10 Packaging Ideas for Small Business

Starting a small business is a great way to utilize personal creative talents and hobbies to make income on the side or even as your full-time job. When selling physical products, beautiful and creative packaging can make a big impact for your business.

Packaging is a great way to showcase your products and helps people identify you through your brand. And with the right type of packaging, it can encourage people to return to your business wanting more of your product.

If you are just starting your business and need some inspiration on how to package your products, I have rounded up 10 small business packaging ideas that can help you out.

 

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Custom Care Instruction Tags

Care instructions can be very minimal, or go the extra mile by matching the design to the rest of the packaging. It’s little details that add to your packaging, and show that you care about your products. 

Soft and simple protective packaging  

Protective packaging supplies are materials built to protect a product from potential harm or destruction during shipping.
Protective packaging ensures that this aspect of the buyer's journey is filled with excitement, tension and if all goes right, a sense of joy. Using the appropriate protective packaging greatly increases the probability of a quality unboxing experience.

The Power of Color in Branding

Above all, it’s important to choose a color that feels appropriate to your industry and authentic to your products or services. Understanding your target audience is Branding 101. This is especially true when picking the right color for your brand. 

Consider your typical buyer persona. What color is going to resonate with them most? Whether it is masculine vs. feminine, energetic vs. understated, or passionate vs. practical, your target audience’s defining traits should align with those of your brand color.

Use packaging fillers

Packaging fillers also play an aesthetic role. That is, it doesn't hurt if they also look pretty. We define packaging fillers as things such as; packaging peanuts, tissue paper, and shredded paper. All of these are a great way to add an extra special touch to your packaging and give it a more premium and professional look. 

Add a complementary or business card

We love compliments & business cards. These cards allow you to speak to your customers even after you’ve sent out the package. They provide you an opportunity to remind customers to visit your social media business page or website. You can also customize them by leaving a space on the card to handwrite your customers' names.

 

See Also: Creative Ways To Market Your Business

 Paper bags

Paper bags have become something of a fashion and status symbol in today’s market, due to the amount of time and effort that brands spend designing an attractive paper bag for their wares. With attractive paper bags that advertise the company’s brand, customers are providing a form of free advertising and endorsement.

  

Custom-Designed Creative Packaging

Customized boxes are the primary element in a brand-driven unboxing experience like this. Along with delivering a branded message every step of the way, custom box and packaging solutions are designed to fit your exact needs.

Customized plastic bag packaging

Plastic bags are available in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some provide unique features, like the ability to prevent static charges, while others are simply a convenient option for storing specific items. It can be difficult to find the right plastic bag for your needs.

Plastic bags usually use less material than comparable to boxes, cartons, or bags, thus are often considered as "reduced or minimized packaging".

Poly Mailers  

Poly mailers are lightweight but sturdy plastic bags designed to ship products. They have a self-sealing fold-over lip so no tape is needed, and a shipping label can be directly affixed on the bag. They are thin, yet durable so they don’t take up much space on a truck while in transit.

Poly mailers come in many sizes and styles with some being padded with bubble wrap so they don’t require additional dunnage like many boxes require to hold items in place to prevent shipping damages.

 Shipping Template

If you own an online store it is very important to have a shipping template. Whether you offer one or several shipping methods, list out the different methods and the expected business day estimated delivery times for each. Your template should include

• What shipping options are available (overnight, standard, business days, international, domestic only, etc.),

• How much they can expect to pay for shipping,  

• How long your handling time will be between when an order is placed and when it gets shipped,

• If orders must be placed before a specific time to be counted as placed during that business day, 

•  Any restrictions to where you can deliver
  

•  Anything else that would be material to a customer when placing an order.

Once you understand your business needs and customer expectations, you can choose packaging that helps identify your brand, protect your products, and grow your business. When it comes to budget, remember that affordable packaging options can be a great start! You should consider small business packaging ideas to impress your clients. Get creative in your approach and thank your customers for their business with a quick note or sticker.