We are firm believers that packaging should be more than a cost of doing business. When packaging is done right, it becomes a tool your sales and marketing teams can use to improve customer retention, attract new customers, and improve your brand image.
If you find this hard to believe, consider these qualities in a supplier that universally appeal to commercial and retail buyers alike.
- Everyone wants to contribute to a cleaner and healthier planet. Large corporations have built ambitious, sweeping programs to improve sustainability in all aspects of their operation, and individual homeowners strive to do their part any way they can.
- In a world of rapid and efficient digital commerce and digital communication, everyone wants everything to be fast, easy, and hassle-free. A box that’s easy to open is every bit as valuable as a customer care department that doesn’t keep you on hold for 20 minutes.
- Has a customer ever told you he’d love an opportunity pay more for your product? No, that sounds more like the premise for a comedy sketch. In the real world, everyone wants to save money.
The Message
As packaging designers, we always build sustainability, convenience, and economy into your shipping boxes and packaging materials because we know sustainability, convenience, and economy matter.
But never forget, sustainability, convenience, and economy also matter to your customers.
Excellent companies use packaging with these three qualities.
World class companies do the same — and tell the world about it.
The particulars vary, and the story may be complex, but the core message to share with customers is simple:
- Notice how we’ve made this feature of our packaging more sustainable.
- Notice how we’ve made this feature of our packaging more convenient.
- Notice how we’ve made this packaging more economical — so we can pass the savings on to you.
Good sales and marketing messages express value and express it with specifics. Always highlight specific features of your packaging explain why they are sustainable, convenient, or economical.
How to Get the Message Out
Once you have your message finalized, share, share, share. These are among the most popular and effective ways:
- Share photos, video, and text of your packaging on social media — your business Facebook Page, X, Instagram, etc. Do this not once, but repeatedly, on a schedule appropriate for the platform.
- Write an article(s) on your company blog or create a page on your company website discussing the packaging feature(s). Link to that page in your email signature, in the footer of all website page templates, and in every piece of sales collateral you produce.
- Share the information (images are always better than just a lot of text) in email blasts — again, repeatedly, not just one-and-done.
- Train your sales team to talk about your packaging in a way that is meaningful to your customers and prospects.
- Insert a small flyer in your package highlighting the benefits of your packaging. (This applies mainly to consumer products.)
Write up stories (with images) about your packaging when they are meaningful to customers, and get them published on your website/blog, industry digital/print publications, and digital/print news publications. Meaningful stories could be:
- A packaging improvement suggested by one of your customers.
- An award your company received for its packaging.
- An innovative packaging design that won an award or gained positive customer feedback.
You’ll notice we stress meaningful and specific when talking about the message. This is because marketing messages that are not meaningful and not specific sound like sales hype. And if there’s one thing universally disliked by commercial and retail buyers, it’s hype.
You’ll notice we stress visual. Images grab attention and get people engaged with the story. Text alone … not so much anymore.
You’ll notice we stress repetition. Marketers and sales people know customers are forgetful — they have a hundred things on their plate all the time. Your message won’t sink in until it’s been received several times, maybe even scores of times.
Let’s Talk!
We can not only give you packaging with greater sustainability, convenience, and economy — we can help you market that packaging. Why not start getting the most value out of your packaging today?
Please call us at 630-551-1700 or contact us through the website to start the conversation.