Getting a package in the mail is one of life’s simple pleasures. You feel that rush of joy when it’s on the kitchen table. When you open it, you get a peek at what’s inside. With the pull of a tab, you effortlessly remove a shiny new item from its protective cardboard box. You’ll want to order again once you’ve tried this. Your customers will appreciate this simple ritual, so do it well. The way to achieve that is with good packaging design.
These six steps will help you make your packaging designs more successful.
Steps to designing custom packaging
For good packaging design, you need to consider several factors, from the research process to the testing process. In six simple steps, here’s how to do it.
Establish your product and target audience
To design an effective product, you must first identify what it will do and who will likely buy it. As a result, you should answer the following questions:
- Does it have a particular size or shape?
Measure your product and consider its weight and dimensions. If you are selling them, you will need packaging that can handle long, thin objects, such as curtain rods. Packaging stronger and more durable will be necessary if you sell paperweights.
- What is the material of this item?
Does your product have a fragile nature? How long do they last? Consider preventing your products from breaking in transit when packaging thin glass products. Your food packaging needs to include preservation methods like ice packs or sealed bags if you are selling consumables with a shelf life.
- Are you targeting a specific group of people?
Make sure you know who your customers are. If you’re selling to serious tradespeople, it might not be the best choice to package power tools in a pink glittery cardboard box.
Develop a concept for your package
As soon as you understand your packaging requirements, then you can start designing your packaging. Here, your brand identity and creativity meet your product’s logistical and technical needs.
You can always create mockups of your package designs with a pencil and paper. They should be exact when sending box diagrams to a box making company.
The software you invest in can help you create high-quality artwork and typography ready for printing, turning your design ideas into a reality.
You can use graphic design programs such as Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop to plan packaging layouts and choose design elements and fonts.
Do your research on your competitors
As part of your packaging solution design, you must research your competitors. Take a look at existing products and see if they are suitable for yours.
- View the display of similar products in a retail store where you sell your own. Look for materials, colors, and packaging shapes similar to yours.
- You can check out your favorite online stores. Examine the packaging and search for similar products. To learn what people think of the packaging, read the customer reviews. Looking at negative reviews may help you figure out where you can improve.
- If your product type exists on YouTube, search for unboxing videos. It can be a great way to find out what people appreciate about opening days and inspire new ideas.
Develop a product specification
Next, decide what kind of packaging you’ll need for your product, both legally and physically. You should research this stuff before you start designing. You can achieve a lot with a little effort.
The packaging and shipping of certain products must also conform to legal regulations. Food and beauty products, for example, are regulated by the FDA when they are packaged, labeled, and stored. Check the regulations for your location’s products, and make sure you follow them.
Get your packaging printed and pre-press
The pre-press process involves finalizing your design for the packaging and choosing the right color scheme. Also, you’ll need to provide all files in the requested format, such as .psd files or .jpeg files.
Test printing is a good way to see how your packaging looks with the color palette. Different packaging materials can produce different colors from those on a computer screen.
Pack it up and test it
As soon as your packaging materials are ready for printing, you can begin testing them. All aspects of the product must be tested, including functionality, aesthetics, and durability. Simulate delivery by packing and tossing a product around your new package design.
Keeping items in transit in good condition can be pretty challenging. The testing phase will enable you to identify problems and adjust accordingly. You may need to change your materials and adjust them to prevent bad reviews in the future.
After testing its durability, you should test how easy it is to open your packaging. Your customers will not buy from you again if they use a hammer and a torch to open your packages. Ask a friend or family member to simulate an unboxing video to find out what parts of the packaging you like or have difficulty with. The last step is to get others’ feedback. Using social media or asking friends and family is also an option.
