Expert: Scott Valentine - 10/4/2007

Question
Have a small business and had someone put together a catalog.  They used a program called Impact Photo Pro.  We are not happy with its look.  

What software application would you recommend for putting together a catalog...most user friendly etc?

Answer
Hi Rob,

The only software I've used for creating catalogs is InDesign. It is extremely powerful, and is used by major companies in the print industry for everything from graphic novels to children's books, to sales literature, magazines and extended catalogs. However, it is not a simple program to learn.

Depending on the size of your catalog and frequency of publication, though, InDesign may be just the ticket. It can communicate with a database and help automate the process of building a catalog. It also has Adobe's full suite of print and PDF tools, so you can be assured everyone from your local print shop or copy stand up to a full press can reproduce your catalog accurately. You can even print small quantities at home with a good printer.

Other applications are available, but there is a big gap between home user software and professional tools. Most of the home office applications will produce results similar to Impact Photo Pro. I recommend taking a look at InDesign on Adobe's web site to see if it even interests you at the price. If not, consider hiring another designer that can produce good results. You may be able to get quite a few small catalogs from a good designer for less than the price of InDesign.

In the end, you'll have to decide what makes sense for your business.

I'm sorry I couldn't give you more specifics on less expensive programs. However, if you need help finding a good designer, or have some questions about InDesign, I'll be more than happy to try and offer better advice.

Best regards,

-Scott