If you’ve created a small business, you want packaging that reflects the work you've put into building your own brand. Whether you’ve had some graphic design experience or you’re starting from square one, you can design your own packaging. Let’s talk about some benefits of designing boxes yourself and how custom packaging can impact your small business.
3 Reasons You Should Design Your Own Packaging
When you own a small business, packaging is a bigger deal than you might first expect it to be. You will find your customers are easier to retain and more likely to become brand advocates when they are excited about the experience from the moment your item arrives. Here are three huge reasons you should create your own custom packaging.
Boost Sales with a Killer First Impression
Ever order somehing a little pricey and think, “Oh wow, I really really got my money’s worth out of this!” The opposite can easily be true as well—you know, when you order something and immediately think, “Ugh. I think I overpaid. I won’t make that mistake again.”
While the item is important, the packaging is crucial for a quality first impression. A well-crafted custom box will add to the value of your item. People are going to return for more when they connect your brand with that initial feeling of excitement. This is how you create brand fans for your small business.
Create a Memorable Brand Experience
You may already be adding stickers, coupons, or other inclusions to help create that fun experience. The unboxing experience is becoming more and more important—especially with social media. People love to post about their experiences when they have a surprisingly exciting one. This gives you a chance to increase word-of-mouth recommendations and social sharing for free marketing.
Create Cohesion with Functional Design
When you make a box, you are turning a functional item into a work of art. This is an incredible way to keep the overall brand experience consistent for the customer—even in the comfort of their own home or office. Do you have a physical brick-and-mortar store? The box serves as a way to offer a smaller extension of that atmosphere from a distance. If not (and your company is entirely virtual), you are still extending the experience of your website through the packaging.
Tips for Creating Your Own Packaging
When you create your own packaging, there are some things that can really help it stand out. Here are some of the biggest tips for creating your own mailing box or product package that will make a huge impression on your customers.
Use Space for Marketing
A big benefit of creating your own packaging is that you can use the box itself to market to your buyers and anyone else that sees the box. Don’t miss out to use some of the space to spark a call to action and plug your company website.
Consider the End Result
Choosing a kraft (natural brown) box can really add a more natural feel to your box, while a white box will add a crisp feel. It’s also really important to consider how colors are going to look on the box. While these differences are usually minor, it’s important to note that colors displayed on a screen may vary slightly once printed. Additionally, our design editor allows you to view the box digitally inside, outside, and in 3D to help you envision the final result.
Our artwork guidelines offer some tips and tricks to help you create the best box with advice for sizing and placing images, choosing the right material (kraft vs white), and matching CMYK colors.
Aim for Clarity, Not a Busy Design
When you create your own box, there are so many options and possibilities that you might find yourself trying to add everything—the result is a mesh of styles, fonts, and colors that feel like they are screaming at your buyer, rather than guiding the experience.
- Be consistent with your branding—from the fonts and colors to the images you use.
- Avoid adding design elements because you can and only use an element because it adds value for the customer.
- Think about the experience and what a customer will see as they receive the box and open it.
- Determine the message or experience that you want your box to provide.
If you’ve never designed a box before, you can always select one of our pre-designed templates to customize with your branding to get a feel for the process. Our artwork guidelines also outline some best practices for designing your custom box if you want to start a design from scratch!
Take Advantage of Small Printing Batches for Flexibility
Whether you decide to change up a promo, want to do something special for a holiday, or would like to have different boxes for different products, you absolutely can. When you DIY, you are in charge of the look and the amount you order. You can order just one box or up to 2,000 for the kind of agility your small business thrives on.
Once you start designing your own boxes, you will find it impossible to picture your item in anything that is less creative.
