Product packaging is just packaging right? After all, everyone knows it’s the product that is inside the packaging that matters. Wrong! While the product is important, you could be setting yourself up for failure in your business, if this is the way you’re approaching your packaging.
It is a proven fact that product packaging plays a vital role in consumer purchasing. If you’re struggling with getting just the right design for your product packaging, asking the right questions can guide you in the right directions. Here are the seven questions to ask about product packaging if you want it to succeed:
1. Does the Product Packaging Fit Your Brand?
One of the first questions to ask about your product packaging will be about your brand and your mission. The last thing you want is to put out product packaging that doesn’t fit that brand or works against your mission and values.
You want to be careful of the message you’re sending with your packaging, so it’s important to consider your design elements, colors, and the materials used, among other things.
2. Is Your Product Packaging Compliant?
According to the type of product you are offering, it’s extremely important to make sure that the product packaging is compliant with federal standards. While it’s important to create product packaging that will wow your customers and make them reach for your product above all others on the shelf, it’s important to do so in a tasteful and compliant manner. Products, especially if they are products that shouldn’t appeal to children will be checked carefully before being allowed to be put on shelves in stores in that area.
3. Does Your Product Packaging Hit Your Target Audience?
Of course, your ultimate goal is to sell your product, so your packaging certainly needs to be able to hit the audience you’re targeting. This means doing careful research to determine what colors, shapes, and unique qualities will work for your product and make your target audience sit up and take notice at the same time. Remember, however, if you are working with adult products, you need to be careful that your packaging doesn’t appeal to minors.
4. What’s Your Budget for Product Packaging?
Surveys have shown that over 72% of customers will tell you that the packaging plays a huge role in their choice of which products they buy. That’s why it’s so important for you to sit down with your team and determine just how much of your businesses budget can be allowed to go to product packaging. Of course, the more of your budget you can put towards packaging the better but getting the help of professional product packaging designers can help you stay well within the budget you do set as well.
5. Will Your Packaging Show Well No Matter How It’s Stocked?
If you think about it, boxed products are easy, and look well no matter how they are stocked. They have a front, a back, and two sides, so there’s not much to mess up. However, if your product packaging is unique or even in bottle form, it gets a little bit more complicated. That’s why it’s important to make sure your packaging looks great no matter how it’s stocked. For example, if your product is being put on a shelf ready case, then you want to know that your product will stand ready, tall, and speak to consumers that are walking by.
6. Are You Adding a New Product to Your Existing Line?
One of the main questions you need to ask is if you’re introducing a new product to your existing line of products. If this is your intent, then you need to make sure that your new packaging meshes well with the existing products you have out there on the shelves. While you want to make a splash with your new packaging, you want it to fit your brand and reach out to your target audience as well.
7. What Kind of Protection do You Need?
When it comes to packaging, most businesses consider some of the above things, but you need to consider the protection you need for your packaging as well. The last thing you want is to ship your wonderful product across the country, only to be informed by your customer later that it was broken or damaged upon arrival. That’s why it’s super important to have the kind of protection, such as bubble wrap, peanuts, or some other form of padding to ensure your product arrives in great shape.
These are just a few of the questions that you should be asking yourself about your product packaging, before and during the entire process. Remember, the product is important, but the packaging is important to the success of your product and business as well.
