You probably think that it’s your actual product or service that’s the most important aspect of your business – your raison d’etre – and you’d be right, of course.
However, you have to get those customers through the door (or onto your website) to buy your products in the first place and this is where your product packaging comes in. Your packaging is often the first contact your potential customers have with you and our brand. It’s also a familiar, reassuring sight to existing customers, which helps to promote and maintain loyalty.
According to those marketing experts, around a third of the decision-making process consumers go through is determined by the packaging of a product. You have a lot of control over your product packaging so you can make that third really count; here’s how.
Get to know your target market
You need to know who you’re selling to in order to find out how to sell to them. Is your target market mainly male or female? What age groups are you aiming at? What are they looking for in your sort of products and how can you impart the information they need to know while still maintaining your branding? All of these factors will influence the colours you choose, the styling, the materials and the shape of your packaging.
Make sure form relates to function
If your product is a liquid in a glass bottle, for example, then you’ll probably need some extra padding or cushioning for your goods, both during transit and on the shelves. Choose durable padding that’s lightweight and, ideally, recyclable so that you’re not spending too much on transportation fuel while you’re looking after the environment.
Use the right materials
Match the packaging to the product’s form and price point. Your packaging materials should ally themselves to the quality of the goods as well as reflect the form in some way. If you’re selling small coffrets of eyeshadow, for example, then an origami style giftbox package will work perfectly. Always bear in mind your sustainability and eco-credentials, as being able to recycle the packaging could be the tipping factor for many customers.
Make your product obvious
That eyeshadow coffret should be housed in a colourful little package, probably with some metallic detailing. A vegan shampoo bar, on the other hand, will probably benefit from a reusable jute drawstring bag or moulded bamboo fibre case. Customers should be able to tell what you’re selling and what you’re about as soon as they set eyes on your products.
Offer easy-to-open packaging
Unless you’re selling something that’s hazardous, like knives, then your outer packaging should be easy to open so that people can remove their items efficiently and without damaging them. Using an obvious tear-tab or an easily-twisted cap is a good idea and if you are selling something that needs some extra security, add opening directions to the packaging.
Think about how your packaging will look in-store, online and at home
Aim for a design that’ll look amazing and stand out across all of your selling channels. In stores, it’ll have to compete with rival products on either side, so your packaging needs to grab attention and display your brand. In online stores you’ll need clear fonts and clean lines so people feel confident in buying your goods. Finally, when people get home and unbox or unwrap, you need to give them an exciting, safe and engaging experience.
Keep the design versatile
It’s important to have a versatile design so that it can be adapted slightly, while maintaining brand and range recognition. You probably have several colour schemes for your eyeshadows, for example, so you’ll want customers to know that they’re getting the same quality and ethos, just in a different set of colours.
Make sure the elements of your packaging design are as good as possible
You already know that your packaging is usually the start of your relationship with your customer, so start as you mean to go on! Woo them with a professional graphics design, top-notch materials and physical form and any other necessary elements so that your products practically jump into those baskets.
To find out what packaging products Packer has to offer, click here.
