by Emily McDowell

Created on: October 26, 2009

When people want to make a good first impression, image is important. Same is true for car dealerships that keep the vehicles on their lots washed and free of spots. Retail stores strive to staff enough employees to keep shelves clean and organized. An initial appearance, whether that of a person, place or thing, determines how others perceive someone or something - orderly, messy, cheap, expensive, and so on.

Packaging serves as the initial impression of a product for consumers. Think about which you are more attracted to an item with unique, eye-catching, well-designed packaging or an item with plain, boring, poorly designed packaging with misspellings. If you are like most other shoppers, you'll gravitate towards the product with a more professional look. Packaging can also convey messages to consumers that can influence purchasing decisions, such as a company's dedication to environmental awareness.

Substandard wrapping gives the impression that the manufacturing company does not care about its image or competing in the market. It leads potential buyers to believe that the company is not established and therefore the product is faulty or cheap. If the manufacturer will not spend the extra money to create appealing packaging, then they more than likely skimped on components of the product inside the package.

Packaging is an advertisement for a product before a consumer has to make an immediate purchase. It can give your product an edge over more established competition. Therefore, the cost of professional packaging should be an essential part of your marketing budget. Package design also serves to build brand awareness for a product. The color, the material and what is written on the packaging can help potential buyers identify with the brand and influence their future purchasing decisions if they like a particular product.

Clean and compelling package design builds consumer confidence in a product and says a lot about the competence of your company. However, the product inside the packaging must impress the consumer as much as the design on the outside or else you will not have repeat sales. Package design may contribute to a first-time sale, but the quality of the product is what drives repeat sales.

According to Associated Content,Packaging should reflect the market that your company is trying to reach. More upscale products should have packaging with fancier writing, more refined colors such as gold and silver and modern graphics. [It] should look more expensive. A similar item targeted to a more cost-conscious consumer should be packaged in a way that makes consumers feel they are getting quality without the 'fanciness' that enables price inflation...Products for children often have openings that allow them to try out certain features like lights and sound, encouraging higher sales.

An advertising agency or packaging company can help you develop an appealing and effective design for your product. Make sure to establish a budget and obtain a quote from the company before giving them the green light to start work. You don't want to pay so much for package design that you have to offset the cost by raising the price of the product because this will hurt your return on investment. However, spending a predetermined amount on professional packaging is a critical component of marketing and sales, and will help increase sales in the long run.

Learn more about this author, Emily McDowell.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.