• Catalogues and brochures are essential in every business and are a tried and tested way of raising sales.
• If you are considering using catalogues or brochures in your business the big question is, "How much does it cost to design and print a quality brochure or catalogue?"
• Learn how printing services calculate the price for designing and printing your brochures and catalogues so you can plan your budget accordingly. 

A frequent question we are asked is: "How much does a catalogue cost to design and print?"

It’s rare that a company can market itself without a catalogue or brochure to help sell their range of products. If you’re a business owner and need a glossy catalogue designed to generate more sales, how much are you likely to pay for catalogue design and printing?

How much does catalogue and brochure design cost? 

Catalogue and brochure design costs vary broadly depending on a variety of factors. Below are some of the factors that are taken into consideration when determining catalogue and brochure production costs:

• Format and size of the catalogue
• Special finishes and binding options, e.g. saddle stitch
• Number of pages in the catalogue
• Amount of text, information and images on each page
• The complexity of the design of the pages
• Whether any digital assets are required 

Are there other factors relating to catalogue and brochure design costs?

No two catalogues are the same and each one is designed according to the client's requirements. At Microcosm, we don't offer a templated solution, so this means we give clients catalogue design and printing quotes based on the amount of time needed for:

• Planning, organisation and strategy
• Art direction
• Design and layout
• Copywriting
• Photography
• Pre-press

Great catalogue design brings higher ROI

Always keep in mind that catalogue design and printing as well are an investment, not an expense, so the final result (profit) is far more important than the initial cost. They lend the impression that you are at the top of your field (you can afford catalogue printing, after all) and with the right offers, design and copy they leave customers with no reason to even check the competition.

How can I save costs with multi-channel marketing and digital assets? 

A cost-efficient way to save on catalogue design and printing cost is to combine your online communications (website, social media, e-commerce) with your traditional print marketing (catalogues, direct mail). By having all your product range and customer information under one roof, the master data source can automate your future catalogues/brochures and considerably reduce overall catalogue design and printing costs. This will ensure your brand is taken to market in a clear, effective and visible way.

If you sell thousands of products but do not have the budget for a 200-page catalogue, you can print a catalogue with fewer pages, featuring only your foundation items and specials. Then direct your customers to your website to see your entire selection. This is a technique used by even the largest direct-mail catalogue companies to draw interest and keep costs low.

How much do brochures and catalogues cost to print?

To get a ballpark figure of what a typical brochure and catalogue design and printing costs, industry averages indicate that a professionally designed A4 8 page catalogue with 8-10 products per page, should be roughly $150 - $200 a page (photography, copywriting and printing would be additional).

The page rate decreases the more pages the catalogue requires, potentially bringing the catalogue design and printing cost down to $50 a page for a 200-page catalogue. This is a good starting point for the general direction in terms of design and production costs.

Have you already allocated budget for catalogue design and printing?