When you’re strolling the aisles, what gets your attention? Everyone in business with a product to package should test their own attention by regularly scoping shelves to see what products are making themselves heard above all others. After a while, you might just find that all of your top picks take advantage of one or more of these five design rules. Which is the missing link between your business and greater sales?
1. Consider the shelf as much as the audience.
Where will your product be sold? Think critically about whether or not the plastic packaging design you’d like to choose is appropriate for the shelves commonly utilized in that particular section of the store. Furthermore, don’t separate who you know your specific target audience to be from the audience that commonly visits that store. Does the packaging design appeal not only to your core customer, but also the shopper that prefers this establishment?
2. Make good use of colour.
In advertising and marketing, colour is a topic we approach with the attitude of a psychologist. How does the colour we select impact the customer on an emotional and subconscious level? It’s not an exact science, to say the least, but there are a few generally accepted assumptions. Green, for instance, exudes peace and health, while yellows and oranges are meant to suggest happiness, friendliness, and confidence.
3. Attract, don’t distract.
The idea of keeping things simple can be tough when there’s so much we want the customer to know. The bottom line is that you cannot rely on having customers stop what they’re doing, pick up your product, and start reading the packaging. If your product is healthy, useful, solves a particular problem, or has outstanding feature others don’t make this evident in the simplest way possible.
4. Consider reusable packaging.
Will the packaging be useful for the life of the product, and maybe beyond? If it isn’t necessary to keep it with the product after opening, can a customer use it again? A gift-quality box that comes with a watch, or an iridescent cloth bag accompanying a scented candle can and most likely will be reused by the consumer, which increases value perception. Even something as simple as a resealable plastic bag is considered a plus.
5. Keep your finger on the pulse.
Going with retro themes is certainly appropriate for some brands, but it’s vital that you stay abreast of packaging trends to see what’s hooking today’s consumer. For some brands, you don’t need to go back to the drawing board every year, but other products can demonstrate relevance by including seasonal packaging. If there is a time of year when customers could really use your product, from Super Bowl Sunday to Father’s Day to summer vacation, consider having the package reflect that.
While it’s what’s inside that the customer needs, we have to break through the packaging problem first. If you don’t want your product to be passed over, there’s much to take into account. The location of the item, the colours included, simplicity in messaging, and timeliness of design all matter to consumers, even if they discard that packaging almost immediately.
