Custom Label Printing 101
Label printing for new start-up businesses is both exciting and confusing for many owners. Many have not thought through their brand strategy, and consider their labels at the last minutes. We get to do a lot of educating around formatting, design, choosing the right substrate (paper, laminate etc) quantities- really the whole enchilada. When done right, it should feel like the crown jewel to getting your product to market. Don’t let it be a stressor for you. Check out our Label FAQs, or as many of you do, feel free to give us a call with your questions.
Label printing is the final step in getting your product ready to communicate to your customers what you’d like them to buy. I ran across a great quote today that sums this up in an interesting way.
“A person who can think, but cannot express what he thinks, places himself at the level of the person who can not think.” – Pericles
Label printing and the design of your label helps you visually express what you think, and what you’d like your customer to think about your product. Have you done a good assessment lately how of well your labels reflect what you want your target market to think about your product?
Here are some tips to consider:
Use a professional marketing firm to help you design your new logo. You may want to skimp on the expense here because finances are tight, but this is one area where spending the money will pay off. There are plenty of reasonable options out there, so don’t despair. Your label design is critical to people actually paying cold hard cash for your product, so go professional!
Printing custom labels in small quantities is also advisable. Because digital label printing allows for small run quantities without expensive set-up charges, you’ll want to start with a small number of labels and try them out. This will allow you to test different variations in your labels and ensure you end up with just the right custom labels for your product.
The next idea to consider when having your product labels printed is how you might personalize your labels. Because of variable data, each one of your labels can be different. Do you want to send a different message to your customers in different cities? Easily done. Do you want to number each label so your product feels exclusive? Not a problem. Do you want to ask trivia questions, change fonts, add or delete graphics? Label printing technology allows all of this to be done, and should be considered as a part of your overall marketing plan. Custom labels sell!
Label printing options for materials have also expanded. Really think about how your product will be used. What kind of environment will your product be used in? Cold, wet, dry, sitting in someone’s bathroom, out on a job site, environmentally friendly — all are possible, and you want to pick the right material for the job and for your customer’s tastes. If you’re unsure, we can help you decide whether a gloss or matte stock and whether to use laminates are right for your product.
Custom label printing, and the quality of that printing, plays into the equation as well. Sometimes we can get so focused on the bigger picture, that an important factor in our success gets overlooked. Like any part of your business, I would recommend that you assess how well your labels are working for you at least once a year. Label printing should be a part of that assessment. Take some time and assess your labels, and the quality of your printed labels to make sure you’re sending the right message to your customers and potential customers.
When you’re ready to head to the printers with your custom labels, we’re eager to help. Just give us a call to get started!
Happy labeling!
