Are you a small business owner who needs a little help in the packaging department? I bet you are. It’s hard to find good ideas when you need them and sometimes it’s just easier to ask for help.
This article should offer some fresh and cute packaging ideas to spruce up your packaging. And take it from bland and boring to exciting, new, fun, and vibrant.
Your business also requires packaging for the products you sell, and you can enhance your marketing efforts with our ideas.
Beautiful packaging can provide excellent customer experiences, which makes all the difference when competing with more well-known brands.
15 Packaging Ideas for Small Business
Packaging can be a true game changer for small businesses. It’s an opportunity to stand out, convey professionalism and clearly present your brand. That’s why I have put this guide on the best small business packaging ideas.
1. Custom Printed Boxes
Custom printed boxes can make all the difference when competing with larger brands and small businesses.
These are special boxes that you can design with your own unique artwork, logo, or patterns. They’re not like regular plain boxes you see in stores. These boxes are a way for businesses to showcase their brand and make their products stand out.
For example, a company might have its name and a colorful design on its product boxes to make them look attractive and distinctive. It’s a creative way to make your packaging look unique and memorable.
Let’s design and create packaging for your products together. We don’t compromise on quality, so contact us today to bring your ideas to life.
2. Vinyl Stickers
Do you want to come up with ways to boost your sales?
It doesn’t matter what product you are selling, you need to get it into the customer’s hands.
Sticker for packaging is what you need to improve the impression of your product and increase the chances of making a sale.
It will highlight your products and increase its visibility to new customers. And at the same time create customer loyalty by promoting your brand image.
Businesses create a lot of packaging for their products. But that doesn’t mean all of them are necessarily good and appealing. Some of them are probably plain, some even boring and ugly.
Therefore, small business should use custom stickers to make the packaging more attractive and appealing.
As that would help increase their sales. It’s because people may be more likely to buy a product if it is packaged attractively.
In addition, these adhesive labels can be used to give information about the product like its ingredients, nutritional value and other relevant information.
3. Custom Printed Mailer Boxes
Customers are the heart of a business and it is important to make them happy.
But unfortunately, packing up your products in generic boxes will likely cause damage or low sales.
People have different thoughts about custom boxes. A study found that 72% of Americans believe that how something is packaged is really important when they decide to buy it.
When a customer sees two similar products, one in a plain box and the other in a box with designs, they are more likely to choose the one with the printed box.
This means that custom-printed packaging directly affects how many sales a product gets.
Custom-printed mailer boxes can be perfect for enhancing sales and brand image. So I highly recommend to use printed boxes.
4. Packaging inserts
Packaging inserts are additional materials placed inside product packaging to enhance the customer experience and provide functional benefits.
These can include informational cards, thank-you notes, product care instructions, promotional offers, or protective materials like foam or cardboard dividers.
Inserts serve to educate customers, build brand loyalty, and protect items during shipping. They offer a personalized touch that can leave a positive impression, fostering a deeper connection between businesses and their customers.
5. Beautiful Ribbons
Owners of small business that sell products can wrap their packaging in a way that makes it seem like they’re giving the customer something special.
The wrapping will make the recipient feel as though they are receiving a present, and this will boost the chance of them ordering more products in the future.
You can do this by putting some thought into the design of your packaging, or having it printed in a different way to make it more memorable.
You could also use ribbons or bows to make it look like a gift so that when your customers receive your product they’ll see that you’ve invested time, effort and money into ensuring they’re getting a high quality item.
6. Add Business Cards
Create a business card that will be given to customers when they come into your store, and include some details about yourself. This will make your small business seem more personal and will allow you to give customers an insight as to why you chose that particular name.
This can also be done by enclosing a card inside the packages of your goods that are sent out to customers. This way, you can include information about the business or yourself in a discreet manner so that it does not get thrown away or taken for granted.
Customers can learn about how you came up with your business’s name and what makes it unique. This allows them to feel more connected to the business and makes them want to do business with you because they want to support a local business.
If a customer buys something from you that comes in an interesting package, they are also more likely to remember your product and/or service.
7. Eco-Friendly Packaging
Eco-friendly packaging prioritizes sustainability by employing materials that minimize environmental impact. It often utilizes recyclable, biodegradable, or renewable resources like cardboard, corrugated, or kraft paper.
These materials reduce waste and pollution, aligning with consumer values for a greener planet. Eco-friendly packaging not only minimizes harm but also educates consumers about responsible disposal and recycling practices, often featuring eco-conscious messaging.
8. Branded Packaging
You can create memorable branding with your packaging in many ways, even if you only have a small budget and no design skills. Here are five ways to get started:
Packaging and design are the most effective ways to create an identity and personality for your business. Whether your product packaging or color choice, you can use design to communicate what makes you unique to customers.
Always try to make an impactful and memorable brand impression through your packaging style and design.
The very first step for branding is the logo on your packaging box. An iconic logo is always essential, but it’s not enough when trying to stand out from the competition.
Here are some points that you shall keep in mind for that purpose:
- Create a unique and out-of-the-box logo.
- Have fun with shapes; try geometric designs to give an elegant touch.
- Play with textures, especially those that are a part of your company color theme.
- Never copycat your competitors or any successful brand; it will have a cheap impact on your target audience.
9. Personalize Paper Bags
Personalized paper bags are bags made of paper that have been customized or designed uniquely for a specific purpose.
These bags can have different colors, patterns, or even your name and logo on them. They are often used by businesses to give a special and individual touch to their packaging.
For example, a bakery might have paper bags with their logo and a colorful design to put your pastries in. Personalized paper bags are a fun and creative way to make your gifts or products feel extra special and memorable.
10. Stylish and Decorative Vintage Style
Vintage style packaging and branding go hand in hand. If your brand is memorable, you’ll be able to keep customers returning even when they are not actively looking for your product or service.
Use old-style yet new product packaging ideas to make your products or services stand out from the competition. You can use any of the following embellishments for that purpose:
- Labels and Tags with a vintage appearance
- Odd-shaped boxes like hexagonal or even octagonal shapes
- Custom-designed stickers with product name
11. Minimal Packaging
Minimalist packaging refers to a design approach that focuses on simplicity, cleanliness, and functionality.
It is characterized by clean lines, minimal graphics, and a clutter-free appearance.
The concept behind minimalist packaging is to strip away any unnecessary elements and present a product in its purest form.
Minimalist packaging often utilizes neutral colors, simple typography, and a limited color palette to create a sleek and modern look.
It aims to communicate a sense of elegance, sophistication, and refinement.
12. Die-cut packaging
Die-cut boxes is a cool way to make boxes and packages look unique. Instead of plain, boring shapes, it uses special cutting techniques to make interesting and fancy shapes on the boxes.
For example, a pizza box might have a window cut into it so you can see the pizza inside. Die-cut packaging is like making fun and creative shapes out of paper or cardboard to make your package more exciting and appealing.
13. Color Gradients
Color gradients are an excellent way to set your packaging apart from the competition.
With our color gradient generator, you can create stunning gradients with a button, and you don’t need to be a graphic designer to get the look you want.
Just check a few of the designs that are already hit in the market and see what sort of colors are liked by the consumers.
Plus, with your manufacturers’ full selection of materials, you’re sure to find the perfect stock for your business. Check out all of their materials and then decide.
The choice of excellent and appropriate material is directly related to the color output. Not all colors show the same result on all types of stock.
14. Unconventional Modern Design
Unconventional modern design is both sleek and eye-catching.
With the proper packaging, you can turn your product into a work of art with just a few tweaks. This style is also perfect for those looking to make their product stand out in a crowded marketplace.
This style uses unconventional materials like wood and leather to create an attractive package that will draw people in from afar.
And if you’re worried about the price, don’t be! This new trend is affordable and doesn’t require complicated machinery or expensive materials!
15. Custom Wraps
Custom wraps are special coverings that you can design to fit around something, like a gift or a product. These wraps are personalized with your own designs, colors, or messages.
They make your item look more unique and thoughtful. For instance, you can have a custom wrap with a birthday message and your friend’s name on it for their gift.
It’s a creative idea to make your presents or products extra special and show that you care.
Final Words
I have found numerous packaging ideas while working in a packaging company. However, I only share valuable ideas to make your product stand out.
Ultimately, choosing the right packaging for your business is about knowing your business, and knowing what your consumer wants.
Of course, there are no standard guidelines or templates to go on—there is no one-size-fits all. However, with so many creative packaging options out there, it shouldn’t be too hard to find one that works exactly for you.
The packaging & printing industries have been focus of my research as a senior editor at ECB. “Packaging Notes” is the book I use to gain knowledge in packaging.
