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When you start a business, you must do thorough market research, set up a budget and brainstorm marketing campaigns. One other key business aspect is branding. Your branding is more than a color palette or a logo — it must represent your business’s personality, values and messaging.
You can attract, relate to and retain customers with a solid brand identity. However, to do so, your branding must be consistent in all areas of your business, especially its packaging.
There is a packaging effect on brand perception beyond aesthetics. Discover how to elevate your brand through thoughtful design below.
The Psychology of Packaging Design
Packaging design plays a bigger role than one might think — it may even be as important as the product itself. It’s about understanding human behavior and emotions. There is a psychological effect on brand perception and packaging.
Your packaging will set the tone for what people expect from your product and business. The colors, fonts and shapes you use send subtle messages. For example, if your packages are presented in soft, pastel colors, customers will likely think of your brand as calm and approachable. If you use bold and bright colors, customers may perceive your brand as energetic or exciting.
The packaging’s texture and material also matter. Regardless of the colors, if a product comes in a sleek and high-quality box, it gives a more premium feel. When customers hold a product’s packaging in their hands for the first time, they’ll immediately start making conclusions about your brand and products. It’s all about the smallest of details that can create a memorable experience and a lasting connection. These observations and experiences occur before the customer even opens the box.
Packaging as a Marketing Tool
Online retail business owners can use packaging as a marketing tool to help create an emotional connection with customers. Here are several strategies to help boost customer loyalty and retention.
1. Maintain Brand Consistency
Consistency reinforces identity, and packaging can help. When the logo, colors and typography align across all materials, it creates a cohesive look, which aids in brand recognition.
2. Communicate Brand Values
A consistent and cohesive look also helps communicate your brand’s values. For instance, if your packaging is eco-friendly, it demonstrates your brand’s commitment to sustainability.
3. Create an Experience
The unboxing experience is a big deal in online shopping. Ensure it’s well-designed to make an ordinary delivery a special event. When customers receive a well-designed package, it makes a strong first impression and creates a positive emotional response. An unforgettable experience equals an unforgettable brand — and repeat customers.
4. Encourage Social Sharing
People are more likely to share content about your products on social media when your packaging looks great and tells a story.
Unboxing content is popular across many platforms and can be a great marketing opportunity. Encourage customers to share their experiences with your products, which can help increase sales and your customer base. User-generated content (UGC) is a win-win — it promotes your brand and creates a community.
5. Build a Connection
Your packaging should evoke an emotional trigger. A thoughtful design creates a positive experience and helps customers feel valued and excited. Remember, the goal is to make customers feel good so they’ll remember you, talk about you and stay loyal.
6. Differentiate Your Brand
Make your brand stand out in the competitive e-commerce market by adding little touches, such as a personal note or a unique design, to your brand’s packaging. Additionally, adding thoughtful details can help foster customer loyalty.
7. Keep Quality Consistent
Reliable, protective packaging assures customers their orders will arrive in perfect condition. Keeping a consistent quality helps to reinforce your brand’s reputation for dependability.
Key Elements of Effective Packaging Design
What makes a package stand out in a competitive market? Several elements can help enhance your brand’s perception.
Brand Identity
Your packaging should reflect your brand’s identity. Using consistent design elements like colors, textures, shapes and typography across all packaging materials helps customers instantly recognize your business.
For example, if your brand is about luxury, your packaging should look and feel premium. If you’re targeting a younger, trendier market, your design might be more vibrant and playful.
Regardless of the design style, it must align with the message you want to convey to consumers. This consistency builds trust and reinforces brand recognition.
Durability
Your packaging needs to protect your product. Sturdy materials like corrugated cardboard or padded envelopes help ensure your product arrives in good condition. Durability and strength are especially important in online retail.
Your packaging needs to protect the product from damage during shipping. Robust materials and smart design can prevent items from breaking or getting squashed. A strong design can help keep customers happy while reducing return costs.
Aesthetics
Aesthetics plays a major role in packaging, as it must appeal to customers while aligning with the brand’s visual identity. Attractive packaging can entice shoppers and make your product stand out online.
Practicality
While aesthetics are important, your packaging also needs to be practical. Consider the package’s size, shape and how easy it is to store or dispose of. For example, overly bulky packaging can frustrate customers, while packaging that’s too small might not provide enough protection. Find that sweet spot between form and function.
Storytelling
Packaging is a great place to tell your brand’s story. Use its space to share your brand’s values, origins or unique aspects of your products. Storytelling adds depth to your brand, which can also add a connection with customers.
Unboxing Experience
The unboxing moment is an opportunity to create a memorable experience for consumers. A well-designed, easy-to-open packaging or special touches like personalized thank-you notes can make a customer feel special. The goal is to make the experience pleasant so people remember it and even share it on social media.
A “shareable” experience can increase free exposure for your brand.
Cost-Effectiveness
Good packaging doesn’t have to be expensive. While high-quality materials might offer a premium look and feel, they can also be more expensive. Thus, it’s important to find packaging materials and designs that fit your budget while still delivering quality.
Creative design choices can sometimes achieve a high-end look without a high-end price tag. For example, you can use foil stamping on simple, high-quality cardboard to add a metallic finish, making your packaging look more upscale.
Sustainability in Packaging Design
Many customers are concerned about the planet, and sustainable packaging can significantly enhance your brand’s image.
Businesses using 100% recycled and biodegradable packaging materials show they care about the environment. This commitment can set your brand apart in a crowded market and attract conscious customers who prefer to support businesses with green practices.
People appreciate when a brand makes an effort to reduce its negative impacts, and they’re often willing to pay a little more for products that come in sustainable packaging.
Businesses can be sustainable in various ways, from packaging to policies. It’s an initiative that can also become a great marketing point. Highlight your eco-friendly practices on your website and social media to attract potential customers.
Experience Superior Protection and Sustainability
Great Northern Packaging™ excels in creating sustainable and high-quality packaging solutions that align with the key elements of effective packaging design. Contact us online for more information on how Great Northern can help protect your products with sustainable packaging.
