For those new to a business, it can be difficult to know exactly how to go about packaging your product. You want to opt for packaging that displays your product to its full advantage and demonstrates its features and other main selling points, but is still affordable to produce. Although it can be overwhelming to start packaging your product, knowing the basic steps of the process will make it seem simple.
Examine the Competition
The very first thing you want to do is take a look at your competition. If, for example, you make soap, you would want to examine the other soaps on the market and pay attention to their packaging. Be sure to look at products from a range of brands as well as those sold in a range of stores of all sizes. Pay particular attention to major brands as they have already determined what works well and what doesn’t. Although you will use these products for inspiration, be sure you do not copy them exactly as your product simply won’t stand out.
Select a Material
Next you will want to figure out what type of material you would like to use in the packaging. If you want the product visible, you will need packaging with at least some plastic. Paper packaging is versatile enough to work with boxes, tubes, canisters, bags, and more. Take a look at various packaging companies to see the materials that they typically use and which ones work for you. You may also want to consider going with an eco-friendly material.
Minimize Retail Footprint
The retail footprint is the amount of space that your product takes on the shelf of a store and you should do your best to minimize this footprint while maximizing the overall size and appearance of your product. Keep in mind that the smaller your retail footprint, the more of your product will fit on the shelves, encouraging vendors to purchase more. This is when you want to truly look at the various types of packaging available in terms of style and shape. Pay particular attention to the designs specific for your industry, and many packaging firms will organize their products by industry to make it easier for you.
Find a Packaging Company
Once you have thought about shape and material, you are ready to search for the right packaging company. You want a company that will be able to customize the products to meet your exact needs. It should also have experience in the industry, competitive prices, and a quick turnaround.
Test with a Short Run
Once your package design is ready, you want to first test it with short-run packaging. This means ordering only a few hundred of your packaging material to test it out. This allows you to evaluate your design and see how well it works and whether customers like it before making a larger commitment or order.
Evaluate and Continue
After your short-run packaging is done, take the time to see how well it worked. Consider whether you need to change anything and ask for customer feedback. When you are done, go back to the packaging company you worked with and order a full supply of the packages to get your product on the market and available to the general public.
