How to Write Powerful Headings for Product Clusters

by René Gnam

Catalog and brochure creators properly devote most of their space to primary products or services, and then frequently jam many second-level items into "cluster" pages. Those loaded pages should designed so products of affinity are adjacent, aiding the reader in his/her search.

Do not make the common error of simply displaying a photo, some tight copy and pricing data on each item. Instead, create an enticing headline for each affinity-oriented product cluster to lead the reader into the individual products in that cluster. Your cluster heading should:

1. Clearly identify the affinity nature of the cluster,

2. Include the total number of all items in the cluster to encourage the reader to review all of them,

3. Present an "umbrella" user benefit for all items in your cluster, like increased productivity, reduced costs, greater enjoyment of an avocation,

4. Use action typography, such as italics followed by an ellipsis, to guide the reader into the cluster -- but the typeface should be in the same family as used for other headings in the catalog or brochure,

5. Hint at urgency to get the reader to review the cluster now.

Before designing the cluster page or section of a page, the writer and artist should allow space for these two essential items:

1 -- The cluster headline, and

2 -- A tag line under the cluster.

The headline gets the reader into the cluster and you should use the tag line to get him/her to the order form.

Not only do these techniques hike response, but they also dress up otherwise static cluster layouts.