How to Get Custom Packaging for Small Business: A Step-by-Step Guide

Getting custom packaging for your small business is an exciting step toward building a strong brand identity. Custom packaging can set your business apart, improve the customer experience, and reflect your brand’s values. Now let’s explore how to achieve this.

Why Custom Packaging is Important for Small Businesses?

Custom packaging is incredibly important for small businesses for several reasons, all of which contribute to strengthening your brand, improving customer experience, and even boosting your bottom line. Here’s why it’s such a game-changer:

1. Brand Identity & Recognition

Custom packaging allows you to showcase your brand’s personality and values right from the moment a customer receives their order. It creates a strong, consistent visual identity that’s instantly recognizable. Your logo, color scheme, typography, and unique design elements work together to create a memorable experience for customers.

Creates a First Impression: The packaging is the first thing a customer sees, and you want that first impression to reflect the quality and style of your brand.
Increases Brand Recall: When customers receive a beautifully designed package, they’ll remember it—and your brand—long after they’ve opened it.

2. Customer Experience & Loyalty

The unboxing experience is a huge part of customer satisfaction. Custom packaging makes your product feel special and gives it a premium touch, making customers feel valued.

Surprise & Delight: Adding little details like custom tissue paper, a handwritten note, or branded stickers can make customers feel like they’re getting something special, leading to a positive emotional connection.
Enhances Perceived Value: High-quality, unique packaging can elevate your product’s perceived value, making customers feel like they’re getting more for their money. This could lead to repeat business.

3. Differentiation from Competitors

In a crowded market, standing out is key, and custom packaging is one of the easiest ways to do so. It’s your chance to distinguish your product from competitors, especially if you’re in an industry where many products look similar.

Helps You Stand Out: If you sell on platforms like Amazon or Etsy, custom packaging can make your product more distinctive compared to generic packaging that doesn’t reflect your brand.
Builds a Unique Position: A great packaging design can convey your business’s unique selling points, whether you’re emphasizing sustainability, luxury, or fun and quirky vibes.

4. Cost-Effective Marketing

Your packaging is a form of free advertising. Every time a customer sees your package—whether it’s during delivery, in transit, or even in the trash—the packaging is working to promote your brand.

Increases Visibility: Think about how often your packaging travels through neighborhoods, shops, or social media feeds. Custom packaging, especially when it’s aesthetically appealing, can act as a walking billboard.
Social Media Exposure: Customers love to share unboxing experiences on social media, especially if the packaging is unique or striking. This can lead to free exposure and organic marketing.

5. Marketing & Promotion Opportunities

Custom packaging is a great way to incorporate promotional messages or product information directly onto the packaging.

Encourages Repeat Purchases: You can include special offers, discount codes, or loyalty programs on your packaging to encourage customers to buy again.
Product Education: Use packaging to educate your customers about your product’s use or benefits, or to tell the story of your brand, which can create an emotional connection.

Steps to Get Custom Packaging for Your Small Business

Getting custom packaging for your small business can be an exciting, but sometimes overwhelming, process. Whether you’re looking to create a unique unboxing experience for your customers or simply need packaging that reflects your brand’s values, following a clear step-by-step process can help you get the perfect custom packaging without any surprises.

Here’s a simple guide to help you navigate the process:

1. Understand Your Packaging Needs

The first step is to get clear on what you need before you start looking for suppliers or designing anything. Ask yourself the following questions:

What’s your product size/shape?: Is it small and fragile, large and bulky, or irregularly shaped? This will affect the type of packaging you need (e.g., boxes, padded mailers, custom inserts).
What is your brand message?: Do you want your packaging to feel eco-friendly, luxurious, minimalistic, or fun? Your packaging should reflect the essence of your brand.
Do you have any legal requirements?: For certain products, such as food or beauty items, you may need to include specific information (ingredients, safety instructions, etc.) on your packaging.
What’s your budget?: Custom packaging can range from affordable to premium, so defining your budget will help narrow your options.

2. Choose the Right Type of Packaging

Once you know your product and branding requirements, it’s time to choose the right packaging. Some common options include:

Boxes: Ideal for a variety of products, especially if they need extra protection.
Mailers: Great for lightweight, flat products (e.g., clothing, paper goods, small electronics).
Bags: Suitable for soft or flexible items (e.g., apparel, accessories, and jewelry).
Custom Inserts: If you’re shipping delicate or irregularly shaped products, you might need foam inserts, crinkle paper, or custom dividers to ensure the product stays secure.
Labels: If you’re starting with basic packaging (e.g., plain boxes or mailers), you can add custom labels to enhance the look.

3. Create Your Packaging Design

Your packaging design should reflect your brand, stand out, and give a positive first impression. You can create your design in several ways:

DIY Tools: If you have some design skills, tools offer templates that can help you design custom packaging with ease.
Hire a Designer: If you’re looking for a more polished design or don’t have the skills yourself, hiring a professional designer or a design agency is a great option. They can create a unique, high-quality design that will align with your brand identity.
Design Considerations: Ensure your design includes important elements like your logo, product name, website, and any legal information (e.g., ingredients, warnings). Additionally, think about how the colors, fonts, and images reflect your brand’s style.
Design for the Customer Experience: Think about how your packaging will look and feel when customers open it. This is a chance to surprise and delight them, whether through fun visuals, personalized messages, or premium touches like tissue paper.

4. Request Samples and Approve the Design

Once your design is ready, it’s crucial to request a sample from the supplier. This step ensures the quality, fit, and appearance of your packaging before you place a bulk order.

Check for Quality: Assess the print quality, material strength, and how well it holds up to shipping. Does it look as expected, and does the product fit properly?
Test the Functionality: Make sure your product fits securely in the packaging and that it provides adequate protection during transit.
Make Adjustments: If needed, work with the supplier to make any changes to the design or materials before finalizing the order.

5. Finalize Your Order

After you’ve approved the sample, it’s time to place your bulk order. Be sure to consider the following:

Order Quantity: Many suppliers offer discounts for bulk orders, but only order what you need or can store. Don’t over-order if you’re unsure of demand.
Lead Time: Ask the supplier about production and delivery times. Custom packaging can take a few weeks to produce, so plan accordingly if you have a product launch or special promotion.
Check for Additional Fees: Make sure to ask about setup fees, shipping costs, and any additional charges that may apply.

Choosing Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Packaging Supplier

Once you know what type of packaging you need, start researching suppliers. Here are a few tips for finding the right one:

Online Packaging Suppliers: There are a variety of companies like HaiYang, the Packaging Company that specialize in custom packaging for small businesses.

Local Manufacturers: Check with local printing or packaging companies for more hands-on service or quicker turnaround times.

Eco-friendly Options: If sustainability is important, look for suppliers who specialize in recycled, biodegradable, or reusable materials.

Read Reviews & Compare Prices: Look for testimonials from other small businesses to ensure the supplier is reliable and offers good customer service.

5 Tips to Save Money on Custom Packaging

Custom packaging can be a powerful tool for your brand, but if you’re on a tight budget, it’s important to be strategic to keep costs manageable. Here are 5 practical tips to help you save money on custom packaging while still creating an impactful customer experience:

1. Order in Bulk

One of the easiest ways to save money on custom packaging is by ordering in larger quantities.

Why it saves money: Many packaging suppliers offer significant discounts on bulk orders. The more you buy, the lower the cost per unit tends to be. This is especially helpful if you have predictable demand and can store extra inventory.
How to approach it: Estimate how much packaging you’ll need over a few months or even the next year. Order accordingly, but be mindful of storage space. If your sales fluctuate, avoid over-ordering by starting with a smaller bulk order and then scaling up.
Pro Tip: If you’re worried about storage space, opt for flat-pack packaging (e.g., mailers, boxes) that takes up less room.

2. Simplify Your Design

While a custom design is important for brand identity, simplifying the design can drastically lower your costs.

Why it saves money: The more complex your design, the more expensive the printing process may be. Detailed designs with multiple colors or intricate patterns can increase costs.
How to approach it: Stick to one or two colors, or use simpler graphics and logos. For example, a single-color logo or minimalist design can still convey your brand message effectively.
Pro Tip: If you’re printing on paper-based products, you can also use the “one-sided” design approach to reduce printing costs, especially for boxes and tissue paper.

3. Use Stock Packaging with Custom Labels

Instead of ordering fully custom-designed boxes or mailers, consider starting with stock packaging that you can personalize with custom labels or stickers.

Why it saves money: Custom stock packaging (like plain boxes, mailers, or bags) is generally cheaper than fully custom designs. Adding labels or stickers can still make them look branded without the added cost of custom printing on every surface.
How to approach it: Order standard, plain packaging in bulk and customize it with your logo or design using affordable stickers or labels. Stickers are particularly cost-effective because you can print a batch and use them for multiple packaging types.
Pro Tip: Companies like Sticker Mule and Avery offer affordable custom labels and stickers that are perfect for this purpose.

4. Opt for Simpler, More Cost-Effective Materials

You can choose materials that look premium but don’t cost a lot. Here are some affordable options that still give your brand a polished look:

Why it saves money: Certain materials, like kraft paper, cardboard, or simple poly mailers, are generally more affordable than premium options like thick custom-printed boxes or specialty materials.
How to approach it: Choose kraft paper boxes or eco-friendly mailers, which are cheaper to produce and ship. You can still add your branding with inexpensive labels, tissue paper, or stamps.
Pro Tip: If you’re going for an eco-friendly option, try to balance sustainability with cost. Some eco-friendly materials can be more expensive, but many suppliers now offer affordable recycled options that don’t break the bank.

5. Reuse Packaging and Recycle Materials

If you want to save even more, you can explore ways to reuse or repurpose packaging materials.

Why it saves money: Reusing materials or recycling old packaging reduces the need to invest in new supplies. You can also take advantage of sustainable practices without spending more on new custom packaging.
How to approach it: Consider reusing packaging you already have, such as old boxes or mailers, as long as they’re still in good condition. You can add a new label or a touch of branded tissue paper to refresh the packaging. You can also collect recyclable materials like shredded paper or boxes from suppliers and repurpose them.
Pro Tip: If you’re sending a gift or something fragile, you can even use recycled packing peanuts or paper to pad your packages instead of purchasing new fillers.

Conclusion

Custom packaging can be a game-changer for your small business, helping to elevate your brand and impress customers. It requires some time and investment, but the long-term benefits for customer loyalty and brand recognition can be huge. In this comprehensive guide, we walked you through the step-by-step process of getting custom packaging for a small business.

Do you already have an idea for your custom packaging, or are you still figuring it out?