Selling your own personal products, whether it’s something your created or a private label product, is a great way to earn a profit on sites like Amazon. But there’s much more to it than just choosing a product you feel passionate about and that your customers find useful.
You’ve got to make that product stand out from your competition. You’ve got to make that product appealing to new consumers, and you’ve got to make that product easy for your customers to use.
The perfect product label does all of that and more. It can be the basis on which you build your brand. If you’re in the process of creating a label for your products or even if you’re just thinking about it, these ten tips will help you come up with something special that sends your profits soaring.
1. Make it easy to read.
No matter what else you do when making your label, you must ensure that it’s easy to read.
It’s fun to get excited by fancy fonts and typographic pairings, but if the customer can’t read the name of the product or any other important information, your label is fairly useless and potentially even misleading. It’s enough to turn a customer away.
2. Be unique.
Something else that’s important is standing out from the competition. You can’t do this by copying what they do, so make sure your label is bold and unique.
If you saw it in a brick and mortar store, you should want to buy it or, at least, check it out just because of how cool the label looks.
3. Don’t forget about size.
If you sell something small, obviously, you’ll probably use a small label. A small label will look terrible if it’s cluttered with lines and lines of type and multiple images.
If your product is larger, you have more room to play around with those extras. The shape of the product, say a bottle instead of a box, will also play a role in what you put on your label.
4. Don’t forget about the label material.
Labels aren’t made from any one material. They may be glossy paper, matte paper, plastic, foil, wooden, metal, cloth, recycled materials — the options are practically endless if you want to be creative.
But when it comes down to it, images and fonts look better on some materials than they do others, so keep that in mind when making your selection.
5. Always choose quality first.
It’s easy to go cheap. You can find designers online who work for pennies but may not do a great job. You can even use software and design your own levels, but unless you have some experience, they’ll probably look a bit amateurish.
If you can afford to spend a little extra on higher-quality labels, do it. Think of your own shopping experiences. You’re probably willing to try a new product if it looks professional, right?
6. Know your target customers.
When designing your labels, do your research on who your target customers are. Age, gender, hobbies, whether they’re parents, interests, education level, where they live — find out as much as you can about the person who will buy your products through whatever research you can access.
Certain labels just aren’t going to appeal to some people. For example, if you sell tools to auto mechanics, you probably don’t want to create a label with pastel colors and flowers on it.
7. Remember that colors are important.
Speaking of colors, they may be the first thing a potential customer notices about your product label, so choose them wisely. The color of the label should look good against the color of your product or packaging.
If you aren’t sure which colors to use, go to your local Walmart, Target, mall, or grocery store and take a walk down the aisles. Look at how products in every category use colors to make their labels more appealing.
Consider what you like and don’t like. You can also use online tools like Color Blender to pick out a scheme that compliments itself.
8. Consider your branding.
If you sell multiple products, you’ll want each of your labels to look like a part of your brand. While they don’t have to match exactly, they should at least look as if they are from the same company.
Look to your company logo, the print work on your business cards and mail enclosures, and any other branded items you use for inspiration.
9. Think about the non-creative aspects of the label.
It’s easy to get caught up in colors, fonts, and images, but don’t forget to leave space for the important stuff. Bar codes, for example, make your product look professional (and make it easy to track), but they should be incorporated into your design.
You’ll also want to add a clear way for customers to contact you with questions about the product, such as a phone number, email address, or the link to your website. Some products are self-explanatory, but others may require directions.
Take time to work this information into your label without it appearing too overwhelming.
10. Get some real world feedback.
Before you send your label out into the world, get some live feedback from actual consumers. This can include people you know or people you don’t know but may have access to.
Give them each a sample product with your proposed label, and ask them questions about it. Do they like the design? What does it make them think of? Does it fit with the product? Would it grab their attention if they were shopping online? Does it fit your brand or image?
Thank you