When we first started working with a new client, they were having trouble convincing people to buy their products. After several failed product launches and countless hours of research and strategizing, we finally realized what was preventing them from succeeding: their packaging sucked. We know that packaging doesn’t seem like the most important thing in the world, but trust us when we say it is. If your packaging fails to convince people to buy your products, you run the risk of them passing by or even throwing away your goods because they don’t see any value in them.
Get to the core of your packaging problem
Start by looking at your packaging from a customer’s point of view. Are they getting what they need from it? If they’re not, what do they need and why? Do they need to see the product itself, how it works, how it’s made, what’s in it, or all of the above? You need to know these things so that you can then work backward and produce a package that satisfies that need. It can be as simple as adding a photo of the product next to the ingredients, or using a different font so that it stands out. But if you can make the product more appealing to the customer by elevating its value, then they’ll be so much more likely to buy it.
Make your product more worthy
If you want people to see the importance of your products, you need to make them more worthy. You do this by adding value to the packaging by elevating the products’ form. For example, you might choose to use glossy cardboard to showcase your product rather than a plain one. Glossy materials are more expensive, which will immediately make your product look more high-end than a plain cardboard box. If you can find a way to put high-quality paper or cardboard around your product that elevates it, that will make it seem much more valuable than a plain cardboard box could ever do.
Add a little function, get a lot of forms
You may be selling a product that does one single thing well, without any other functions. But you may also be selling a product that does a few things well, but not so well that they justify the price. Then you can use the form of your packaging to elevate the product’s value. So, for example, you might choose to add more functionality to your packaging by making a jar that can hold loose leaf tea, for example. This will instantly add value to your product because people will immediately think that it has more potential than simply being used as a jar.
Put more messaging in your package
You may have a product that has one clear message that can be conveyed through the packaging form. But you may also have a product with many messages that you want to convey, but they’re spread all over the packaging, getting lost in translation. You can use the form of your packaging to help you out here, too. For example, you might choose a jar with a clear, bold font so that it stands out and gets people’s attention as soon as they open the door to your shop. This will help you catch the shopkeeper’s eye, who will then be able to scan through your labels and see what you want them to see.
Grab attention with unexpected details
It’s no secret that packaging design is very important. How you choose to present your products will help you decide whether you’re going to make a sale or not. That’s why it’s also no secret that many packaging designs stick to the same old formulas. They go for loud, bold colors, they use repetitive images, and they follow the same formulas that we’ve seen hundreds of times before. You can use these ingredients to your advantage, though. They can make your packaging a lot more memorable
Don’t be afraid to make bold moves
All of these things might seem small and insignificant, but they can make all the difference in the world if you apply them to your packaging design. You can elevate your products even further by putting one or two of these small details on your package. And you might be surprised at how much they can add to your marketing efforts.
Bottom line
We can’t stress enough how important it is to get your packaging right. It doesn’t matter how amazing your product is, if people can’t see it because it’s hidden behind a poor design, it won’t get the chance to succeed. And it’s not just small businesses either. Product manufacturers and retailers from all kinds of industries are struggling to convince shoppers to buy their products. So stop waiting and start doing. Getting your packaging design right will make all the difference between selling your products and selling none at all.