If you have just opened up your small business, it is important that you have a way to distinguish your brand from others in the industry. Naturally, you may be thinking about the marketing tools at your disposal, including your social media and advertising strategies.

However, have you considered the type of packaging you will utilise when you send out your merchandise? Your packaging will define what your business’s customers think about your business. So, here are some small business packaging ideas to get you started.

1. Customised packaging

Of course, when you think about packaging, you naturally picture paper packaging that has no design. It is simply used and then thrown away. However, times have changed. After all, your packaging serves a marketing purpose. It is the first thing your customers see; therefore, they will gain an impression of your business from it.

Nowadays, you will get a lot of influencers that do unpackaging videos. Therefore, if you want to be a memorable brand, you’ll focus on how you can customise your packaging. Consider your colour palette and how it can relate to your product. For instance, take a look at the brand Apple. They use white, showing that it is simple and productive. So, what sort of products do you have? If you have wellbeing products, you may want to go with greens and blues. However, if you have more serious or fashion products, you may want to go for darker hues.

Customised packaging can even use product logos, patterns and additional materials that can have text printed on it. You can even think about whether you use a bag or a box with a variety of colours. Just consider your product first and how you can make it memorable.

2. Product safety

Naturally, as a business owner, you need to consider how you’re going to transport your products safely to your customers. To do this, you may want to contact pallet wrap manufacturers based in the UK, or source soft material that can be used to cushion your products. Just keep in mind that you may need to spend more money on these products when you are tallying up your total costs!

3. Compostable packaging

Packaging tends to be a single-use item. Once the customer opens up their package, they will throw the packaging away. This can have an impact on the environment as your packaging may use non-recyclable plastics or materials that cannot decompose. Ultimately, this can affect the environment.

That’s why, if you want to stand out amongst your competition, you’ll use compostable packaging. This type of packaging can be given to customers with instructions on how to help it compost in the soil. You can also focus on using packaging that uses recyclable materials, like paper. That way you can lower your carbon footprint.

4. Box compartments

If you’re thinking about sending out multiple small products, it’s time for you to consider how you can make your packaging more cost-effective. That’s why, instead of sending out several packages, you should consider using a single package that has a number of compartments in it. That way you can make your packaging look organised and fit more items in it. It can also give your customers something exciting to unwrap or even reuse if you make your packaging look unique.

5. Printed stickers

To make your wrapping truly stand out, you may want to add some logo stickers onto your packaging. That way your brand is easily viewable and you can save time not having to write out your shipping information time and time again. Not only that, but the printed stickers will truly make your packaging look professional.

6. Packaging shape

Don’t forget that you have full control over the shape and size of your packaging. So, why not make your packaging suit your products? You can make your packaging into shapes that express your brand. For instance, if you are shipping a Christmas product, your packaging could be in the shape of a Christmas tree or a star.

Are you ready to choose your packaging?

Choosing your business packaging will be extremely personal to your brand. Therefore, if you are a start-up company, take your time to choose the right packaging for you. You need a type of packaging that protects your products and leaves a good impression on all of your customers. Think carefully about how your customers will perceive the packaging you send them. The more thought you put into it the better!

As the owner of a small business, it’s important that you understand how you can sell your products as efficiently as possible. You can’t just think about the products themselves; you need to think about how they are going to be shipped over to your customers without getting lost or broken during their journey. Here are the shipping essentials that you need to know if you are ready to get started on shipping a product.

1. Think about your packaging

If you are thinking about shipping your products, the first thing you need to think about is your packaging. Your packaging is the best way to keep your products safe when they are sent out to your customers. Usually, your packaging will be an envelope or a mailer box. Think carefully about what type of packaging you use. Your packaging will depend on the size of your product and your company’s brand.

Sometimes companies will use packaging with unique designs to grab the attention of their clients. For instance, packaging can come in a variety of colours and patterns. You can even look at eco-friendly manufacturing and packaging, including compostable packaging to make sure that there is no waste left behind.

With that said, you need to be careful not to spend too much on your packaging, especially if you need to replace your packaging regularly. You need to look at the cost of each piece of packaging. It may cost you more to ship your products if your packages are heavier. Some good suggestions for cost-effective packaging include:

• Cellophane bags
• Tissue paper
• Kraft paper rolls
• Twine for packaging aesthetic

Think carefully about how much space is taken up in your workplace due to the amount of packaging you need to store. You can also consider adding some thank you cards to your packaging. That way, your customers know that they are appreciated.

2. Shipping mailers

Moving onto the shipping process, one of the essential things you need to consider is whether or not you need a shipping mailer. You can buy shipping mailers from Uline, Amazon, PackagingSupplies and Papermart, especially if you need to get them in bulk.

Paper mailers are extremely cost-effective. They are easy to get if you need to have a steady supply of them that are ready to send out if you have a last-minute order. This can be extremely useful if you are looking for discounts.

3. Shipping labels

Shipping labels are crucial if you want to give your shipping and packaging a professional touch. Instead of writing out a hand-written label that can be difficult to read, shipping labels can be easily designed on Word before they are sent to a printer and returned in bulk. You can then put them on your packages to show off your brand and make your products memorable.

4. Cushioning materials

If you are shipping a fragile item to your customers, make sure to use a cushioning material to make sure that your products don’t get broken during the travelling process. You can use bubble wrap or tissue to do this.

5. Consider your shipping options

Another shipping essential you need to think about is your shipping mail provider. A good courier company in the UK can help you get your products sent to your customers in a decent amount of time. Make sure to take some time to find the best courier for your needs. That way you can ship a variety of parcels as quickly as possible. Some of the best courier services include:

• Royal Mail
• UPS
• DHL
• Parcelforce
• TNT Express UK
• Hermes
• Yodel
• FedEx

6. Additional personalisation

Although this may not be an essential, if you want to make effective marketing out of your packaging and parcels, you may want to think of ways that you can personalise your shipping items. Think carefully about the products you own and ways you can make your packaging suit your brand. For instance, if you sell candles, you may want to use soft mute colours for your packaging, and incorporate twine and even stickers to stand out compared to your competitors.

Are you ready to ship your products?

As a small business owner, it can be stressful trying to get your products shipped out in a timely manner. That’s why it’s important that you fully understand what options are available to help your products when they are on their journey to your customers. Your customers will appreciate the amount of time and effort you put into your shipping.