When your potential customers are shopping, you hope they make their purchase decision based on the price and quality of your product. But, we know that consumers’ decisions are swayed easily. They don’t always make rational choices.
Research showed that when a person visits a shop, most times, they read a few words on products in their time there but their eyes are often distracted by the shapes and colours they are exposed to in the environment. As a brand, you need to adapt by appealing to their instincts and sensory cues. It’s about triggering their emotions and inspiring them to take action – buying your product. It’s brands that understand this that will be successful.
So, how do you use this approach to set yourself apart from your competitors? Let’s take a look at your packaging. Your packaging needs to communicate your promise. What does it tell consumers about who you are, what you do and how you can assist them in some way or fulfill a need? Ask yourself the following:
Does my packaging make my product stand out?
Filling up the shelves with bright colours or volume isn’t enough. Your objective should be to attract the eye of the shopper so that you have the opportunity to communicate your promise to them.
Is my packaging simple?
Clean and straightforward packaging can break through the clutter on the shelves in highly competitive niches. That is why you need the service of a professional packaging company. One of the case studies that show how that can be effective is that of a drain cleaner called Buster. The leading competitor Mr. Muscle had a product offering with power graphics on it. Buster responded with packaging that was simple and clean. This stood out with the visual noise on the shelf. Sales rocketed, and their market share grew to 30%. This was down to the packaging.
Will customers recognize my brand in the store?
One of the strategies marketers use to assess this is to send the ultimate unbiased customer into a store – a five-year-old child. The test involves directing the child to go into a store to look for your brand on the shelves, based only on your description. The idea is that you should be able to explain exactly what it looks like, and they should be able to pick it out using these visual cues. This comes back to a concept called ‘stickiness‘. You want to create an iconic connection between your brand and shoppers. Every time they enter a shop, they will look out for your brand, over another.
Does my packaging trigger an emotional connection?
What happens when a consumer is faced with an item? They look at the product, it makes them ‘feel’ something, and they decide to buy it, or not. It’s an instinctual reaction. In humans, when we are faced with looking into someone else’s eyes, we look back and assess the threat. We decide they are not a threat and engage, or feel threatened and run.
In the same way, you want your packaging to make that eye contact with a consumer and give the message to them that you are there to help them in some way. You are their friend, not foe. It’s about triggering their survival instinct. Smart, right?
Does my packaging have iconic assets?
Successful packaging makes use of various tools to communicate the brand’s message and branding assets. One of the most commonly revered brands with this is one of the oldest – Coke. Here are some of the visual equities in their ‘tool kit’ that amplify the brand experience:
- The red colour
- The contour wave in the name
- The bottle shape
- The logo typography
Customers are bombarded with marketing messages wherever they are. On their commute, on their smartphones, on their computers, and in their homes. Many are trying to screen out marketing messages. So, how should brands adapt? It’s important to understand the psychology of making a brand purchase.
Instead, look at the emotional triggers you need to make to attract customers. Ask yourself, how the shape of the packaging, the colours used, the messaging on the packaging, and other important considerations can change the game. Push your designers and marketing team to ask the right questions about their target audience and what fears or needs need to be answered in that interaction with your brand. Reach out to professional packaging companies Sometimes less is more.
Do you need to simplify your messaging and your design? How can you differentiate your brand from your competitors? What are the opportunities available in industrial packaging in terms of sustainability and recyclability? Could changing to packaging and the materials you use make a difference to your sales proposition?
How Product Packaging Can Help Your Brand
Source: https://thetotalentrepreneurs.com/how-product-packaging-can-help-your-brand/
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