Packaging solutions and design elements are key to making your brand stand out in a crowded marketplace. But as often as it comes up in corporate discussions, the main concern is always the same. How much will this new initiative cost? How much will it make? What’s our return on investment?
Fortunately, there are a lot of great packaging and design options that can be both eye-catching and fiscally responsible from a bottom line prospective. Here are eight great packaging ideas that won’t break the bank.
Printing types
Scale will always affect your output. When you have a smaller run, it may be of interest to consider digital printing. Larger-scale operations would call for offset printers, complete with multiple plates and a number of passes. Depending on what you’re printing on, you might also consider screen printing. If it’s on a dark fabric and you’re looking for a high level of vibrancy, this is your best option.
Interior design
For a small additional cost, think about extending the branding, artwork, and pattern printing into the interior of the package. It could be a nice contrast. A pair of headphones coming out of slate black package only to find a splash of vibrant red inside the packaging certainly makes a statement, and is worth the increased cost to deliver a more unique customer experience.
Die cut
While other customized boxes for products can be both expensive and wasteful, consider the custom die cut. It’s custom made for your particular design interests and brand awareness, and the scale of your order can deliver savings, as well. The more units purchased, the cheaper per-unit cost incurred. Because they’re standardized unto themselves, only one machine is needed. And because they’re uniform, waste goes way down, as well.
Custom sleeves
A custom sleeve makes the perfect aesthetic statement to reinforce your brand and your company’s style. These are inexpensive to produce but extend a notion of luxury and posh refinement – and that’s hard to put a price on. As with die cuts, buying in bulk creates the most potential savings in the long run.
Inserts
We’ve talked a little bit about the interior package design, but that goes a step beyond the internal printing designs. Tissue paper is lightweight so it doesn’t throw off shipping costs and is made from thinner material, creating less waste overall. Inserts can be used to convey all kinds of personalized or touching messages to your customer. When thinking of the unboxing experience, always consider what your customer is going to feel, and how you can influence them toward repeat business.
Stickers
Stickers are an easy way to transition from a simple, plain, and boring old box, to something more akin to a specialized design. If you’re using tissue paper as liner inside the box, it could be sealed around your product with a sticker of your company’s logo. You can really make a lasting impression with branded stickers. And the best part of all? They’re cheap!
Custom tape
Much like custom stickers, custom tape works wonders on brand awareness for pennies on the dollar. Ever since Amazon started advertising its Prime membership on the tape it uses to seal its packages, there has been a marked increase in Prime memberships. And custom tape will likely fit perfectly with your budget.
Take your packaging to the next level with Lofton
There’s one final thought to consider when weighing the options and benefits of a better packaging design: it will directly affect your bottom line. However, better packaging makes people more likely to order again. Here at Lofton, we have design options available to you and some of the highest quality equipment on the market, only matched by the high level of service we provide. Contact us today to discuss how your next package design solution could save you bundles and make your brand.
