How to design the perfect product spec sheet

The product spec sheet is one of the most important aspects of any catalog, especially for interactive ones. Through it we can capture the attention of the buyer and persuade him, but it can also be a powerful tool for the sales agent during the visit.

How can a product spec sheet help a sales representative? The answer is through the information it can contain. When using a sales app that implements interactive catalogs, product sheets are a valuable source of information about product stocks, special offers and related products, etc. All of this with the purpose of not only closing a transaction, but also for it to involve larger orders and help us collect information about the customer at the same time.

In order to accomplish this goal and for our catalog to be, at the same time, something that is attractive to the consumer and useful for the salesperson, in this article we will discuss how to design the perfect product spec sheet and the information it should contain to be of significant use.

What characteristics should a product sheet have?

These are the characteristics that any product sheet should have, and that we should pay attention to if we want to influence in a positive way the size of the orders:

• Full and detailed product descriptions

  The perfect product sheet should contain optimized text aimed at making the article relevant. In this regard, we should provide precise and clear information, explaining its main characteristics and highlighting the benefits this product offers to the buyer.

• Optimization of the SEO structure

  Making a detailed and eye-catching product description is an important step, but it is not enough. When making a digital product description, it should include content based on keywords and semantic variations that accompany a coherent, informative and attractive text, while helping the products be easily found during the visit.

• Eye-catching, quality images

  Even though it may sound obvious, it is important to note the importance of including graphical elements that have good definition and are attractive to the buyer. Remember that the eyes are what give the first impression of your products, so your images should be original, and at the same time provide information about the product and its qualities. When a customer is decided to acquire your products, he needs to see them clearly and, especially when involving clothes or accessories, see how they look when worn.

Related reading: How to create personalized catalogs in five minutes with inaCátalog

How to make the perfect spec sheet

In addition to the (graphical and visual) description of your articles, digital catalogs offer a set of information that can be added to product sheets in order to make them more effective and help encourage a purchase.

In this regard, in order to design a perfect and competitive product sheet, you should keep certain indispensable variables in mind:

• General information. This field includes the basic information about the product. In order for it to be easier to find on the agent’s Tablet and be useful, it should include the following information:
  • Code
  • Description
  • Notes – detailed description
  • Barcode to accommodate orders via barcode scanners
  • Main image
  • Supplementary images
  • Multimedia associated with the product
• Classification. These criteria help salespersons quickly search and find products and items related to a specific category, as well as ordering, based on the criteria required by the user at any given time.  
  • Catalog
  • Category
  • Subcategory
  • Item type
  • Model (for size and color-based sales)
• Sale. Allows you to be aware of offers and temporary promotions, volume sales-based gifts… The goal is to be able to offer benefits if the volume of the sale increases, as well as facilitate a fast sale focused on the customer.
  • Minimum sale
  • Sale increment
  • Samples and points (in order to manage gifts based on the purchase).
• Logistics. In order to facilitate the management of warehouses and optimize logistics, guaranteeing a continuous, timely supply of the products and services.
  • Dimensions
  • Weight
  • Volume
  • Units per box and pallet (different sales volumes)
• Stock sheet. A real-time stock control allows the user to be informed whether a product is available or not, providing credibility and allowing sales to be closed during the visit.
  • Available stock (in order to control it and prevent overselling)
  • Stock pending reception
  • Expected availability date
• Languages. Translation of data that applies to the various languages of the application.
• Rates and prices. Price and special discounts for the selected customer, notes, rate selection, rate type per volume, promotion sheets, etc. They offer an added value to the visit and the acquisition of certain products.
  • General prices
  • Rates
  • Special rates per customer
  • Temporary promotions, discounts and gifts
• Related products. In order to favor cross-selling and upselling, two good options to include in our product sheet, as long as we have a well-thought strategy. In this way, we will obtain greater chances of increasing order lines and order volumes on every sale, in addition to addressing needs that our customer didn’t know he had.
  • Related products
  • Alternative products
• Labels. They visually highlight certain product characteristic, showing icons on the main image (top seller, offers…).

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Why is a product sheet useful?

The best product sheet is the one that offer the most information to the salesperson so that he gets to know the products and how they relate to the customer. An effective sheet will enable agents to sell more and better, without the need to perform the many movements on the screen and decreasing visit durations.

Furthermore, not only sales teams should pay attention to product sheets. The marketing department should also use them, since they play various roles:

• They provide information about the product and the image, which are vital to increase sales.
• With a lacking data sheet, very few of our customers’ questions can be answered, while with a detailed one his needs can be addressed, and the can be used to better know his tastes and needs, as well as respond to objections with arguments and proof.
• Good relationships with other products and attractive promotions can be used to sell more, because sales are streamlined, reducing visit times and increasing sales volumes.

How to make the product sheet more effective with inaCátalog

inaCátalog implements all the functionalities and characteristics aimed at making a product sheet more effective. Furthermore, it allows you to add additional product information (multimedia files) in order to have all the details that cannot be included in an image (brochures, videos, presentations, technical specifications…).

The tool collects specific sales stats for each customer, letting you notice trends, changes in conditions, and repeating orders to accelerate sales and make customer management more effective.