Making Your Product Pop On The Shelves
Each year, in every product category, the market is flooded with hundreds of new options, all vying for the attention of customers. It’s estimated that out of 30,000 new launches a year up to 80 per cent will bomb. So what can you do to make sure that your product is in the 20 per cent that works out?
How you package your product should never be an afterthought – don’t make that mistake. Get it right and your packaging becomes an iconic part of the allure of your product – just think of the sleek curves of a Coca Cola glass bottle or the luxurious duck egg hue of a box from Tiffany’s. These factors are almost as much a part of the enjoyment as the drink or the piece of jewellery itself. Packaging also has the ability to create new sub sectors itself – think of the trend over the last few decades for all kinds of cleaning products to be produced as single-use disposable wipes for convenience, or stand up pouches for baby food on the go, such as the Ella’s Kitchen range. The right packaging design really does have the ability to revolutionise your offer to customers and make your product stand out.
Influence Your Customer
Colours, textures and patterns may sound like the realms of a graphic designer, but as a small business owner, you will need to get au fait with this aspect of your product, as it plays a huge role in the purchase decision your customer makes. The psychology of colours is well known, so use this information combined with what you know of your target demographic to develop a tailored solution that appeals.
A Prime Marketing Channel
As part of your marketing strategy, you’ve considered tweets and Instagram posts, press releases and digital ads, but did you ever stop to consider the marketing exposure your packaging gets? There’s no better place to give your key messages and generate the kind of emotional resonance which turns casual customers into devoted brand advocates who will bring you valuable social buzz and word of mouth marketing. You could also use your packaging to briefly summarise the key benefits of your product – this reinforces the customer intention at point of sale by reminding them what problem you can solve for them.
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Consolidates Your Brand Identity
The power of a brand is huge – titans of business like Apple, Starbucks and Nike have long recognised this. By carefully branding, you move away from having to compete on price, or other factors which become a race to the bottom. You’ll find people who connect with what you do and why, your brand mission and values. The right brands stick in the minds of customers, creating a powerful cognitive recall that can link you to a situation or product category in their heads. That is an extremely good place for your company to be. So pay attention to fonts, colours, names and logos and make sure that you run regular focus groups so that you can be sure that you’re responding to the needs and expectations of your audience.
Image credit: Pexels.com
Hi, I'm Kelly O'Donnell.