7 Ways to Turn Heads With Your Custom Product Labels
Whether you’re buying your product labels from a web-to-print company, or you’re getting custom product labels from a custom label printer, one thing is certain – you want to move your product off shelves and into the hands of your customers.
The first way to do that is to get noticed. Then, it’s up to your label to inform the customer and land you the sale.
That’s a lot of pressure for a little label but with the right design and information, you can maximize your sales and get your products in the hands of the people who want them.
Here are seven ways to make your custom product labels turn shopper’s heads as they move down the aisle.
1) Eliminate the Guesswork
When you’re trying to stand out on the shelf, you need to appeal to customers that don’t know who you are or what you sell. These people might have an inkling of what you do, but it’s your packaging that will make or break their decision to buy.
Look at your product packaging through the lens of your buyer.
- Does it clearly state what it is?
- Does it answer any objections to buying?
- Are the benefits front and center?
The clearer you can make your labels, the more reasons your customers will have to put your product in their cart and buy.
2) Make it Artistic
What if every label had nothing but uniform black and white text? It’d be pretty boring, right?
Customers appreciate quality artwork on a product. The artwork sends a nonverbal cue about what the customer will get when she buys. For example, if your label has pops of colorful confetti, the customer will assume your product will liven up her life in some way. On the other hand, if your product labels have a crisp design with minimal, yet impactful, artwork, it sends a signal of sophistication and purity.
3) Send a Clear Brand Message…
Ultimately, the artwork on your product will send a message about your company. What do you stand for? Are you a fun brand or are you more buttoned up?
The design you choose for your label will give an immediate impression of your overall brand. It should be clear, at first glance, that the product on the shelf is your product.
The typography you use, the colors and the overall aesthetic send a clear signal about your brand. For example, Lisa Frank uses cursive and bright colors. It’s clear that they have a playful brand aimed at children. Each of their products, although different in design, is unmistakably Lisa Frank.
4)… And a Clear Product Message
In addition to sending a clear message about the brand, you will also need to send a clear message about the product.
You already know you need to eliminate any guesswork about what the customer will get when she buys from you. Now, you need to go a step further and show the customer how the product will make her feel after she buys.
A good example of this is the Honest company. Each of their products is designed to look decorative and clean, which falls into place with their product line – nontoxic household products suitable to use around the house, even with babies and small children. Each product’s message is one of safety and comfort. This, combined with the brand image of the light blues, greens and reds, can be found on every package.
5) Mind the Gaps
When it comes to real estate on a label, your hands are tied. You have a small area to convey your product details, message and brand’s message. If you’re designing a label for a food product, you also have to include the nutrition facts, expiration dates and more.
Your product most likely needs to have a barcode on it too. This can also take up quite a bit of room.
As you start to merge the necessary label components, you start to realize how much information you need to get onto a small area. It’s tempting to mush everything together but this is dangerous. By minding the gaps on your label and keeping the appropriate amount of whitespace, you can ensure your labels are equally attractive and informative.
6) Maintain Color Balance
Tempted to use pastels and muted colors to soften your product’s image? Think bright, bold colors will help you draw more eyes to your product? Both types of colors can help you get attention, but only if the colors are used in the right way.
The balance of color to white space on your label is important. Having colors that are too muted could make your labels look drab and uninviting. Having too much color without any type of borders will overwhelm your audience and make them lose interest.
Find balance by combining light and dark colors and organizing your images in a way that gives your buyer a great experience with your label.
7) Be Deliberate With Your Details
Well-designed labels don’t happen by accident. Every detail is taken into consideration from the typography used to the number of images added. Size matters too.
Still, it’s important to point out that there is no industry standard for how big your product name should be, or how many images you should use, or which typography yields the most sales. The details of your label should match your brand. Plain and simple.
Case in point: Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps.
Take a look at the miniature sized text that fills this label and you might think they’re doing something wrong. However, by strategically designing all of their labels with this type, design, and size, they’ve created a brand image that’s instantly recognizable on the shelf.
Question: What’s been the biggest challenge for you when designing your custom product labels?
Coming up with an eye-catching design and standing out on the shelf is harder than it seems. It takes finesse and expertise in creating the right design for the right buyer in the right stores.