72% of Americans report that product packaging influences their buying decisions. And, 61% say they’re likely to buy the same product again if it came in premium packaging.
Saying that packaging matters is an understatement.
It’s often the first interaction someone has with your brand. And everyone knows that first impressions only happen once. So, product packaging has to wear a lot of hats.
Aside from consumer reports, there are other reasons why packaging is important. Keep reading to learn more about them.
Product Packaging Should Set You Apart and Speak to Your USP
Imagine walking into a store and seeing every product in a brown box with a business name stamped on it. Everything looks the same. You don’t know what any of the businesses are about.
All you have to go on is the name. You spend 20 seconds looking and then just pick one and hope it’s good.
What an awful experience, right?
That’s the opposite of what you want to happen. Even if you’re in the eCommerce space, unboxing is a vital part of the customer experience.
No matter if it’s on a shelf or in a mail truck, your packaging tells a story.
Make it a good one.
This is your chance to highlight your unique selling proposition (USP). There are hundreds, if not thousands, of other products like yours. Your product’s appearance is a way to amplify that message.
Attractive packaging makes people feel good. Your packaging is a tool to capitalize on that “good feeling” emotion. If you know your target audience (which you should), you can create an experience that triggers the reward-seeking area of their brain.
Consumers Care About Color
Colors generate an emotion within your brain. So, the colors you choose have an impact on consumer behavior. They also help magnify your branding.
You know what color Tiffany’s is known for. You can see it in your head, right now. The same goes for Best Buy, Walmart, and Netflix.
Help your customers help you by choosing colors that evoke emotion they can relate back to your brand.
Let’s look at a few good examples:
- Yellow tends to evoke bright and happy emotions. So, if your brand promotes positivity and happiness, yellow might be a good choice.
- Red is associated with movement, passion, and high-energy. So, a brand centered around bold workout clothing for women might consider a shade of red.
- Green can be associated with health, nature, and power. A health, finance, or natural foods business may consider choosing green for their branding.
Understand your target audience and what emotions they feel comfortable with. Choose packaging colors that align with your brand and target those feelings.
Product Packing Is One Touch-Point in Your Marketing Strategy
Smart marketers know how to create a cohesive brand experience. Your brand messaging has to come through in everything you do. This includes everything from your social media posts to the aesthetics of your packaging.
How you style your products matters just as much as the appearance of your website, social media, and paid advertisements.
Let’s look at an example.
Pretend you are in charge of making marketing decisions for a company that makes luxury watches. Your social media presence is full of dark, minimalist photos. Your voice is powerful, confident, and masculine.
So, it’s probably not a good idea to use bright pink packaging with polka dots on it. Most consumers wouldn’t even pick up the box to look at it. That’s a missed opportunity which translates to less revenue.
However, if they do look at it, they’re going to be confused and they’re going to shed their trust in you. And once you’ve lost their trust, it’s hard to get it back.
Packaging Should Reinforce Perceived Value
Many consumer products are exactly the same. So, what differentiates a Tiffany bracelet from one you can buy on Amazon for $40?
Answer: its perceived value.
You associate the Tiffany brand with luxury and high-end jewelry. So, you’re willing to pay more for the name and little blue box.
Your packaging should speak to the perceived value you want your customers to have. If you pride yourself on being an eco-friendly brand, use packaging that clearly states it’s recycled. If your branding is minimalistic, use simple and sleek designs that put the product front and center.
Consumers should be able to immediately tell which product is yours. They’ll grab it without looking at the price tag. The cost doesn’t matter – they want YOUR watch because they perceive it to be valuable.
Packaging Protects Your Products
Aside from marketing, the purpose of packaging is to protect your products. It’s your job to make sure it gets to its destination in one piece.
If you sell products online, they’re going to be tossed around and exposed to the elements. If you sell in stores, you never know what’s going to happen. People might:
- Pick it up
- Drop it
- Open the packaging
- Set things on top of it
- Let their kids play with it
It’s up to you to make sure your packaging withstands everything it comes across. It sounds challenging because it is.
But, there’s a secret weapon that (almost) does it all. It’s called overwrapping.
The overwrapping process creates a gift-wrapped look. So, it looks nice and can also help protect items from moisture, theft, and damage. If you’d like to learn more, check out these products.
“I Understand Why Packaging Is Important: Now What?”
Now that you know why packaging is important, you can perfect your big-picture marketing strategy. Where does packaging fit? What else affects consumer buying behavior online and in stores?
We’ve got an arsenal of marketing information waiting for you to read it.
Check out our other marketing articles to start growing your business, today. One day, you’ll look back and be glad you did.
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