Imagine you are doing your weekly shopping, pushing your cart down the canned vegetable aisle, and there are no labels on the cans. Just varying sizes of aluminum cans. How would know the difference between a brand named canned of peas versus the store brand? How would you even know it was canned peas? Labeling is a key element in product identification and marketing. During this essay, I will guide you through the process of identifying the key aspects of your custom label design and the execution of creating a label. The label is the face of your product, so you’ll want as much pertinent information as possible without making the label too “busy” and cluttered. It has been said, “It’s what’s inside that counts”, but that assumes you can get inside to find out. What form of representation does your product have? You certainly cannot be at every location of your product offering details and samples of your product, so how do you tell people what’s inside? You create a label custom for your product that not only markets the product in an enticing manner, but also offers pertinent details and selling points about the product inside. You will also have mandatory details that must be listed depending on the product, so research into legally obligated details is also necessary.

Clearly there are thousands of different labels anywhere from shipping labels to packaging labels and everything in between. Identifying your purpose is the first step in creating your label. If you are selling something that can be seen with the naked eye, you must deliver the details unseen by consumer. The fabric used, the warranty information, the gas mileage and a plethora of other details that should be delicately marketed to further entice the consumer to purchase your product. As with most products, there are multiple versions to choose from, so why would the consumer buy yours over another product? Pricing is not always the clear winner, as you may not be getting what you’re paying for. Most consumer purchases are “on the spot” decisions as a direct result of strategic product placement, product timing (as in seasonal products) and most importantly, your label. It should come as no surprise that a wine’s label is responsible for 60% of all wine sales. (Dion Label Printing) Your label will be your opener and if done well, your label will also close the sale.

So, how do you create a custom label that will place your product at the pinnacle of sales? It’s not as easy as you may think, but definitely one of the most important aspects of your product’s success. After identifying the packaging, you must first identify the size of the label. How big does this label need to be in order to attract consumer attention? If you have a product that is completely hidden by the packaging, then your product becomes a billboard. If your product is exposed, then your label becomes smaller allowing the product to speak for itself, but providing the extra selling points and key aspects not found on the exposed product by sight or touch. Identifying your label type and size is the very first step to producing your top salesman, your label.

Now that you’ve completed step one, you’re on to the next phase and quite possibly the most fun phase of the entire process. Now you need a design. A design that will be the face of your product, the first thing someone sees when he or she thinks of your product. The label needs to be five things: simple, memorable, timeless, versatile and appropriate. (http://justcreative.com/2008/01/08/how-to-design-a-logo/) The label needs to command attention and draw consumers to your product and once they are there, finalize the sale with your target marketing tactics. You can hire a graphic design artist or you can produce a rough sketch on your own for an artist to turn into a final design. Then you must compliment your design with the best colors and textures for your label. In some cases, the textures and type of stock your label is printed on will be determined by the use of the product and the environment the product will be in. If the product is a rugged outdoor tractor, a flimsy paper label will not deliver the rugged design’s message. If your product will be stored in a cooler or freezer, you will need waterproof adhesive and label stock. Once you’ve identified and executed the label design, you’ll have to measure your free space and decide which information is most pertinent to occupy this space. You need to place your legal information first such as FDA and related information first and foremost. After you have done this, the rest of the label is yours for catch phrases and selling points. Remember, your label needs to be catchy and selling, not “busy” and cluttered. Finding the happy medium is where your creative mind comes into play.

Now that you’ve identified the size of the label and the design of the label to include some primary selling points, let’s touch on our five key points of label design. Your logo needs to allow for easy recognition while remaining unique without overdoing it. You can make this simple design memorable by following the guidelines of simplicity and adding the appropriate aspect. The Nike Swoosh was created by Caroline Davidson in 1971 for only $35 and is simple yet very memorable. Your logo must also be timeless. Will your logo still be current in 10 years? This is where versatility comes into play. Your logo must be pertinent to the given product, yet versatile enough to accommodate for upgrades and modified versions of your product. Finally we will talk about how to make your label appropriate. You need to identify your target audience and choose a color scheme, design and verbiage that are appropriate. You certainly wouldn’t want the same color scheme and design utilized for an outdoor supply company used for a hospital. I chose a whole section for these five aspects because of their importance in the label creation process. All five aspects utilized in the appropriate manner will result in a successful label, but any aspect skipped or ignored will result in a misinformed label and subsequently a failed sales strategy. It doesn’t matter how good your product is if the label doesn’t depict this for the consumer.

So the next time you are pushing your cart down the grocery aisle, remember that the labels you are seeing is one of the single most important factors in the successful distribution of your product. Your label tells the consumer about your product without boring him or her into oblivion. Once you learn how to create a successful label, you’ll reap in the monetary fruits of your labor.