Who is truly in a position to judge a packaging job.
An expert, the client, a graphic designer, the art director or the buyer?
Whoever is holding the numbers can judge a packaging job, because the only judgement that comes out of the debate between all the personal opinions based on nothing, is the judgement of the numbers. The moment of truth is always at the point of sale.
If you are an entrepreneur or a marketing director then I imagine that at this point you will be more interested in this topic. So please follow me closely …
There are 3 mistakes that even the best entrepreneurs and the most accomplished marketing directors have made at least once and they are 3 mistakes which relate to packaging.
Each of these mistakes, obviously, hides a drop in sales as a direct consequence; lost opportunities in other words.
Maybe you have made these mistakes without being aware, maybe you are still making them or maybe you have known for some time that they are mistakes to avoid. However with some things it’s always good to keep the brain trained. Even the best make mistakes. ☺
1. Ignore the competition
The success of your packaging depends a lot on studying the competition.
Always remember that you’re not alone on the shelf, next to your packet are the competition’s products, and this is why, not only in the customer’s mind but in very practical terms also in the real setting, you have to deal with the centimetres of space occupied by the competition.
The phrase: “I don’t care what the competition is up to …” in today’s sales environment is the worst mistake you can make; we are right in the historic phase of orientation towards the competition, therefore you must never undervalue this aspect:
We’re not like the other products. We don’t think about the others because we’re different.
This is not the approach that will lead you to identify the winning package.
Collect all the information and then study, analyse and devise a solution in response!
This is an approach to make a deep impression on the customer and it’s the only way to emphasise the elements that differentiate you from your competition and to communicate them.
2. You don’t need a packaging plan
Yes, the packaging is important, but my product is different and it sells anyway …
I’ve heard all sorts of justifications for choosing to not invest in a packaging plan or even worse to not spend money.
I’ll keep it short; summing up we can say that there are two macrocategories of packaging:
a) Communicating
Its sole function isn’t to just hold the product, but it conveys a message (it remains to be seen whether it’s the right or wrong one but it conveys a message)
b) Silent
Nondescript packaging which communicates nothing.
The opportunity to communicate is always there, deciding not to exploit it is a suicidal choice. It means losing important opportunities and there is no environment in which a product sold to the public can’t benefit from a packaging solution which is appropriate and “Communicative”.
Not investing just in the product is not going to help you; marketing is the only means which enables you to sell; without a proper budget dedicated to this department of your business you won’t go anywhere, and in a very short time you will hit the wall at full speed; better to slow down or stop and wait until you have the money to invest properly.
3. Only the quality matters
Quality and packaging don’t function if they don’t work together.
Here too I’ll try to be precise and brief: the quality of your product alone is not enough to create sales, and likewise for the packaging on its own. Your product must have real elements that set it apart (its qualities) and then these must be enhanced appropriately with a suitable packaging solution. Only by enhancing your differences (advantages and qualities) through the packaging do you allow the consumer to identify the solution you’re offering as the one that suits their needs. Resting on the fact that anyhow “your product is of superior quality, it’s better” won’t help you to sell one extra item to your buyer.
Now I’ll ask you a question:
“Have you ever heard a producer say his product isn’t good?”
The answer is always the same for everybody. So, by entrusting your hopes just to the “quality” of your product, you’re not communicating anything; find your position, the hill from where you will attack and conquer your battlefield.
Your differences will be enhanced first and foremost by a scientific packaging solution planned to create sales thanks to Genetic Profit™
When the merits of a product and the characteristics which set it apart are conveyed and highlighted via the packaging you get a packaging solution with Genetic Profit™. To dominate the shelves today is no longer a simple question of nice, attractive, creative packaging …. You have to promote a clear message via the packaging, to convey to the consumer what I have called Genetic Profit™ which is the real successful component of the packaging solutions which have sold the most in history.
HAVE YOU TOO MADE THESE 3 PACKAGING MISTAKES?
It will be clear to you now how to avoid repeating them.
It will be so much easier if you tackle the next decisions by gathering and analysing the data relating to your competition. So if your agency, as well as giving you the cool stand, the brochure and the e-commerce, also investigates a packaging solution for you based on a creative decision but without having analysed and studied your competitors, then get angry!
Remember too that every product can benefit from a packaging solution that “Communicates”, make sure to always make the best use of it.
Finally don’t let your subjective view of your product and its “qualities” push into the background the delicate job of communicating and persuading which is entrusted to the packaging. The quality and the distinctive characteristics are important, but they must be communicated!
This is exactly how we approach the development of a packaging solution at our agency. We don’t design stands and we don’t deal with e-commerce. We only deal with packaging, we’re specialists in it.
Our goal is the final results, the only ones which count and which can influence sales.
The most powerful tool is a Packaging Solution with Genetic Profit™, the sole solution capable of making the most of the distinguishing features of a product and of communicating them scientifically through the packaging.
Don’t miss the chance to get your product recognised and preferred on the shelf by the consumer. Helping clients achieve this is what we specialise in; to get more details about our service contact us obligation-free.
In 1996 enters in the world of marketing, in 1999 founded Ardigia Marketing Funzionale (Ardigia Functional Marketing), in 2013 founded Packaging in Italy, Design Agency for Packaging Positioning™