Maybe you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but for many customers, packaging can play a huge role in whether or not they’ll stick with your product. In fact, 30% of consumers base their final buying decision on just that – packaging. It is their first point-of-contact, after all, and if the box doesn’t reflect the hard work that was put into the product itself, your potential customer might never find out just how special your concept is among the competition.
What’s the secret to an effective design, you ask? Like anything in the marketing sphere, there isn’t a foolproof formula to drawing in the most customers, but there are some actions you can take to strategically develop packaging that appeals to larger crowds.
Key Factors To Consider With Packaging Design
Allow enough time for packaging design
Designing the packaging for your product is almost as important as developing the product itself. It is not something that should be placed on the back burner or rushed into just before the product launch. Not only do you need time to consider the branding of the package but there is also lead time for the actual manufacturing of the packaging to plan for too. To test packaging design, many businesses will run a short run of product packaging to test it in the market before settling on a final design. Read about the benefits of short run packaging here.
Build packaging price into the overall product cost
The cost of making a product affects the return on investment and product packaging is part of the equation. On average the cost of product packaging is around 10 to 15% of the total cost of the product. Exceeding this threshold can lower the return on investment for the product. However, at the same time, added-value packaging can increase the overall value of the product. Effective packaging helps to differentiate the product, increase brand awareness, and brand identification.
Determine how the product will be displayed
For products displayed on a shelf next to competitor products, an effective design can prove very beneficial. Slim designs can provide the opportunity to place more of the product on the shelf. Attention to color, images, and other branding attributes can draw the buyer’s attention and influence the buying decision.
Product weight and dimensions influence packaging materials selection
Heavier products will need packaging that supports the product during transit and while it is displayed on a shelf. For liquid products, packaging that keeps the products upright is important. For products like these, careful consideration needs to be taken when selecting the materials to be used with packaging.
Product packaging influences audience buying decisions
We know that 30% of consumers buy products because of the packaging. They know they need the product and when they compare brands, the packaging is one of the things helping them make their decision. An example of this is the cosmetics industry and high-end products. Consumers have high expectations when purchasing these types of products and the packaging needs to also meet those expectations.
The packaging can tell the product’s story
Because text can be printed directly onto most packaging material, product packaging can be used to tell a product’s story and to communicate the benefits and differentiators of the product. Messaging is key for buyer decision-making and placing it front and center is important. Begin by learning what is important to the audience and ensure that the message addresses anything that may influence the buying decision.