If you’re in charge of keeping your team’s product catalogs up to date for sales presentations, you know it’s rarely as simple as drag-and-drop. Maybe you’re wrangling PDFs, fighting file sizes, or just trying to keep the sales team from emailing you for the latest version—again. This guide is for anyone who needs to get catalogs into Showell so sales reps can actually find, present, and share the right content (without calling you every five minutes).
Here’s how to upload your product catalogs to Showell and actually make them useful in real sales meetings—without making things more complicated than they need to be.
1. Get Your Catalog Files Ready
Let’s face it: garbage in, garbage out. If your source files are a mess, no fancy platform will fix them. Before you even log in to Showell, do this:
- Make sure your catalog is up to date
It’s tempting to just upload last quarter’s PDF, but that’s how old pricing sneaks into demos. - Split out unnecessary pages
If your catalog is 100 pages but only 10 are relevant for sales, consider breaking them into separate files. Smaller, targeted files load faster and are easier to update later. - Compress images and PDF sizes
Giant files mean slow load times, especially on mobile or bad WiFi. Use tools like Smallpdf, PDF24, or even Adobe Acrobat to shrink things down. - Check for sensitive info
Accidentally uploading internal notes, supplier costs, or draft pricing is more common than you’d think. Do a quick double-check.
Pro tip: If your catalog changes a lot, keep a “master” folder outside Showell with your source files. This makes updates way less painful.
2. Upload Catalogs to Showell
Once your files are in good shape, it’s time to get them into Showell.
Step-by-step:
- Log in to Showell Admin
- Only admins (or users with upload rights) can add content. If you’re not sure, ask whoever set up your account.
- Go to the Content section
- You’ll see folders and files—think of this like Google Drive or Dropbox.
- Choose the right folder
- Don’t just dump everything in the root. Create a “Product Catalogs” folder (or something clear) if it doesn’t exist.
- Upload your files
- Drag and drop or use the upload button. Showell takes PDFs, PPTs, images, and even videos.
- Wait for processing
- Showell has to process your files for things like search and thumbnails. For big PDFs, this might take a minute—don’t panic if nothing happens right away.
- Check the upload
- Open the file in Showell. Make sure pages render correctly and nothing’s missing.
What works:
PDFs are safest; PowerPoint files often work, but sometimes formatting gets weird. Always check the file after upload, especially if it has custom fonts or complex layouts.
What to ignore:
Don’t bother uploading raw design files (like InDesign or PSD)—Showell won’t display them. Export to PDF first.
3. Organize and Tag Your Catalogs
Uploading is just the start. If your files are buried in a jungle of folders, nobody will find them.
Tips for easy navigation:
- Keep folder names simple
“Product Catalogs 2024” beats “FinalFinal_Final_Catalogs.” - Use subfolders sparingly
One or two levels deep is plenty. No one wants to click through five folders in a meeting. - Tag files
Showell lets you add tags—think “featured,” “Q2 update,” or product categories. Tags make searching much faster. - Add descriptions
A quick summary (e.g., “Spring 2024 catalog – updated pricing and new models”) helps reps know they’ve got the right file.
Pro tip: Ask a sales rep to find a catalog in your setup. If they get lost, your structure isn’t clear enough.
4. Optimize Catalogs for Presenting
Uploading is one thing. Making catalogs actually work during a live sales call is another.
Here’s what matters:
- Check mobile and offline access
Sales reps often present on tablets or in places with spotty WiFi. Open your catalog in the Showell app on a phone or tablet and try offline mode. - Add bookmarks or navigation
For long catalogs, use Showell’s built-in bookmarks or links. This lets reps jump to key sections (like pricing or new products) without endless scrolling. - Split up giant files
If a PDF is huge, consider breaking it into smaller sections (e.g., by product line or market). Smaller files open faster and are easier to update if details change. - Make use of custom cover images
Showell lets you pick a thumbnail for each file. Choose something clear—like your logo or a product photo—so it’s easy to spot in a lineup.
What works:
Simple, well-labeled files get used. Fancy interactive PDFs or hyperlinked tables of contents sometimes work, but only if they display properly across devices.
What doesn’t:
Don’t rely on videos or animations embedded in PDFs—they’re hit-or-miss. If video is crucial, upload it as a separate file.
5. Set Permissions and Sharing Rules
Not every rep (or customer) needs to see everything.
- Control who sees what
In Showell, you can set permissions by user, team, or group. Hide sensitive catalogs from junior reps or accounts that shouldn’t see them. - Set expiration dates
If a catalog is only valid for a quarter, set it to expire automatically. This helps avoid old versions floating around. - Enable or disable downloads
Decide if reps can download files or only view them in Showell. For confidential pricing, view-only is safer.
Honest take:
Permissions are easy to set up, but hard to maintain if your team or catalogs change a lot. Review them every so often—or when people leave the company.
6. Update Catalogs Without Breaking Links
The real headache with catalogs is updates. Showell can help, but only if you plan ahead.
- Replace files, don’t delete and re-upload
Showell lets you “replace” a file with a new version. This keeps existing links and bookmarks working. - Version control
Add version numbers or dates to file names (“Product Catalog Q2 2024.pdf”). Don’t trust your memory. - Tell your team
Even if you update a file, reps may have downloaded an old version. Use Showell’s “news” or announcement features, or just send a group chat.
What to ignore:
Don’t overthink “versioning” with endless folders of old files. Archive or delete what’s outdated—clutter helps no one.
7. Track Usage and Get Feedback
Uploading catalogs isn’t the end—see what’s actually getting used.
- Check Showell analytics
See which catalogs reps open, present, or share most. If nobody touches a file, ask why. - Ask reps directly
Sales teams are busy—they won’t always tell you if something’s missing or hard to find. A simple “Is the new catalog working for you?” goes a long way. - Iterate
If certain pages are always skipped, maybe split them out. If reps keep sharing the same five-page section, make that its own file.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Uploading and optimizing product catalogs in Showell isn’t rocket science, but it does take a bit of planning. Start with clean files, keep your folder structure simple, and don’t be afraid to ask for feedback. You can always tweak things as you go—just don’t let “perfect” slow you down.
The best catalog is the one your sales team actually uses. Get it in, make it easy to find, and keep improving. That’s really all there is to it.