Creating the right packaging design can be a significant factor in the success of your brand in terms of sales. You do not have to go into the packaging design process blind, however. Instead, consider some professional assistance and be sure you follow the crucial steps to create the perfect packaging design for your product.
Come Up With a Brief
The first thing you and your team should do when coming up with a packaging design is to create and understand your brief. This is the stage where problems are most likely to occur. Think of your brief as your general roadmap. It should define your goals and timeline. Never underestimate the importance of creating your brief. Doing this step poorly would be the equivalent of getting into a car for a drive but having no idea of where to go, no map, and no GPS. Make the brief as clear as possible.
As you complete the brief, you should naturally come up with a general project plan. If that does not happen naturally, ensure you make that plan before moving on.
Conduct Research
Next, you will need to go ahead and conduct research to help you create your packaging design. You need to research how to make people notice your item on the shelf and how to convince them to buy the item. The research stage should determine your marketing strategy, the demographics where you will likely sell the product, your competitors, and any changes or similarities of the new packaging design compared to the current packaging (if applicable).
Create a Concept Design
With the research in mind, it is time to come up with the concept design for your product packaging. This is when you ensure you know the needs of your target market and have reviewed what the competitors offer. You then use that information to define the specifications of your packaging and make refinements until everyone is happy.
Delving deeper, you will have to come up with a concept design that shows consideration for brand identity, consumer persona, fonts, colors, images, and positioning. Be mindful of regulations as well, and be sure you proofread the copy. The first iteration of your concept design does not need to be very specific. It can focus on shapes, graphics, materials, and color palettes.
Hone the Design
With the basics in your concept design settled, it is time to start refining it. This is when you ensure all details are accurate and you have included everything that you want. Pay close attention to positioning, layout, shapes, spacing, brand identity, and regulatory requirements.
The Dieline
With the design all ready, you can move on to the dieline, which is the packaging template. The dieline is the flattened-out outline for your product packaging, so it is essentially a flat template. This will include folds and lines. The dieline is typically completed with or by your packaging manufacturer. Once the dieline is ready and approved, you can go ahead and have the first packaging run produced.
