5 Basics of Eye-Catching Package Design

Everyone’s heard a pitch about the art of sales. Packaging, on the other hand, tends to be more of an insider conversation. There’s a tremendous amount of thought, care, and planning that goes into the perfect packaging design. Here are a few big tips to get you started.

1. Pop!

First and foremost, you want to get noticed. The last thing you want is for your product to blend in with a sea of others and get brushed over while hurried shoppers scamper through the aisle. Your packaging needs to stand out on the shelves and get noticed.

Take risks. Be bold. Capture some attention. You don’t want to go overboard to the point of being absurd, but you want to step out from convention and show that your product is different.

2. Say Something about Your Worth

Be objective about those aspects that distinguish your product and put your efforts into communicating that to the consumer. If you’ve invested in sustainability, make it clear and open to your buyers. If your product offers quality over price, then put that into action with packaging that suggests top-shelf. If you’ve put the effort into bringing a product to market with health benefits, make sure that it’s out in the open for buyers to notice. Shoppers don’t spend hours reading the fine print on every product in the aisle. They go for what catches their eye in order to make a quick decision. Make sure that the value of your product is prominent.

3. Keep it Clear

We all have that one friend who works in a niche that no one can make sense of, and he can’t stop talking about it. Don’t be that guy.

You may have entire novels worth of information about your product, but if you overload buyers with every detail, they’re going to miss the important parts (see: tip number 2). Make sure that your messaging is concise.

4. Keep it Consistent

If you have more than one product, your packaging should be consistent across your line. Each product must be recognizable as part of the same brand through style elements (aside from the logo). To make the most of your money and your brand, use consistent messaging across your product line.

5. Keep it Honest

The disparity between what appears on a McDonald’s in-store menu and what comes in the box is still a timeless joke. There are entire Instagram pages and online communities that share these disappointing realities. It’s tempting to present your product in the most flattering way possible, but you could be setting up the buyer for disappointment. Build trust with your consumers.

Your packaging is a conversation with your buyer about your brand. Stand out, be clear about what you have to offer, and set yourself apart from the competition.