.webp)
How to make your packaging just as great as your product.
For many companies, creating the packaging is about as complex – and important – as the product itself.
Design and appearance are key factors, of course, but materials and their construction can also have an impact on overall profitability. No detail is too small.
So where to begin?
With the most basic question: what is your product? How big is it? How sturdy or delicate? What’s it made of? This could make the difference right off between standard and custom-made packaging and the resulting cost difference.
Who are your customers?
Are they affluent? Eco-conscious? Men or women or both? Kids and/or adults? Factors like these will tend to affect your design decisions. For example, you might choose bigger text for older customers.
Where will your product be sold?
These days products can be sold anywhere from an e-commerce store to a supermarket. If it’s not online, for instance, but next to competing products at a brick-and-mortar store, it needs to really stand apart visually.
What are some general design tips?
There’s nothing like real-world examples to demonstrate how a supplier can come through for its client. Also, ask for references and what they say about your prospective supplier. Word-of-mouth can be very revealing about character and capabilities.
Be sure to check product reviews, as well, for further information about a supplier’s performance.
If you already have a brand, all products should mirror its type face, color scheme, logo and overall look. Otherwise, you should think long-term: how your product will set the course for future products within your brand?
Always consider the amount of space needed for text, both what’s required legally and your sales copy. The same with your graphics – have all photos ready before starting the design process. Make sure the final packaging represents your product honestly.
If your product has safety aspects (like food or beauty items), you also need to include information such as expiration dates.
Both your outer and inner packaging should be as practical as needed. It’s sometimes a long journey for your product to get to your customer, and no one wants damaged goods to arrive.
Feel free to draw inspiration from websites like Pinterest or other sources that alert you to what’s trendy these days. Bear in mind that styles you like personally may not be right for your customers, so look at options through their eyes.
BKeep checking your competition! Who knows, you might see things they do well that you can adapt to your own situation. You also need to keep abreast of your industry’s trends. You can’t operate in a vacuum.
Set a budget for packaging and stick to it as much as possible. Remember that the value of good packaging approaches the product itself so it should reflect that reality – more expensive packaging for more expensive products.
If you work with a printer, get them involved early. You could be started in the wrong direction for some aspect of your design, which the printer could alert you to, and you could then reverse course while it’s still early on. You’ll also need to know if your printer uses offset or digital printing.
Ask for feedback on your design and material choices, both from other stakeholders and people not involved. Different sets of eyes can spot things you’ve easily overlooked. And, of course, making changes now can spare you grief later on.
Get the proper files from your designer. That could include dielines in vector format and/or Pantone or CMYK color codes if your printer does customer colors.
