Package Design That Will Inspire Your Customers

Packaging design is a very important part of any successful packaging. Remember receiving memorable gifts from friends, and loved ones? 

Would you have appreciated the gift if it did not look attractive, or well-wrapped? Now, you can see how these tiny details are so important.

Photo Credit: KuznetsovDmitry on istockphoto

Many business owners do not put any thought into how they box or package their products. They see it as not so important, and focus instead, on the product itself. As a business owner, this type of thinking can cost your business.

We guess you know that already, and that’s why you’re here. So, we will walk you through the design process, and provide solutions that will work.

Why The Packaging Design Process is No Joke

We can all agree at this point that packaging design is the most important part of your product presentation. Many buyers will appreciate the products more when it comes in a beautiful box or wrapping.

It is almost as if the packaging is a product on its own. Any business that puts effort into its brand packaging design will deliver on customer experience.

Below are some of the reasons why you should not joke with your design:

1. It Sets Your Brand Apart From The Competition

There are millions of people who do what you do. Also, the market gets flooded every day with similar items, fighting for customers' attention. 

For your business to succeed, your brand packaging has to stand out. The only way to stand out is to create a design that screams, “buy me” to customers. 

So, choose a packaging shape and form that is different than normal. Then, plan with your product designer on which designs will draw the attention of customers. 

2. Your Brand Design Can Sway Customers Buying Habits

A person’s brain reacts to shapes and colors in different ways. Funny as it sounds, the colors and designs on your packaging can play a major role in consumer buying decisions. 

As a business owner, it is important to make careful design and color choices. For instance, products with white packaging represent safety, purity and appear simple. 

A light blue color comes off as playful, while dark plus is more professional. It is important to study your target audience before choosing a color scheme for your product packaging.

3. A Good Packaging Design is a Strong Marketing Tool

It is one thing to produce a wonderful product. Yet, getting buyers to notice it is a different ball game. 

Packaging plays a huge role here in drawing consumer attention. Well-branded products are more recognizable.

Think about what message your product packaging sends to shoppers. What does it say about your product and your brand? Is it good, can it be better?  

4. Quality Design Creates Brand Recognition

Think about some of your favorite brands. They have one thing in common - memorable packaging designs. 

When you walk into the stores or scroll through ads on social media, so many sales items may jump out at you. Yet, you only go for the brands you recognize, from color and designs.

That is the benefit of having quality packaging designs. Yet, in working around your design, try to maintain your original look.

Do not follow the bandwagon or copy the concept of popular brands. Take time to study your target audience to determine what will better suit your brand.  

5. Packaging Design Creates Excitement

The packaging of any product adds an element of theatre to it. When people see a beautiful packaging design, they are in suspense and feel excited to open it.

It reminds me of the old movie - Pretty woman. The movie shows a good example of how packaging can sometimes be more exciting than the gift itself.

In the movie, Julia Roberts gets a navy blue custom jewelry box as a gift. From looking at the suede box, she knows that there is something special in the box.

It is this exact emotion that your packaging must evoke in buyers. Imagine if you wrap items in plain tissue paper or brown paper.

Nobody will feel excited to open it, as there is no element of suspense. Instead, premium luxury finishing is what will build anticipation and excitement in buyers. 

What Makes a Good Packaging Design?

Many shoppers think that they do not notice packaging design. Yet, their subconscious takes note of these things, and it affects their buying experience. 

So, every business owner needs to create eye-catching and engaging packaging. It can make all the difference to sales performance. 

Here are a few things that define a good packaging design:

1. Personal Touch

In today’s society, personalization is a big deal. All buyers love a personal touch, and it is an effective way of marketing.

A good brand packaging design must have a personal touch, creating a connection with buyers. It acts as social bait, encouraging buyers to boast about the product online or in person. 

You may not package every product by hand or write personal messages. Instead, you can print customized appreciation cards to go with every package. It creates a small emotional connection with your buyers.  

2. Reuse Value and Sustainability

Customers are more inclined to patronize brands that are invested in climate change. So, these days, good packaging designs have recycled value and create less waste. 

As more people shop online, they are conscious of the potential damage it can cause to the planet. Individuals now monitor their carbon footprint and prefer to go green.

A product may have pretty packaging but may not be environment-friendly or reusable. Due to this, customers may refuse to patronize the brand, even if they like the product.

Brands that want to create good packaging designs must have a sustainable future in mind.

3. A Good Packaging Design Offers Protection

The first aim of packaging is to protect its contents from damage. Damages can occur during storage or shipping. You can consider using premium custom shipper boxes that Arka offers.

So, when creating beautiful designs, make sure they are durable enough. Make sure it can protect the product from heat, humidity, and other external factors.

That is the most important reason for packaging. There is a clear difference between an intelligent design and one without purpose.

Go for packaging designs that can safeguard the goods and attract customers at the same time. Your packaging should also contain important information on the product and its safety.

If you are in the food industry, print a list of ingredients, best before, and packing dates. It should also state on the packaging if it contains toxic substances like harmful chemicals.

All this information on the packaging helps to protect the consumer in the end.

4. Cool Packaging Designs are Attractive

The visual senses are the first senses of a customer that a product may engage. A packaging design with attractive colors and markings will draw a buyer’s eye to the display.

Some brands use foils and other decorative elements to create visual appeal. Cosmetic brands, for instance, depend on bright colors to grab attention, and it works.

You can combine a lot of elements to create an attractive packaging design for your products. Again, study your target audience; see what colors and shapes they prefer. Then create a packaging design that suits their tastes.

Packaging Design Inspiration Ideas

Now that we have walked you through the characteristics and benefits of good product packaging. Let us look at some package design ideas that will blow your customers’ minds:

1. Unique Paperboard Boxes

The paperboard material for making packaging boxes is a strong yet lightweight material. The production process involves turning wood fibers or recycled paper into pulp. 

After that, the manufacturers bleach the mix. It is then easy to cut and fit into custom structures and shapes. 

These features make it a good fit for personalized packaging, which most buyers love. There are different grades of paperboard materials for different industries and purposes. For instance, Solid Bleached Sulfate (SBS) is a popular option in the cosmetic and medical industries.

These industries use SBS for packaging medicines, cosmetics, frozen food, milk, juices, etc. 

Coated Unbleached Kraft (CUK) is also another packaging option. it is perfect for industries that favor natural eco-friendly packaging.

CUK comes from recycled paper and is not very water-resistant. So, it is not good for food-related products. Rather, it works better with dry items.

2. Corrugated Design Boxes

You can get design inspiration from cardboard or corrugated materials. These materials produce shoe boxes, storage, and shipping boxes. 

Corrugated materials also come in different types, which affects the strength of the boxes. The big question is, how to know corrugated materials.

It has three paper layers - outside liner, insider liner, corrugated material, or fluting. The corrugated material is what gives the box strength.

What makes this a good packaging design is that it is good for the environment. The raw materials used in making these boxes are recycled paper made on high-precision machines.

Some end products of corrugated materials are pizza boxes, retail, and small consumer packages.

3. Foil Sealed Bags or Pouches

Foil sealed bags/pouches are aluminum bags laminated with polyester and polythene materials. These materials create a barrier protecting goods in transit or storage from light, moisture, and bacteria.

It is a popular packaging design because it increases the shelf life of packaged items. Food industries use foil bags, and common examples are coffee and tea packaging. 

Others are nuts, smoked fish, cereals, cheese, cured meat, etc. Foil sealed bags protect a lot of food items from spoilage.

Apart from food, foil pouches are good materials for packaging beddings and other clothing products. It removes oxygen from the bag and keeps the fabric secure to prevent fungi and bacteria growth.

4. Poly Bags or Pouches

Another good packaging design option is the poly bag. Polybags are made out of thin, flexible plastic film material. 

It is a very common type of packaging used to carry a wide range of products. Some of these products are food items, chemicals, flowers, magazines, waste, etc.

Polybags are lightweight, reusable, flexible, and reusable. No wonder they are so common in everyday life.

The material is also cost-effective and allows customization in different designs and styles. You can print your business logo, brief description, and address on the bags.

For an extra touch, add hanging holes, carrying handles, and tape attachments. These features make the bags secure and attractive.

5. Rigid Design Boxes

Have you ever wondered about the kind of box used to package mobile phones? Or luxury retail products, like designer watches?

You know it is some sort of cardboard. Yet, you are not sure because of its premium and durable appearance. 

The kind of box used for that kind of packaging is a rigid box. Its major component is a condensed paperboard, four times thicker than regular cartons.

They are more expensive than paperboard and corrugated boxes. Rigid boxes are one of the most expensive box styles in the world.

The boxes have a non-collapsible nature, which increases their weight during shipping. So, it attracts higher shipping fees.

As a packaging material, it is a good fit for luxury and other expensive products. It is a common option for packaging some cosmetics, jewelry, and tech gadgets.

The material further makes these boxes easy to incorporate features. Depending on the product type, you can customize rigid boxes to add compartments, lids, and hinges. 

Conclusion

It is obvious that packaging design plays a huge role in determining the value of a product. With the many options available, it is sometimes difficult to select the right fit for your product.

We put together some of the best packaging design ideas that can make customers love your brand. Following the tips in this guide will set your business up for profit. 

At Arka, we help businesses level up with premium packaging options. You can check our top-quality custom boxes.