Okay, you have the perfect product. Buyers are always come back for more. Yet you’re losing sales to other products on the market — for some reason new shoppers are reaching for other brands on the shelf. Is your label to blame? After all it’s worked up until now… But something has changed.
Your product labels are outdated!
Your competitors are earning sales that could (and should) be yours. It’s time to give your product a makeover with an updated label. So, let’s address the issue. Here are signs that your product labels are outdated, and what you should do to remedy that catastrophe.
Signs That Your Labels Are Outdated
Sales Are Stagnant
As we just mentioned, your sales numbers may be the first indication that your label is outdated. Take a look at your bottom line; has it plateaued? While your competitors’ sales are sky-bound, you’re stuck in the doldrums. It’s a hard truth, but your label may be to blame if you sell a superior product yet sales aren’t growing.
Look at the Lineup
Need a good litmus test for your labels? Take a look at similar products that are on the market. If you have a product that is lining the shelves in the local grocery store, take a minute or two to scan the products on the surrounding shelves. Does yours stand out in the crowd? Or is it too plain to notice? Perhaps it blends in with every other product in the lineup.
Ask a Designer
On the fence about your current label design? Ask a designer! Find someone who knows the rules of good design, and ask for feedback on your product labels. Ask about color, material, shape, spacing, and font—are they all working in unison? If you don’t know any designers, you can conduct a survey from friends, and ask for their opinion on your current label, as well as their suggestions for the next iteration.
What to Do About It
Obvious Fixes
Do you have a label that’s blurry? Did someone overlook a typo or two? Are your labels poorly printed? Or are they printed on the wrong label material? Start with these easy, obvious changes first.
Clean Up Your Design
Simple sells. The Harvard Business Review points out the findings of a marketing study in their article, To Keep Your Customers, Keep It Simple:
“The single biggest driver of [brand success], by far, was ‘decision simplicity’—the ease with which consumers can gather trustworthy information about a product and confidently and efficiently weigh their purchase options. What consumers want from marketers is, simply, simplicity.”
So take a long, honest look at your current labels. Are you overwhelming your clientele with descriptors? Or do you paint an illuminating picture about your product with just a few words? Cut out superfluous writing and descriptions; keep it succinct.
Now, complex logo designs can work too if you take some caution. While The Harvard Business Review makes a valid argument for simplicity, the argument can be made that complexity in label design can stand out in a world shifting towards simple.
Our advice: If you have a If you’re going to opt for a complex design, it’s best to commit. Think arts and crafts era designs. Fill your “canvas” with intricacy. Maybe celtic knots or rose vines. Or perhaps a label featuring Nanga-style painting. If you’re going the complex route, just be sure to respect the space left in your label (if there’s any negative space at all), and make sure that your label is well-balanced.
Consider Color
Pick your colors wisely. Strive to find a color palette that works with your packaging and the type of product you’re selling, and a palette that stands out. If you’re new to color theory, take a look at our article, Label Design & Color Theory. We delve into some of the meanings that specific colors carry, as well as color schemes that are pleasing to the eye.
Pair With Packaging
Your packaging may be as important as your label, if not more so. Material counts. Shape is important. Color, as we just mentioned, is crucial. Make sure that you find the right packaging material to suit your product. If you’re bottling wine, you’ll have to consider the shape of your bottle, the color of its glass, and the product label to top it all off. If you’re packaging soap, you might opt for textural packaging that captures its natural ingredients—you settle on butcher paper, a soft off-white label, and twine to wrap the package.
Get Weird
It may sound like strange advice, but odd is in. Feel free to exercise your creative muscle, and come up with a label that’s strikingly different. It could be a label shaped like a rocket. Or maybe your label features a baobab tree. Perhaps you use striking colors: a bold eggplant purple with seafoam green accents. Don’t be afraid to be a bit bizarre. It’ll earn the gaze of window-shoppers, and it’ll give your clients something to talk about.
Ready to Print?
If you’ve recently remodeled your label, we’re here for its first printing. We can provide a sample print, so that you can rest assured that your design is just as you’d like it before we print out a few more copies. Here at Leapin’ Lizard Labels, we make label printing simple, economical, and fast. We print in all, colors, on labels of various sizes and shapes—our labels are truly customizable. Plus, you can print any batch size that you’d like, so there’s no waste.
If you’re ready to print your next label, don’t hesitate to get started with a free quote – reach out to us to learn more!
