New Print and Digital Catalog Tells Customers "We Get You"

​Gail Becker didn’t think that she would ever do another printed catalog for her company, Becker Arena Products, due to the cost and headache it was to complete. As the popularity of hockey has grown over the last three decades, so has their business. In business for 30 years, Gail and her husband, Jim, have seen a lot of changes in their industry.  They started out selling supplies to rink owners and managers, and now they are the leading supplier of arena materials for general contractors and architects, as well as large park and rec departments internationally. 

In mulling over the decision to print a catalog, Gail and the folks at Becker Arena Products wanted to keep their focus on their customers to meet their communication preferences as well as their needs. With everything going digital, they weren’t sure if they should bother printing a catalog. Needing more ideas and expertise than they had internally, they asked Rebecca Rausch, owner of Neon Lizard Design for her input.
 
Graphic design pulled together a family of products
 
Gail’s team actually began working with Rebecca 4 years prior when they realized that they needed to update their branding with a more consistent look. The issue had developed over time as their growing product lines had taken on identities of their own, and it wasn’t evident to buyers that everything they needed was under one roof. Rebecca’s solution to design a family of logos not only provided a way to link all the products so that the buyer knew instantly that it was a Becker product; her creation of a Style Guide and in-office display board communicates their design specifications whenever they need to work with other vendors.
 
As new projects arise, the Neon Lizard team remains passionate about helping Becker Arena Products keep their brand consistent across marketing channels They regularly create postcards, banners and ad materials for various uses following the Style Guide that Rebecca created. The impact this new credibility has made on sales is impressive. Clients now recognize Becker as the leader in the industry and an authority for all things hockey.
 
Catalog captures passion and different communication preferences
 
In discussions about the catalog, the most important factor that moved the project forward was the reality that despite the widespread use of technology, not all of Becker’s buyers are sitting behind computers all day, so they decided that a printed catalog was a useful sales tool for both buyers and staff.
 
Rebecca picked up on Becker’s industry focus and came up with a design that would grab their customers’ passion. When the inside sales team and the sales managers saw the first draft of the design, they were excited that the company was going to reflect their buyer profile – someone who is nuts about hockey! In addition, NLC suggested the catalog to be full of tips and tricks, advice and how-to’s, to make it a sustaining resource buyers will refer to again and again.
 
“The bottom line is that it’s all about the skaters,” said Gail. “Even though we don’t sell directly to the public, we still talk to them, and we were looking for a better way to talk to them through our marketing.”

 The combo of a print and digital catalog = an effective tool that sets Becker apart from their competition

In addition to doing the design and layout for the catalog, NLC sourced the printing. Knowing that many buyers respond to familiarity, she repurposed the print catalog and created a digital, fully interactive and indexed flip-book online. The result is an easily emailable sales tool that helps rink operators quickly find what they need on a day-to-day basis and provides a buyers’ guide for the custom-built products that are needed for constructing or renovating a rink.
 
In the ice arena world, the bottom line is about the skaters and the response to the new catalog has been overwhelmingly positive. Becker Arena Product’s print and online catalog gives the sales team a tool to help their customers and communicates in a way that tells their target audience, “We get you.”
 
“We don’t sell directly to the players but the people that do the buying, who are also hockey nuts,” said Gail. “What we’re reaching out to is their emotional hockey-nut self. NLC has brought that to us. It’s not only different for us. It’s different for the entire industry.”
 
Need help connecting with your target buyers?
 
Contact Neon Lizard Creative to schedule a meeting to explore how you can get a fresh approach to your target customers.

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