How Important is Packaging in Marketing a Product?

1. Creating Shelf Impact

There are thousands of products on the market, and thousands of products like yours.

Arka states that one-third of customer decisions are entirely based on product packaging. This is why your packaging is the most important factor in sales.

First impressions are everything. Customers will first experience your packaging in-store and online.

This is why it is important to make your product stand out from the crowd, beginning with the packaging.

It is the clothes that your goods wear on the shelves. If you use generic packaging, you might fail to attract new customers.

Such packaging is usually regarded as poor quality because it does not fit your product perfectly and is neither interesting nor original.

The best approach is to use custom-made, quality packaging for your products.

This allows you to tell your brand story, communicate with your customers, and make your product stand out from the shelves of your competitors' products.

Strategic package design is significant in building brand awareness.

Remember, your package is your travelling billboard. Make use of this to emphasise your logo and convey important information using graphics and typography.

Be as creative as you like on the front of your packaging to attract your target market.

Your packaging design should interact with your customers so that your brand is easily remembered amongst your competitors.

The same is true of e-commerce.

Although customers won't be able to touch your products before buying them, your packaging must stand out in mail rooms with high-quality designs.

Make sure your package is easy to locate, memorable, and user-friendly.

The advantages of not using unattractive or uneye-catching packaging are that it is less likely to be stolen from your front door or mailroom.

It also reduces the likelihood of it being purchased in the first place.

Ideally, you want your package to look so good that people are just too curious to resist.

2. Communicating a message

Although your packaging can serve as a mobile advertisement for your brand, it is also an excellent way to talk directly to your customers.

The 'facing' refers to the front of the packaging.

This is where your portable billboard comes in handy: its purpose is to showcase your brand, attract attention to your product and make your brand stand out from the competition.

The message you are trying to communicate on the front should be brief and effective.

In other words, simplify it and make it memorable.

The back of the packaging provides information about your product. It establishes communication between your product and the customer. The back of the packaging may be crowded with information due to consumer demand, so it is important to ensure that it is clear, concise and well organised.

Important information that can be conveyed through your packaging includes:

• Price

• Ingredients

• Instructions

• Warnings

• Government regulatory information.

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Although this may seem insignificant to marketing, being completely open with your customers builds brand credibility, protects them against disappointment and makes them feel secure.

This also entails being completely open about the benefits of your product.

For example, does your product save customers time or money? Tell them on the packaging!

This way, you are literally talking to and interacting with your target market, setting yourself apart from any competitors your customers may be considering.

If your packaging lacks information that competitors' packaging offers, this may put your product at a disadvantage, so you should familiarise yourself with competitors' packaging designs.

Give your customers all the information they need about your packaging, and answer any questions they might have before they even ask.

3. Designing an improved customer experience

While most companies spend a lot of time designing and conceptualising their products, packaging is often not considered a priority until later on.

However, today, packaging is a significant element of the customer experience.

This is particularly true in the age of e-commerce, when customers are most likely to read online reviews from other customers who have already bought your product.

When customers open your product, they should experience a positive emotional reaction.

Unboxing videos on YouTube emphasise this, revealing people's obsession with not only experiencing and interacting with the product, but also with the packaging.

According to The Packaging Company, 40 percent of online shoppers report that they are more willing to share a product image or video on social media when the packaging is interesting and branded.

60% are more inclined to post a picture of a product on social media if it is gift-wrapped as opposed to being in a standard brown box.

This implies that, by designing your packaging to appeal to your online customers, you will be able to continue selling your product.

The quality of your product is conveyed to your customer through premium packaging.

Although rigid packaging can be easily damaged, it gives your products a fancy appearance and feel, making your customers feel spoiled.

However, this can also be achieved using folding cartons, as they offer a wide range of print and finish options.

Foam inserts are another way to make your packaging feel luxurious, providing an added touch to the customer experience while protecting your products.

The packaging material you use indirectly communicates information to your customers about the quality of your product, brand and story.

This greatly contributes to the overall experience, and that experience starts with your packaging.

If your packaging makes a memorable impression on users, they might even want to keep it and start a collection!

Find out how the Anfield Shop Subscription Box from Winpack printing made such a memorable impact on customers that they started collecting the subscription boxes.

4. Building a Brand Narrative

We have moved away from traditional marketing methods such as claiming that our product is the best and that you need it.

Marketing is now more complex, with Millennials and Generation Z occupying a larger share of the marketplace.

Simply informing your customers that your product is the best is no longer sufficient. Your customers want to know:

• Why is your product the best?

• Who created the product?

• How was it created?

• Why was it created?

• Which country did the product originate from?

Why do customers want to know? Everybody loves a good story.

Brand storytelling is important for creating an emotional response and educating customers about your product and business.

While it may seem beneficial to provide as much detail as possible about your brand's story, it is better to keep it simple and meaningful.

People love a story that catches their eye, and the most effective way of achieving this is with a portable billboard — your packaging.

Brands must aim for authenticity and establish real relationships with their customers to improve their brand story and reach.

Addressing your customers directly through your packaging design is part of your marketing and sales pitch.

Applying copy, typography and design to your packaging can show your brand story and create a memorable impression for your customers, both online and offline.

The online world is full of superfluous noise.

This makes it challenging for brands to present their brand story, particularly in the era of e-commerce.

This is why your packaging materials are crucial for telling your brand story.

With custom packaging, you can personalise your products and engage with your customers to enhance your brand story.