There are a lot of factors that influence the consumer decision-making process during an online or offline buying experience and product packaging design is one of the most significant ones. Though for most businesses it is a minor thing that can be overlooked till the last moment. Just think about the way you shop when you are out. If you have little or no idea about a brand or a product specifically, are you going to buy a visually appealing product or a monotonous-looking product? Well, the answer is pretty simple – you go with a better-looking product. And why not? Since you may feel that if the product packaging is so good then the product inside too will be good and of high-quality and so will be the brand.

Your product packaging design says a lot about your brand in a limited frame. It reflects your brand identity, marks you differently from the competitors and helps you sell more. With just a glance, the customers at times are able to judge the value of your product with its design. Moreover, if your design is unique, then there is a 74% chance that consumers will share its photo on social media. This means, more brand awareness and recognition which will give rise to more customers and possibly more sales.

So, now the question is how to design the perfect product package that would engage customers, represent your brand and save your bottom line? Well, to find the answer delve below.

Know your customer

Before you do anything, research on your customer as they are of utmost importance. Take into consideration who is buying your product, whether it’s men, women or both. Or is it meant for children specifically? Or perhaps it’s meant to be used by the masses. It’s important that the design of your product appeals to its ideal customers to get the desired results and therefore, you need to understand who your audience is and what are their expectations from a product in your industry. For instance, most men aren’t going to reach for something that comes in a flowery pink bottle. They would perhaps be more naturally inclined towards masculine colors and symbols.

Think about the product

Once you have a clear understanding of your customers, it’s time for you to know about the product you are designing around. You may have pretty good ideas in mind, but keep these ideas in line with your product and see if they make sense or not. There are countless ways through which you can twist your package design to make it better fit the product. Let’s say for organic skincare brands, you can design a package that is natural, rustic and floral, laying emphasis on the natural ingredients, whereas for a clinically crafted product you can’t do the same. Here you need to know what your product is, what it’s made of and what makes it unique.

Consider its appearance on the shelves

Though there are a lot of e-commerce websites, most people still prefer to buy products right from the retail store. So, think about where your product will be sold and keep this in mind while designing the package. Consider things such as fonts that will make your product legible from a distance and also colors that will help you stand out from the rest. According to Nick Kolenda’s research, Serif font looks better and legible on print. On the other hand, when it comes to choosing colors for your package design, you need to select something that reflects your brand personality and evokes the connotations you want. For instance, if your brand is of baby products, your design should make use of light colors that reflect positivity, happiness, softness and probably instill a sense of security.

Keep it simple yet significant

If your product packaging design is minimal and unique, then it will definitely spark interest and win your audience’s attention. A minimal design often comes off as elegant, attractive and inviting. In fact, in specific industries, it is important to keep the design simple to develop trust and preserve the air of expertise. Make use of limited elements, reduce the patterns, highlight essential information and use minimal colors to make a product look simple yet significant.

Be honest with the design

It is important to give your consumer a clear and honest idea of the product to build trust and brand loyalty. Ask yourself, “Is your design clearly reflecting the product well?”. Most buyers will only spend money on your product once they understand it. So, make sure that your package does not look like something it isn’t as it will create confusion. For instance, if you show a picture of a chocolate muffin with raisins in your packaging design, but in reality, there are no raisins on your muffin, then the customer will feel cheated and won’t buy from you again.

In the end, your product package design can either make or break your brand, so you need to make sure to get it right. With the right design, you can grab your audience’s attention, reflect your brand well and showcase your product in a compelling manner. So, the next time, you design a product package keep the following things in mind to get the best packaging design and to nail your sales target.