on offset for quality and cost at scale, then layer short-run digital versions for segments, regions and product updates. Digital printing supports targeted versions and variable data so an industrial buyer sees SKUs, certifications and accessories that match their vertical. - Treat catalogs as decision tools, not just listings
Move beyond page after page of item grids. Lead with use cases, kits, compatibility charts and “good-better-best” paths that reduce friction for a buying group. - Measure what catalogs influence
Track scans, visits, sample requests and configured quotes tied to catalog codes. Attribute assisted conversions in your CRM so you can see when a catalog initiated a digital sequence that closed later. - Use postal promotions and definitions to your advantage
Make use of mailing promotions, like the USPS Catalog Insights Promotion, to rack up significant savings. Plan layouts, page counts and eligibility early with your printer to take full advantage.
Practical Build Checklist for Manufacturing Marketers
- Audience plans: Segment by industry, job role and installed base so content and calls to action reflect the real buying committee. Provide clear pathways for specifiers, maintenance and procurement to the pages they need most.
- Merchandising logic: Group by system, compatibility and application, then cross-reference parts and accessories that drive average order value.
- Link architecture: Assign unique QR codes or short URLs at the product family level to reduce crowding on the page while preserving trackable intent signals.
- Print engineering: Select stocks and finishes that survive shop-floor use. Consider scuff-resistant coatings on heavy-use sections and tabbing for quick indexing. Coordinate paper weights and trim to stay under ounce thresholds and avoid postage surprises.
- Production mix: Lock evergreen content in an offset “core” catalog, then schedule digital micro-runs for new SKUs, regulatory language changes and vertical versions.
- Digital companions: Publish a browsable digital edition and a downloadable spec compendium so teams can circulate content internally.
The Bottom Line: How Print and Digital Support Each Other
In B2B marketing, catalogs no longer shoulder the order alone. They accelerate consensus, spark digital action and make complex assortments easier to buy across a multi-channel journey. Use print for attention and understanding, then convert that attention with tight digital handoffs and measurement. By adopting this strategy, you’re making the most of how today’s decision makers interact with potential suppliers.
Explore Walsworth’s Catalog Printing Options
If you’re ready to learn more about how you can benefit from B2B printed catalogs, Walsworth’s catalog team can help you build a program that fits how your buyers interact with your marketing strategy. With state-of-the-art printing technology, augmented reality options and customizable digital editions, we can help you bridge the gap between print and digital to encourage maximum engagement. Learn more about what Walsworth can do for you by getting in touch with us today.
* This article was developed with assistance from OpenAI’s GPT 5 Pro Deep Research large language AI model.
