Does your product stand out in a crowded shelf?
You know what it’s like to walk into a supermarket aisle wanting to find a specific product and feeling dizzy trying to figure out which item is from which brand. It’s not that they are not good products from good brands, it’s just that there are SO MANY CHOICES! And on top of that, often they look almost the same.
Meanwhile, you only have about 5 seconds to grab your customer’s attention on a shelf. Five seconds, that’s it! For some, it’s probably even less than 5!! So… as a brand, you obviously don’t have a lot of time to connect with your customers through your packaging design. You need to grab their interest and hit their sweet spot right away.
You want customers to be able to pinpoint your brand just from your packaging design
Here’s the ideal situation: You want customers to browse through crowded shelves and be able to pinpoint your brand from just looking at the packaging.
If you want your brand to reach your targeted customers, you need a packaging design that stands out. You need a packaging design that allows your audience to spot you, differentiate you, and feel connected with your brand from that brief experience. You want them to distinctly capture aspects of who you are as a brand through that packaging.
Many women entrepreneurs still underestimate the power of good packaging design. There is still this mindset that packaging comes later and it’s not too important—what matters is you get your product on the shelves. But how can you actually reach your customers if you drown in the sea of choices and information overwhelm?
This is the power of packaging design.
Your packaging design is a part of your brand experience
Even though most packaging design comes in small, physical sizes, but the power of packaging design goes way beyond that. When you think of packaging design, think of allowing your customers to experience your brand and the value you are offering through your product. Think of building trust with your audience. Think of communicating what your brand is all about. Think of taking your customers on a journey.
There’s so much that a good packaging design can do to your brand and business! However, here’s the other side of the story: a good packaging design is as powerful as a bad packaging design. Having a solid packaging design for your products mean you will stand out in a crowded shelf and differentiate yourself in a saturated market. But putting on bad packaging design means you might lose trust from your customers and communicating the wrong message about your brand. It’s something you 100% don’t want to experience!!
Thoughtful and strategic packaging design will elevate the product value
But that’s the key—it cannot just be any kind of packaging. It needs to be packaging design that is thoughtful and strategic. It is the kind of packaging design that is fully aligned with your brand. It’s an extension of a cohesive brand experience that you are probably already offering through your brand identity and website.
If you want your packaging design to elevate your product value and your brand experience, you need to design it based on a solid foundation. Before designing anything, you need clarity on where you want to go with your brand and product, and clarity on who you are as a brand. This foundation is brand strategy.
The foundation to an effective packaging design is brand strategy
It goes back to brand strategy. Brand strategy is the missing piece that will get you the clarity you need to take your business from where it is now to where you want it to be. To put it simply, brand strategy is the bridge that connects you, your goals, and your customers.
With brand strategy, you are establishing a roadmap that will affect your entire brand experience. You’re taking the time to evaluate your customer journey, your onboarding process, and so much more. And a part of a deliverable that you can build based on your brand strategy is your packaging design.
✨ The challenge is, it’s really hard to figure out your brand strategy on your own. As a woman entrepreneur, you know this—you already have A LOT on your plate.
While you’re passionate about what you do and you want to keep doing it, it’s hard to bring your business to the next level without clarity.
Deep breaths… we’re here for you and we got you!!
In a brand strategy workshop, you go deep to understand your goals, get to know your ‘Super Fans’, and uncover who you are as a brand.
Creating a packaging design that stands out goes beyond just picking bold colors and fonts, but it’s about finding what makes you different and why you’re a better fit with your targeted customers. It’s about finding your secret sauce of success! This will be what differentiate you in the market.
And more than that, your packaging design will also be a tool that you can use to build relationship with your customers, right? This means you want every element on the packaging design to connect with your customers.
You want every element of your packaging design to speak to your customers’ hearts and minds
The copy you put there, the pictures you include, the shape that you will go with and the material that it is made of… You want each of these elements to speak to your customers’ hearts and minds. You want it to communicate your brand in a way that builds a meaningful, emotional connection with your customers. For this reason, brand strategy is absolutely essential!!
So, packaging design… where to start? Here are 7 questions you can ask!
1. Does your packaging design align with your brand strategy?
First things first, let’s evaluate whether your packaging design actually aligns with the direction where your brand wants to go. Using your preferences as the only base isn’t good enough to design an effective and meaningful packaging design. Think about your ideal customer profile and what they are looking for in a packaging. Are all these things aligning?
If you find yourself without clarity about this alignment, then it’s a good sign to dive into your brand strategy and start from there. As we’ve discussed in the previous paragraphs that you’re not just looking about a packaging design that looks good. You want a packaging design that actually conveys trust and represents your brand to your customers.
✨ P.S.: Don’t know who your ideal customer is and what your strategy needs to be? Let’s unpack them together! Schedule a free call now
2. Does your packaging design fulfill all the essential requirements?
When it comes to packaging design, we’re not just talking about looking good. You want a packaging design that works for you and there are factors outside of design that you need to consider.
One thing you need to keep in mind is to know the regulations around what information needs to be on your packaging. This will affect your design and copy. Be a brand that’s transparent with customers. Be open about the value that you bring and give them as much clarity as you can about what they can expect from your product through your packaging.
Another thing would be, how will you produce this packaging?
Does the production fit your budget?
Will it be safe for shipping?
Being passionate women entrepreneurs usually mean you have these AMAZING ideas for what your packaging design can be!! And while those ideas are awesome, you need to think about the practicality of your packaging—beyond just creating the packaging of your dreams. These factors play a part in guiding what will be the most effective, functional, and sustainable packaging design for you.
3. How does your packaging design fit into your customer journey?
Let’s say you’re good with the brand strategy part and you’re good with all the essential requirements. You’re sure that the design is cohesive with the brand identity and you can definitely produce the packaging. Now comes the question of what you can actually do with the packaging design so that it connects with your customers.
Think about what your customers need right now and how will this packaging design answer those needs. When they walk into the supermarket shelves and browse through products, what will be going through their mind? What questions need answered?
Designing packaging to help customers be aware of the brand vs. advocate for the brand are completely different. Two different purposes, two different stages. Get clarity on the role and impact that your packaging design can bring to your whole brand experience. Go deep and understand how your packaging design fit in your customer journey.
4. What kind of experience does your packaging design give to your customers?
Don’t forget about the 5 senses. Your customers will experience your brand through the senses beyond just what they can see. Sure, you want a design that stands out and looks good, as we will talk about it more in the next point. But.. more than that, think beyond visuals.
Imagine what they will feel when they hold your product, when they touch the surface of your packaging and when they smell it (if there’s anything they can smell!). These things are a part of your brand experience too!
You will get a different impression from holding something that is packaged in a velvet box vs. something that’s packaged in an eco-friendly, paper-based box. And right now as you’re reading this, you’re probably imagining 2 very different brands from the example above.
How do you want your brand to be experienced by your customers? You can communicate this through your packaging design.
5. Does your packaging design stand out in the market?
If you design your packaging like everybody else, no one will notice your product. If you only focus on what’s trending and what most brands do in the market, you will drown in the shelves. You only have a few seconds to get people’s attention. So you need to make sure that your packaging is bold and tells a different, unique story.
A way to test this out is to actually bring your packaging design and put it side-by-side on the shelves. Obviously, don’t leave it there because you don’t want to get into trouble! But see how it physically looks like next to your competitors in the market and take notes.
6. Do the messaging and copywriting on the packaging design show the brand story?
Customers don’t convert because of information, but they convert based on connection. They want a genuine relationship and trust with the brand in order for them to decide that your brand is THE ONE to go to. They need to know what your brand is about.
We’ve already established that we need to grab customers’ attention within just a few seconds of them browsing through the shelves. Imagine if they decide to pick up your product and consider to buy it. This is the moment!! You want to communicate to them that, “Hey, we got you!” – “Hey, this product was created just for you!”.
Your messaging and copywriting on the packaging design needs to be short and sweet, but powerfully showcase your brand story. You want them to walk away from reading your product knowing what you stand for, because these insights are what will create those long-lasting trust between you and your customers.
7. Is your packaging design functional and easy-to-use for the customers?
Is it easy to hold for your customers? Would your customers know what to do with the packaging just by looking at it? If you’re being super innovative and you’re designing something that’s out of the box, how will they understand how to use it? These are small, significant things that you need to think about when you work on your packaging design.
Again, it’s about the WHOLE experience. This needs more than a ‘whatever-feels-good’ approach. If they have a positive and memorable experience with your product through your packaging design, that builds trust!
Your packaging design is also a tool to build your authority, your influence & share your brand purpose
Your purpose is too valuable for you to stay like everybody else!!
Your story deserves to be told! Your brand deserves to stand out in the market and you don’t have to stay drowned in the crowded shelves.
One of the most effective and powerful ways to accomplish this in the health, wellness, and fitness space is through your packaging design. When your packaging is bold and cohesive with the rest of your brand experience, you are bringing your brand story forward.
You can differentiate yourself and find your unique sweet spot in your customers’ hearts through a thoughtful packaging design that is based on a solid brand strategy.
Ready to transform your brand?
After years of working with women entrepreneurs, we made it our mission to encourage and empower women to become confident brand leaders. You are the reason why Platinum 99 exists!
Your visions and dreams for your brand matter, so we want to help you get the clarity you need to move forward with confidence. How can we do that? Through brand strategy.
Let’s unpack your brand’s key differentiators, find out who your ideal customers are, and analyse your competitive landscape. Let’s map out the clear path for you to reach your BIG brand goals!
