Proper package design can help make the difference between a customer considering an item and actually making the purchase. While there are many different factors that go into sales, having the right packaging design is certainly one of the most important.
Interesting enough, the art of effective package design was not developed as we see today until after World War II. Before that time, packaging design was considered merely functional to simply convey what the product was. Afterward, marketing studies along with the prices of using colored inks and more creative packaging designs revolutionized the industry.
With today’s faster paced world, studies have shown that up to three-quarters of all purchases made are of the impulse variety, meaning that attractive packaging played a role in the decision to buy the product. Today, proper package design with large businesses and corporations starts with concepts that are vigorously tested in focus groups to see what draws the best reaction.
What is Good Packaging Design?
Since a good package design is ultimately proven by the consumers who purchase the product, the elements that go into such designs generally incorporate the following elements:
- Effective Product Name
- Proper Colors
- Conveys Important Information
- Builds Brand Identification
- Clarity of Presentation
These are the basic five elements that goes into good packaging design. However, achieving that goal can take time and effort, but the results are well worth it in terms of sales. The name must be clear and fit what the product does while coloring should be attractive, yet appropriate to the type of product. The information on the packaging should be clear and concise while the helping to build proper brand identification. Finally, the entirety of the packaging should be clear and devoid of any confusion.
How to Create Proper Packaging Design for a Product
While there are a number of ways to create the most successful type of packaging, they do share several elements in common.
Research: For large corporations and businesses, this type of research is usually done with focus groups and marketing teams that weed out all but the most successful design. However, for entrepreneurs and small businesses without such budgets, research often starts by examining previously successful packaging designs by other companies with identical or similar products and proceeding from there.
Testing: No matter how much a product design looks to be a sure thing, there is no way to know unless it is tested. Such testing needs to be done with groups of people that the product is primarily aimed at selling. Even small businesses must conduct some form of effective testing before going into full production.
Adjustments: Even the best product testing may not reveal all the potential problems, which is why it is important to monitor sales and make adjustments when necessary. For the most part, the actually packaging usually changes very little with additions here or subtractions there. But the purpose is to make the right changes for the best results.
Effective packaging design is not a process that ends once the product is on the shelf, but it is an ongoing effort to maximize sales potential.
