Online shopping was already increasing in popularity before the pandemic, but the resulting shelter-in-place restrictions made shopping from home part of the new normal. More than 2 billion people shop online. That translates to 2 billion opportunities to reconnect with your customers. Your shoppers probably have several choices to purchase similar products online. Thank them for choosing you over competitors.
Strengthen Your Brand With These Packaging Ideas
Here are ways marketing professionals can make the most of these bonus touchpoints:
- Customize your shipping boxes to the products: Using custom-shaped boxes that protect their contents reminds customers that your items have value. Make the packaging even more memorable by using interesting, custom graphics.
- Connect with customers: Make your customers feel special about their excellent taste in purchases by printing exclusive messages on the labels, such as an inside joke about your industry or “secret” information about your products.
- Remember delivery personnel: Your boxes don’t magically ship by themselves. There are thousands of delivery professionals who work hard to assure packages arrive on time and in excellent condition. Set the delivery personnel up for success by ensuring your cartons are properly designed for the configuration and weight distribution of their contents.
- Don’t be wasteful about packaging: Wrap wisely. Including packaging just for packaging’s sake is a surefire way for a photo of the delivery to end up in social media — and not in a good way. Your customers will probably upcycle or recycle some of the packaging. Causing them to overflow their recycling bin is not the memory you want to instill.
- Include product samples in your packaging: Let customers know you have additional items they might enjoy. It’s the real-life version of “You might also like” online suggestions.
- Encourage future purchases: Print a coupon code or QR code on the box or include a physical coupon for future purchases.
- Invite reviews of your products: Include an invitation on your packaging for clients to submit product reviews via social media. Even a less-than-stellar review is a learning opportunity.
- Encourage opportunities to share packaging photos on social media: Here’s an example: An online pet food vendor is quite familiar with its clientele. It knows how much pets, especially cats, enjoy turning boxes into favorite relaxing spots. That’s why one pet food vendor printed an invitation directly on the cardboard for owners to snap photos of their pets snuggling in the cartons and post them on the vendor’s social media. Pets that are featured online are even promised special treats from the vendor.
Every touchpoint with your customer is a marketing opportunity. If you sell online and ship products, see the accompanying resource for tips to create customer loyalty through outstanding online order packaging.
Miriam Tovar is Marketing Manager for Chicago Tag & Label, which manufactures custom forms and labels. Tovar has 12 years of experience in the industry and focuses on delivering innovative print solutions to a broad range of industries including retail, e-commerce, distribution and medical.
