It is not just about the product anymore. It is also about the package design. You need to have an excellent packaging design to get your core customers interested. Think of it as another form of marketing. Market strategies come in different ways and packaging supplies are one of them.
How can your company make the most of their packaging supplies? How can your company entice an already skeptical audience that their company will fit their needs?
1) The first thing you need to do is study your industry. It is one thing to say your product is unique. It is one thing to say that you offer something no one else is? It is quite another to prove it. You need to put your money where your mouth is. The only way to do that is to study the demographics.
Study other products that are similar to yours. Find out what packaging has worked in the past for others and then tweak it. There are industry standards that need to be followed. That is part of what makes the product a success.
2) Okay, so you are ready to hit your market with your product brand? What is your market? Did you even define it? You need to before you move forward. That is probably the biggest issue for any startup. It is one thing to define your product and what it does. It is quite another to find your niche market and capitalize on it.
Another thing you need to consider with your packaging is your end goal. Do you want to tailor your product and packaging for people who shop at Walmart? Do you want to tailor your packaging to someone who shops at Saks Fifth Avenue? There is a big difference in the quality and the customers.
3) The next step is to figure out who is going to buy your packaging. This is sort of like what I mentioned in number 2. Do you want to reach high-end shoppers? Do you want to reach out to general shoppers who are just ordinary people? You can do one or both, but you need to decide. People who shop at a high-end store are going to perceive your product to be of higher quality versus a simple drugstore brand.
The products in the high-end and drugstore may be the same thing, but the perception is different. Your packaging needs to reflect the perception of the value. The two are not always mutually exclusive, contrary to popular belief.
4) You should consider your price point and how it reflects your value. You price it too high. You may not have many takers. Your price it too low. You may lose some money in the process. You need to know how much your customers are willing to pay for the value you offer.
You should keep in mind that a product worth only a few dollars will require different packaging versus a product worth a few hundred. You should also note that not all expensive products are worth the price you pay.
5) You also need to recognize when your product is ready to be shipped versus when it is in the prototype stage. Not all prototype products are fit for consumption.
