Product packaging isn’t just about keeping things organized or preventing product contamination. When chosen correctly, packaging can play an equally important role in marketing and brand development. Read on to find out how to use innovative packaging to draw attention from consumers and increase sales.
Find the Right Partner
Before even thinking about packaging design and how target audiences might respond, business owners will need to find a company capable of offering custom packaging solutions. For manufacturers working in the food, household products, health and beauty, or sports and fitness industries, that often means looking for a flexible packaging specialist that manufactures pouches, not boxes. If that already sounds like the right solution, visit The Packaging Lab online to get started.
Start By Asking the Right Questions
Packaging designers need to have the answers to three crucial questions readily available if they want to create packaging that is both innovative and affordable. Start the design process by figuring out:
- What kind of product is being sold?
Who will be buying it?
How will consumers buy the product?
Answering these three questions will go a long way towards narrowing down options. It will also ensure that the final packaging product meets not just aesthetic but also practical goals. It’s only when a designer has the basics down that it’s appropriate to start getting into more depth regarding design.
Meeting Brand Requirements
It’s rare for companies to manufacture stand-alone products these days. Most create consumer goods as representative parts of established brands, which means that the packaging should always reflect the brand aesthetic. The colors and fonts used on all product packaging should meet brand requirements, and each package should feature the brand logo.
Determining Content Requirements
Brand requirements are generally pretty straightforward, at least when it comes to packaging design. What can be a bit harder is determining what content will need to be included. Depending on the type of product being sold, the packaging may need to feature:
- Written copy, such as product names and descriptions.
Photos or other images.
Required content such as barcodes, nutrition information, or association information.
Temporary content, such as batch numbers, which are usually included later in the packaging process in the form of stickers.
Getting the Design Just Right
Quality packaging doesn’t just act as a fancy wrapper for products. It’s a key marketing tool that creates first impressions on shelves, online, in brochures, and on TV. To make the most of this marketing tool, be sure to follow label design best practices, and don’t be afraid to consult a professional designer.
Pay Attention to Feedback
Once a company has the perfect packaging design, it’s time to solicit some feedback. Most experts recommend A-B testing, but smaller companies often cut corners by using less formal processes like asking friends, family members, store managers that stock the products, and stakeholders of all forms for their responses. Soliciting and responding to feedback makes it easier to come up with a final package design that creates the best first impression possible.
The Packaging Design Process Takes Some Time
Even when business owners find the perfect packaging partner, it can take some time to get the design just right. Start the brainstorming process as early in product development as possible. Don’t treat packaging as an afterthought and leave design decisions until the last minute.
