Every great product needs a great packaging design

Customers don’t take a lot of time to purchase a brand. In fact, the average consumer spends 13 seconds purchasing a brand in-store, and 19 seconds or less purchasing online. That means customers go more with brands that are familiar, or they act out of habit. They don’t spend too much time making a purchasing decision.

First impressions happen even faster. Psychologists found that we form first impressions from a stranger’s face in a tenth of a second. Humans are quick to judge, whether it’s judging a facial expression or the attractiveness of a product.

This means your brand needs to make a quick and powerful impact on potential customers. Your name and packaging design need to stop consumers in their tracks and draw their eyes to your product. It sounds like a difficult task, but it’s not so bad if you know how to speak to your target audience.

Consumers often use emotions to make purchasing decisions, not logic. Eye-tracking studies have shown that consumers read an average of seven words while shopping, and they use color, shape and familiarity to influence their purchasing decisions. When you are deciding what to name your product or how to design your packaging, you need to consider how you will reach consumers on an emotional level if you want your product to sell.

So, how do you connect emotionally with an audience? First, you need to know how your product works and how it’ll benefit the needs of others. Second, it is vital that you understand your target audience and the things that make them tick.

Follow these steps to figure out your audience, and how to build a connection they won’t forget:

Think about your current customer base. What do your customers love about your product? What have they complained about? Make a list of needs your product has fulfilled, and also include a list of needs your customers have but that your product has not always satisfied.

Next, consider your competitors’ target audiences. How does a competitor’s audience differ from your audience? What can you do to reach them? One thing to note, however, is that you may not want to go for the same audience as your competitors. You might lose your loyal customers in your niche. It’s good to weigh your options.

List every single benefit of your product and then next to each benefit, write down the type of people who need those benefits in their lives.

Now that you have an idea of what your product offers and how it can fulfill consumer needs, you’ll need to create a better picture of your target audience. Once you have an image in your mind of your ideal customer, you’ll be able to design packaging to speak to them on a more personal level. In other words, develop a character in your mind who represents your audience as a whole.

You’ll want to have an idea of your target audience’s:

• Age
• Gender
• Income and educational level
• Occupation
• Ethnic background
• Personality
• Attitudes
• Interests
• Values
• Lifestyles

Don’t let this overwhelm you because you don’t need to overthink the details. This is just a general framework to work with. It will help you determine the emotional needs of your audience and what will drive them to purchase your product.

Know that you can’t always assume audience traits, either. Sometimes it’s best to interview real customers and find out directly what their needs and expectations are.

Once you have an idea of your target audience, you need to decide how you want to speak to them on an emotional level. How do you want to make them feel? How are you going to convey your company values to connect with customer values?

Here are some ways to approach your targeted audience with the intention to connect:

• Make your audience feel like they belong to something bigger or to a specific lifestyle. You can probably think of some brands that have done a successful job at making customers feel part of a family. Apple, for example, has created a brand that people want to identify with.
• Appeal to human need. Use Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs to inspire you. Those are:
  • Physical: Air, water, food, rest and health
  • Security: Safety, shelter and stability
  • Social: A sense of belonging, feeling loved
  • Ego: Self-esteem, power, recognition and prestige
  • Self-actualization: Development and creativity
• Know what pain your audience is trying to avoid with your product. Also, know what pleasure they are trying to gain. This is what motivates your targeted audience to take action.
• Tell a story. A simple image on a package can tell a story. A few words can tell a short narrative about who and what a brand or product is.
• Express brand personality. Be authentic and passionate and let this shine through all aspects of your company’s image. Avoid clichés and stand out. People want to connect with other people, and they don’t want to feel manipulated. Keep your brand human and don’t oversell your product in images or words.
• Use images rather than words to connect emotionally. The brain processes images much faster than words, and we remember images better, too. If you want to connect with customers in seconds, use imagery.
• Understand how colors affect us emotionally and use them to your advantage. For example, red can be bold and alarming, and green can be soothing.
• Speak to consumers on a primitive level. Use sharp imagery like triangles or arrows to make a point, curves to appear soft and friendly, and eyes to draw attention.
• Make it fun and new. People love the thrill of novelty.

Choose a Name That Is Memorable and Easy to Pronounce.

Great product names have several factors in common — probably the most obvious of those being is being easy to pronounce. How else could we remember a product if we can’t remember what it’s called? It’s also important to pick an easy-to-say name so that customers can spread the word.

If you’re having trouble choosing a name, schedule a brainstorming session with other creative people. To have a successful brainstorming session, you’ll need to:

• Know the product and its benefits
• Have a thesaurus and dictionary handy
• Expect to create lists of over 100 potential names

Brainstorming is a chance to let creativity flow. You’ll have time to go over the lists and judge later.

Here are tips to keep in mind while brainstorming and things you’ll want to consider when choosing your favorite product names. Try to create names that are:

• Easy to pronounce
• Easy to understand
• Easy to spell
• Short and concise
• Memorable
• Packed with meaning
• Attention-grabbing
• Tells your brand’s story
• Sounds appropriate for your brand, or is fun to say
• Defies expectations
• Stands out
• Is a metaphor for the product’s benefits
• Won’t cause embarrassment

Say names out loud. Listen to how they sound and consider how they make you feel. Ask others to do the same and get their opinion. You want a name that people take joy in saying or evokes your product’s purpose. For example, you wouldn’t name a brand of organic baby powder to sound like the name of insect repellent. Consider how a name sounds, looks and feels.