In this day and age, many of us do business across the web. And if you, like us, offer physical products, this means your customers' first interaction with their purchase will be the packaging. “First impressions are everything” and that’s especially true for your business. When it comes down to it, you want to stand out from your competitors in every way possible. One great way to do this is to produce unique packaging. If you’re thinking, “as long as they get the product, that’s all that matters,” I can assure you that you’re in the wrong mind frame. Think about it, when you get a package in the mail and it’s unique - you remember that brand! As a business owner, that’s what your goal is, to be remembered and get more business.
So, what do you need to consider when it comes to packaging? What can you do to make your packaging both safe and distinctive? We've found that the best practice is to always be well aware of your target audience and who will be receiving your package. Don’t overcomplicate your packaging, but remain personable and consistent, and you’ll be golden.
If you still haven’t fully grasped the concept of quality packaging or you’re looking to revamp what you currently have, check out what we've found!
Know Your Audience
Who are you shipping to? This should be the first question you are asking yourself. This is going to determine which direction you go when you are packaging. Think of it this way, you need to speak to whoever sees your packaging without actually speaking to them directly. So, to speak to them positively, you need to know a little about who they are and what they are looking for.
Let’s look at millennials for example. Millennials are very specific when it comes to what they look for in a business; the key features being transparency, clean designs, and personal connections. As such, your packaging should be upfront about what your products are while utilizing simplified designs and iconography rather than large blocks of text when possible. Whoever it is that you would consider being a part of your target market, do your research and determine what characteristics they look for.
Keep It Simple
I cannot stress this enough, keep it simple! When it comes to your packaging, you don’t have to overdo it to get your brand across. Overly complex designs don't leave room for your clients' eyes to rest. That’s when you start to draw people away from your brand.
Leo Tolstoy once said, “There is no greatness where there is not simplicity, goodness, and truth.” Keep this in mind when it comes to your packaging. Take a few key points that you for sure want to get across and make sure those are implemented in the packaging. Once you've got your design laid out, take a step back, look at the finished product, and see if it would be something that you would be interested in if you received it.
Keep It On Brand
Your packaging is your canvas to create something special. So like anything else dealing with your business - it should scream YOU!
Start with a color palette. What colors do you typically use when promoting your business? Take those and incorporate them within your packaging. Make sure you are using your logo somewhere, that way your customers will be able to easily identify the package as something from your company. This could be on the outside of the package itself or even on the inside using custom tissue paper or packing inserts.
Be Personable
For some reason, people have a hard time connecting with big corporations. That reason being a lack of personal connection between the buyer and the seller. This is the main reason why we’ve seen such an increase in people shopping with small and local businesses rather than with larger corporations. People enjoy knowing who they are buying from and feeling some type of personal connection between them. That’s what keeps loyal customers loyal.
One of the main ways that you can be personable with your customers is to share your gratitude with them. In your packaging, include a thank you note. It doesn’t have to be something over the top, something short and sweet should do the trick! You can include your socials or a little about your company to let them get to know you a bit better. It could also be something as simple as including the client's name in your thank you to draw them in and create a positive relationship. Make it hard for your customers to forget you.
Work Towards Consistency
That’s right, you’ll hear/read it a thousand times throughout the course of my blogs - consistency. As Millard Drexler, chairmen of J. Crew has put it: “People like consistency. Whether it’s a store or a restaurant, they want to come in and see what you are famous for.” Whatever you do in your business, as long as it’s bringing positive results, do what you can to remain consistent. This includes packaging. I’m not saying that your packaging should be the same across the board for every product, but you should strive to incorporate a similar design. Try not to go from giving your customers a fully branded packing experience and then the next time they order from you they get a brown box with some packaging tape if you can help it.
Final Thoughts
Packaging can be stressful so take it a step at a time and find out what works best for you and your company. As a business owner, I am always trying to find ways to elevate myself and my business and that includes my packaging. I don’t want you to think that I am giving all this advice as someone who has it figured out 100% of the time, because that isn’t the case. With my packaging, my ultimate goal is to create something that will keep my products safe during transit and impress my clients. Sometimes I can't provide the full branded packaging I want with the tools I have available to me and have to focus on safety only, but I always strive to find a better way after the experience. Afterall, I want people to be able to easily recognize my brand and want to come back for more, and quality packaging is the icing on that cake!