Does the perfect package exist? What can we do to make sure the packaging is exactly right?
In previous articles, we have discussed the importance of a custom logo and how a custom logo can help you build a brand that will stand the test of time.
This time, we’ll focus on specific steps you can implement to create the perfect packaging for any product.
What about the good news? All ideas are doable and won’t cost you a fortune! You’ll find that perfect packaging is all in the little details.
But first…
Perfect Packaging – What You Should Know Before You Start Designing
Know Your Target Market
Perfect packaging and labeling to match your target market. In other words, you need to know what your customers want and want better than anyone else.
Are your products geared toward upper-class women? Your packaging and what’s on it should be consistent with the identity of this group. Maybe you can think of a luxurious tinsel box or a classic, simple serif letter box.
Are your products here to help young women and men, risk takers? Then your box should reflect your target market’s lifestyle and what they are interested in.
The same goes for aligning the visuals of your packaging with the product you’re selling. If you’re selling a fruity tropical scent, the packaging will make more sense if it’s colorful. Playful looks are less important if the fragrance is a premium fragrance for a special occasion or red carpet event.
Know Your Competition
As mentioned earlier, knowing your competition is an important piece of the puzzle. How are your competitors presenting their products?
Maybe their packaging is not very clear and straightforward? Or maybe it’s bland. If all the products in your niche are packaged in white boxes with simple graphics, perhaps you can think of a very colorful visual, or a bold and strong look in luxurious black and gold.
Is there something you can highlight in your packaging to give your brand an extra edge? Of course, you need to make sure you present your advantage (without hurting your competition) in an ethical and moral way.
Know Your Point of Sale
You should also consider where your product will be sold, placed and how it will look on the shelves. If you sell primarily online, the box your product comes in is very important to brand perception and the unboxing experience.
But when you’re selling in a brick and mortar store and your competitors are also selling (like a scented candle store), making sure your box is visible in other stores is key.
If you’re stuck and don’t know where to start, think about packaging you like, or just go on a shopping trip and notice how different products are placed on the shelves and how they relate to other products.
Take inspiration from your favorite stores and try to break down what makes their packaging unique.
An Easily Accessible Perfect Packaging Experience
Here’s how to create the perfect packaging experience in a few easy steps.
1. Start with the material
The choice of packaging materials is one of the important considerations in packaging design. Different materials can bring different feelings and effects. For example, paper packaging can give people a light and simple feeling, while plastic materials can give people a more modern and technological sense. When choosing materials, factors such as product weight, protection performance, and environmental protection need to be considered.
In addition, the treatment of materials can also make the packaging more colorful. For example, paper packaging can be printed, laminated, embossed, etc. to make the packaging more durable and beautiful, and to improve the grade of the product.
For scented candles, higher-grade metals, glass, ceramics and other materials can also be used to make the products more luxurious and high-quality.
2. Composition design
The composition of packaging design refers to the design of the layout of the packaging, while creating novel, attractive and distinctive visual effects through typography, color matching, patterns, etc. A good composition can make a product more attractive and increase sales. Therefore, the designer needs to consider the shape, size, weight, etc. of the product when composing the picture, and arrange the elements reasonably according to the characteristics of the product.
At the same time, the composition also needs to pay attention to the sense of balance, so that the overall effect of the packaging is harmonious and beautiful. You can achieve a balanced effect by using different layout methods such as symmetry and asymmetry.
In addition, in order to make the packaging better, it is also necessary to consider the layout of the copy, choose the appropriate font and font size, and the appropriate space allocation.
An unboxing experience worth the mention has to have some sort of custom printing. Just think about your favorite product – maybe it’s a piece of jewelry or a gadget. Now imagine it being delivered in a brown paper bag, without so much as a custom seal or stamp that shows the brand logo.
Not that interesting, right?
Getting custom packaging doesn’t have to cost a fortune. If you’re on a tight budget, you can put together a white box and a custom sleeve to go over it and you’re all set with a branded box.
We offer budget-friendly solutions such as blank boxes and custom packaging sleeves, so when you’re ready to upscale your packaging we’re here to help.
3. Keep it simple
If you’re like most brands, you’ll want to plaster key words and important information all over your packaging so that the consumer knows why yours is better than the others.
Make a list of the most important points you would like for your customers to know about your product and make those the front. Find the fine line between important information and a clean and clear message.
4. File format requirements
The printing factory needs a vector file, whether it needs to be divided into layers, and whether it should contain knife lines. Provided as a vector file (usually Adobe Illustrator (.ai), Photoshop (.psd), PDF or EPS). You may not be able to open these files if you don’t have the right software, but the printing house can. Color Codes – Make sure you have Pantone or CMYK color codes so you can produce exactly the desired color.
5. Test your audience and adjust your packaging accordingly
Market research? This sounds scary.
It’s not. And you don’t need a huge research firm to do a quick market research or survey to give you a starting point. You can create some sample packaging and ask individuals (preferably those you know might buy this product) what they think , and ask for suggestions. You may just learn something very valuable about your packaging that you never noticed before.
You can also package your products in small batches and see which ones sell better. To help you with this we can print short run boxes so you’re not stuck with thousands of leftover boxes. Our minimum order goes as low as 500 pieces, so You can test without breaking the budget.
6. Comply with laws and regulations on packaging
Perfect packaging does not only mean a good looking box or label. Getting your product on the market also requires some legal work. While we cannot offer specific guidance on this subject, we recommend putting in the extra work and research to make sure you’re on top of the legalities.
4 Mistakes to Avoid When Designing Packaging So Your Customers Don’t Hate It
1. Your packaging is hard to open
When buying a new product, there are few things that can annoy a client more than the struggle it sometimes takes to open the packaging they come in. Take, for example, items that come in sealed plastic blisters (or clamshell packaging) so hard to open, you actually need another tool to get through. Bad packaging can even lead to injuries, causing the client to abandon using your product altogether.
2. Your packaging is unnecessary or excessive
A larger packet means more visual space, which is mostly a good thing.
But in some cases, it’s not such a great marketing technique and it doesn’t always mean added value.
The number of product packaging layers is not more than 3 layers, and the packaging void rate is less than 60%. Can effectively reduce and limit the packaging volume. Excessive volume not only wastes materials, but also takes up transportation space and shopping mall space, causing corresponding expenses and costs to increase, and this part of the cost will eventually be added to the sales price and borne by consumers.
It is recommended that the total cost of packaging should not exceed 20% of the selling price of the product.
3. Your packaging is too fragile
On the other end of the spectrum, we have packaging that’s not sturdy enough compared to the actual weight and volume of the product inside. An inadequate box that doesn’t protect or hold the product can mean your product will reach its destination altered.
4. Overly complex design
Perfect packaging must have legible texts. Information and design elements should be balanced. A crowded design makes it hard for your customer to identify what’s the product for.
As I’ve mentioned before, information overload may lead to decision fatigue. If your potential customer finds a more relevant packaging design from your competitor – one that clearly states a benefit they were after – your sale won’t happen.
To make it easier for your customers to understand where your brand can help them, stick to a simple design that has more chances of standing out on the shelf.
Where to get your perfect package?
You’ve seen how perfect packaging implies dedication, care, and a professional touch.
But its not that hard to get.
We can help you put all these steps into practice and produce different packaging for your company.
The factories we cooperate with have been in the printing industry in China for nearly 30 years. With stunning candle care tools state-of-the-art machinery and automated processes, your candle care kit package will be ready for shelves in as little as 10 days! Prices will also be adjusted to suit your needs.
Get in touch with us today. We’re real people, on site, and we can’t wait to be of service to you!
