Are you interested in specialty packaging for your business? They say not to judge a book by its cover, but the truth is, when your target market is looking at your pallet displays and choosing between your product and your competitor at the store, one of the most powerful factors in their decision making process is the retail packaging. When in take the time to design the right specialty packaging for your product, it makes your target market think, “Hmm… these people seem to have something going for them!”
Not surprisingly, specialty packaging has to be done right in order to make a difference at all. If your specialty packaging isn’t designed well, or doesn’t convey the story you want it to, it’s money down the drain. For this reason, it’s important to consider the following factors while developing your branded boxes and packaging.
Four Things to Remember While Developing Your Branded Packaging
- Do Industry Research
We know you think your product is the cat’s pajamas, that’s why you’re in this business altogether. You might think that your product will stand out against your competitors on its own merit. But you should take a look at your industry, and identify what packaging challenges and characteristics apply to everyone. Much of your packaging decisions are dictated by the product you sell. If you sell a food product, your requirements and challenges are going to be different than if you sell a cleaning product.
When you identify the common qualities and challenges of the industry that your product is in, it gives you a launching pad for designing the best custom packaging for your product. Perhaps the best course of action is to follow the industry standard instead of trying to reinvent the wheel. Perhaps, understanding the problems that products in your industry have package-wise will help you identify ways to solve them, and give your product a little leverage above its competitors. For example, a few years ago cereal almost exclusively came in a bag in a box. Someone realized that shipping would be far easier (as well as the shelf impact on the customer) if their cereal was packaged in a zipper pouch instead. Be the zipper pouch cereal of your industry. - Identify Your Market
After the nature of the product, your next biggest driver of a good packaging design is the market that you intend it for. If your product is a line of luxury chocolates intended Neiman Marcus or a specialty store, the packaging of it is going to look different than if your product is intended to sit on the shelves of a normal grocery store. If fact, understanding the market you intend to put your product in is an important factor in getting your product on the shelves at all. A store will only stock your product if it aligns with the look and feel of the store. Determining who and where you want to sell your product in the early stages of your packaging design will really help your product establish itself and become successful. - Visualize Who Your Customer Is
After you know which market that you want your product to be in, it’s important to consider who you are trying to sell your product to. The shelf experience is a huge factor in getting a customer to choose your product over the one next to yours. If your product targets girls between the ages of 10 and 15, it’s going to need to have a different visual impact than if your target market is middle-aged career professionals. Considering who you want to reach with your packaging is an important step in reaching the audience you’re trying to reach. - Understand Your Price Point
You’ve probably already given a great deal of thought to your price point. If you charge too much for your product, no one will by it. If you charge too little for your product, you’ll put yourself out of business. Not to mention, much of the perceived value of your product is determined by what it costs. Your packaging should align with the price point. If your product is only a few dollars, your packaging will be far different than if you’re selling a premium product worth hundreds.
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