If you are considering rebranding or revitalizing your packaging, you probably know it is not an easy thing to do. Even if you were to make minor changes to your packaging, it involves a great deal of thought. It could be a big hit or it could cause sales to plummet. You may have to change packaging for any number of reasons.
Perhaps a change is needed to keep up with competitors and technological changes, or maybe something isn’t working any more. The thing is, you want to make these changes without damaging what you already have. You need to be thorough in planning and research when changing your packaging. Here are some things you need to ask before you do anything.
1. What Do You Hope To Achieve?
What exactly are you trying to accomplish and what goals are you hoping to achieve by rebranding or revitalizing your current packaging? Not only must you have a clear answer, it should also make financial sense in terms of the costs involved and the benefits you hope to gain. If you feel your sales have somewhat stagnated, you could have a survey and get feedback from customers. Maybe it’s got boring or perhaps it is hard to open. A change might indeed be needed.
2. How Much Will It Cost?
You need to consider the costs involved in revamping your existing packaging. If the potential gains are expected to be minimal, there may be no point in doing anything. If you use less materials in your packaging or use lighter packaging supplies, and you expect that saving on less materials in addition to potential gains is worth it, then you can move ahead with confidence. There may be a period of adjustment and possibly tweaking involved. You need to do marketing and also enlighten your customers regarding the decision to make these changes.
3. Do You Know Your Audience?
It is critical to know who your audience is, as this will help in making better decisions. You can do market research or perhaps you already have access to such information. If you revamp your brand and packaging, it’s really a lot to do with what your customers say. Remember, audiences will vary; long-time and loyal customers may offer different reactions and feedback to the newer ones who have come on board. The thing about loyal customers is, they often do not take changes very well.
As much as brand loyalty is important, if the opportunity to make changes and grow your brand presents itself, it is a risk that you may have to take. Getting the right balance of keeping customers happy and enhancing the product is critical.
4. Are Competitors Making Changes Too?
One thing to be aware of is your competitors. Are they making changes too? Sometimes, it also depends on the type of business or industry you’re in. In an industry where there’s much evolution, it will reflect badly on you if you do not move along with the times. If you can stay ahead of competitors, all the better. If you have an easily distinguishable package, it will definitely draw attention when sitting amongst your competitors’ products.
Going green may be something to consider seriously as well. It can be a good decision on many levels. Using eco-friendly materials can be much easier to market. Being aware of environmental issues is always seen favourably by the public.
