- Research the Competition
You’re going into a noisy marketplace, the competition is strong, the consumer has little time and you might get only one chance. Research your competition, create a competition axis and try and create a niche for yourself. Before you design, understand how you can beat the competition, highlight your story and stand out from the crowd.
- Be creative and unique.
Great packaging design communicates the product’s story, key benefits and difference with innovation, shape and image. Choose materials and shapes that help to sell the story. If your packaging is environmentally friendly, tell the story – the customer wants to know.
- Colours and fonts
Use fonts that give character and personality to your packaging and ensure the text remains legible. Use colours that work with each other and inspire. Make sure the text is the right size and font for the target market.
- Legibility
Make sure your labels and packaging messages are legible. The words on your packaging design will confirm to the consumer if they are buying the right thing or not – make sure they can read it. Time is of the essence. If they like what you say the odds are they will not look at someone else’s product.
- Images
A picture can speak a thousand words. Only use a picture within your packaging design if it tells the right story. Make sure a picture can work both in large and small and make sure it is striking, different and stands out.
- Be honest
Sell with emotion and answer a need. Never lead the customer down the garden path. People’s memories of brands are long when they have been let down and you rarely get a second chance. A brand with integrity is a brand with longevity
- Be convenient
The customer will buy your product, carry it home, store it at home, maybe use it again and again – make this process easy for them. If something makes our lives easier we can live with it. Is it easy to open and close, easy to put away and be seen on a shelf?
8. Quality
Don’t scrimp on the cheapest packaging options. Quality packaging shows a quality product to the consumer. People are prepared to pay a little bit more for quality.
- The Real thing
It is useful with many products to ensure that the product itself is visible to the consumer to build better trust in the product. This can either be through the use of plastic see through windows within the packaging to view the product inside, or if this isn’t practical or desirable a photograph of the product can be a part of the packaging design.
- 9. Environmental
Considering the environment is a must for some brands and something that should be considered for all others. One of the most effective ways to preserve the energy expended in the manufacturer of packaging is in recycling. Design for recyclability.
- 10. Open and close
Product security is very important. We don’t want to buy something that has been opened before and tampered with. If your packaging looks damaged or opened it will not sell. Make it look sealed but also make useable.