For food companies, theatres, and even gas stations, a lot of the buyer journey takes place at the point of purchase. In other words, your customers don’t spend much time weighing pros and cons before they decide whether to buy a coffee from you or a salad box. Instead, they make their choice based on how they feel in the moment.
Upgrading your packaging is your opportunity to influence those split-second decisions. The problem is, there are various factors that can impact the performance of your packaging strategy. For instance, an ineffective packaging line could mean that you’re not using the right designs or materials to attract your customers.
So, what can you do to improve the ROI of your packaging line?
Step 1: Find Out What your Customers Want
If you’re thinking of upgrading your packaging line to potentially improve your sales, then you’ll need to start by doing your homework. Plenty of companies make the mistake of changing their packaging process before they’ve had a chance to audit their existing strategy. However, moving too quickly means that you could end up spending money on the wrong things. Before you speak to a packaging expert, think about what your customers need.
If you sell food products at a cinema, then you know your clients need sturdy, easy-to-transport packaging. However, it’s worth getting a deeper insight into your consumer preferences before you upgrade your packaging line. For instance:
- Would your customers prefer environmentally-friendly packaging?
- Do they need a range of sizes?
- What kind of colours do they like best?
The more you know about your customers, the easier it will be to adjust your packaging line to suit their preferences.
Also Read: Tasty Tips: How to Make Your Fast Food Packaging Stand Out
Step 2: Decide What Your Business Needs
There’s more to great packaging than how much it costs and focusing too much on money could mean that you overlook some of the things your business need most. For instance, personalised packaging can help you to build a stronger relationship with your customers, which leads to more loyalty in the long-term. Something as simple as a window on your salad box could make your products seem more appetizing. It could even earn you social shares if someone decides to post a pic on Instagram.
Write a list of things you want to accomplish with your packaging. For instance:
- Are you running online campaigns? If so, you might include hashtags and links to your social pages on popcorn cartons or drinks.
- Do you serve food and drink in a range of different temperatures? This means you need packaging materials that hold up to hot and cold.
- Do you need a large volume of new packaging with every order? That means you need a supplier that can produce fast.
Step 3: Learn What Your Supplier Can Offer
Finally, once you know what your customer wants, and what your brand needs from your packaging line, you can begin to talk to a supplier that understands your company. A good packaging supplier will be able to discuss the pain points in your packaging line with you and help you come up with solutions. They could even give you tips and advice on how to improve the ROI of your packaging strategies.
Ultimately, upgrading your packaging line isn’t just about adding a new size of cup to your menu, or putting a window in your hot food trays. A good upgrade is about finding packaging that aligns with your customer, and your business goals. Need help finding that perfect packaging? Reach out to Pureco China today! Contact us directly at +86-21-57382058 or jump onto our live chat feature (bottom right-hand side of this page) and send us a message.
We look forward to speaking with you.